Top 3 Educated quotes
“After that night, there was never a question of whether I would go or stay. It was as if we were living in the future, and I was already gone.”
Chapter, 16
Tara defies her father’s wishes and takes Shawn to the hospital following a motorcycle accident. This act signifies the onset of a trend where she begins to assert her independence from her family, making decisions that conflict with her upbringing. At this juncture, Tara hasn’t yet left for school and is still uncertain about whether seeking an education is the right path for her. By standing up to her father, she begins to cultivate the courage to make other autonomous decisions. This passage also highlights the role of hindsight in the memoir. When Tara decided to take Shawn to the hospital, she couldn’t fully comprehend the implications and consequences of her decision. In retrospect, she can discern patterns and links between various actions that ultimately led her to distance herself from her family.
“Dad could be wrong, and the great historians Carlyle and Macaulay and Trevelyn could be wrong, but from the ashes of their dispute I could construct a world to live in. In knowing the ground was not ground at all, I hoped I could stand on it.”
Chapter 28
Tara first arrives at Cambridge and declares her intention to delve into historiography, the study of history and its practitioners. Tara’s upbringing was within a family that adhered to distinct narratives she was expected to accept without question, and her father always asserted his beliefs with unwavering conviction. A key reason why Tara distances herself from her family and develops an interest in education is her inherent understanding that reality is more nuanced than the version her father has imparted to her.
"Never had I found such comfort in a void, in the black absence of knowledge. It seemed to say: whatever you are, you are woman."
Chapter 30
Tara develops an interest in feminist history and encounters a quote from John Stuart Mill asserting that nothing definitive can be discerned about women’s nature. Throughout her upbringing, Tara has frequently questioned the gender roles and expectations imposed on women. She has been brought up to believe that women should not harbor ambitions, should submit to men, and should not challenge male authority. Yet, Tara, through observing her mother and her own experiences, recognizes that women can be intelligent, competent, and resilient. This disparity leaves Tara feeling perplexed and embarrassed. She believes there must be something inherently wrong with her because she cannot reconcile the societal narratives about women with her personal experience of womanhood. This internal conflict propels her to explore what past intellectuals and authors have articulated about this topic. Tara finds solace in Mill’s quote as it provides her with the latitude for self-definition and identity formation.
