Shame Is A Motivating Force By Karen Roulters Analysis

At some point in their life, people become familiar with the feeling of shame. Shame is perceived as a devastating emotion because it causes feelings of inadequacy and failure. Because of its negative nature, people tend to prevent shame to themselves and others at all costs. However, through these efforts to avoid shame, people are often pushed outside of their comfort zones and accomplish what seem to be unattainable goals. Karen Russell establishes the theme of “Shame is a motivating force” throughout her story “St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves” through the wolf-girls’ eagerness to succeed in becoming civilized despite their desire to return home and maintain their customs.
The shame that their families would feel if the girls were to fail and return home is the sole reason that the girls remain at the school. Claudette expresses this idea through the quote: “...but who did we have to run back to? Only the curled black grimace of the mother. Only the father, holding his tawny head between his paws. Could we betray our …show more content…
Shame can come from many sources such as family, society, and even personal reasons but its effect remains the same regardless of its origin. Russell’s lesson of motivational shame teaches her audience that this emotion is a powerful force that can transform individuals into something that is entirely different from what they want to be. As human beings, fear of shame is a rational thought. However, shame, in a sense, is a necessary component for growth and change that pushes human beings to seemingly unreachable. Shame’s ability to transform people in such a way demonstrates the motivational force that this emotion possesses. So, although many people are no strangers to shame, the presence of shame tests the boundaries of humanity and creates greater improvement in individual