Journal #3 "The Pen is mightier than the Sword"

Writers have an extraordinary potential to change people's minds and to create revolutions. Reflect upon some of the radical changes that have been wrought by such texts as The Declaration of Independence, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and The Communist Manifesto. What issues or topics are you interested in exploring in your writing? What changes do you feel are worth making?


When it comes to writing, I usually write about something that interests me or something that I can relate to. If I am given a topic and it doesn't interest me or I cant relate to it in some way I have a really hard time writing. There are a few issues that I find I can write well on and that is because some of them I can relate to and some really interest me. An issue that has really affected me was being raised in an abusive relationship. An environment that no women, man or child should have to live in. But, I did live in one and there is nothing that I can do to change that.
When people try to write and talk about this issue and don’t know what they are talking about, it really upsets me. They always say that they know what they would do if they lived in that situation. But I really doubt they would know what they would do. When you think that a man has come to be the father that you never had and he begins to abuse your family, it is hard for you to know what to do. You want to help the man and try to help him get better but he never changes. People also always say how could a women put herself and children through that, maybe because that women is scared if she lives he will kill her or her children. I really believe that unless someone has lived in an environment like I have they cant talk about it.
I believe that in the long run living the way I had has made me a stronger person. But I remember nights laying awake listening to my mom cry and beg for him to stop what he was doing. I remember walking and running for miles and miles just to get away from him. Sometimes we would walk in snow, rain, and scorching heat but we had to get away. I remember all the times my mom had gotten hurt and all the times my brother, sister and I were as well. No one knows what its like to wonder whether your mom would still be breathing when you woke up in the morning, unless you have been through it.
No one knows what its like to have all your money stolen from you because he is spending his money on things other than food and bills, unless you have been through it. There are just certain issues that people should not talk about unless they know what it is like and I feel like abusive home environments is one of them.