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Reviews & Letters 2009
Psychology Majors at Siena
College with Dr. Cameron class in Psychology of Women
Student #1
Psychology of women
Dr. Cameron
Siena College
Dec. 10. 2009
When does a child learn the difference between right and wrong or
good and bad? Aren’t their parents supposed to be the ones to teach
them this? Unfortunately for Rosemary Richards, she had to struggle
most of her life in order to determine the differences between good
and bad because when her parents were supposed to, they neglected
to. Her struggles became strengths and her fears were tests to their
limits. Not only did I enjoy her story and the way she told it, but
I was inspired that a woman who was faced with so many challenges
and “evil” people could push through and overcome. The fact that she
saw each challenge as it came and dealt with it to the best of her
ability made me proud to be a woman, especially due to the fact that
sometimes women are perceived to be fragile and innocent, which is
clearly untrue.
The major reason I enjoyed this book so much is that it was written
in the point of view of the person speaking. In other words, when
Amy (Rose) was a little girl, she spoke and thought like a little
girl. She questioned her father’s nature in a way that a young girl
would. Rape is unfortunately a common occurrence in the world, and
women starting with young girls need to be aware of what it could
entail. Although, how do you tell a young girl something like this
could happen without instilling far and a lack of trust? A common
form of rape is incestuous and unfortunately for Amy; who had a
mentally ill mother who could no longer love her husband as she once
did, he turned to her. Amy even recognized that it was her mother
and father who were supposed to teach her the difference between
good and evil, as well as to be the two people she could trust the
most in her fife, which wasn’t the case. Though this young girl, who
grew to be a mature, skeptical, dominant woman, faced such horrific
and disturbing events throughout her life, I was relieved to read
brief, not-so-graphic versions of those events. Unfortunately life
isn’t this censored and anyone could be the victim of rape, no
matter what class, status, or family you’re from.
It’s hard to hear about the violation of a young girl, or any girl
for that matter, and even her brief descriptions of what her first
husband, The Vulture, did to her. I couldn’t put this writing down
to be honest. I kept hoping and looking forward to the next
challenge Amy would overcome, and I wanted to see how she prospered
in the end. I was glad to hear, though not everybody in her position
may have had a happy ending, if that’s what you call it, that she
finally met a man she could love and trust, and honestly say so. She
met a man that she was confident in after all the years of being
anxious, fearful, and abused by, but he was the one who loved her
despite everything that had happened to her. Not only do I admire
this woman, but I hope to be as strong as her in my life as I
encounter obstacles and situations that will test my mind, body and
will.
Student # 2
2009 Class
I just finished this book and it was “great”. I can honestly say: “I
could not put this book down and I read it with fury for two
straight days minus some sleep until I finished it. One point made
in the book was there is a fine line between people who are
intelligent and mental disorders. I guess what I am trying to say
are smart people have mental disorders. Until reading this book, I
guess I really did not know that was true. My eyes have now been
opened.
If Rose was intending for one person’s life to be changed by this
book, you can tell her mine was. I now clearly see that a person can
RISE above sexual abuse happening to them when they are a small
child. I have proof! There is a strong woman named Rose who worked
hard to get more than on degree and she stood up for her children
and left her abusive husband and raised her children for five years
on her own. I was molested by my uncle beginning at age eight and
when I read this book it was like “Looking in the mirror”.
I felt so much like Rose did; dirty and not worth anything as an
adult. I still feel this way to some degree but I am working on
feeling better about myself. One of the qualities Rose possesses is
she is not conceited. She worked hard to be a nurse and get a degree
in the arts later in life and she is not at all boastful about it.
Not a lot of people can say that. Most people brag about their
accomplishments, but Rose did not. In my opinion she is a very
humble woman.
She was very brave and selfless. She very easily could have stayed
with the “Mother” (foster mother) she had before her biological
mother came to get her after being released from the mental
hospital. I feel she would have been better off if she did not go
with her biological mother and stayed where she was. She would have
had more NORMAL of a life for certain. She left because she thought
her biological mother needed her more, pretty selfless act on her
part. In my opinion, her life would have been much happier is she
did not go with her biological mother.
I thought it was FANTASTIC she met and married her knight in shining
armor Jack. I cannot imagine anybody could deserve to find that kind
of love more than Rose. I think Rose would make a good therapist
herself and you can pass that thought on to her if you want. I feel
people really could straighten out their life is she helped them do
it.
I feel the saddest for her step-daughter. She had too much
responsibility and was the most cheated of her childhood in my
opinion.
I would definitely recommend this book to everyone I now. I found it
very inspirational and look forward to meeting Rose. I think shies
is kind, intelligent and brave.
Student # 3
2009 Psychology of Women
Siena College
Dr. Cameron
After reading the book Dance Beyond the Shadows by Rosemary
Richards, I can say that I hope to grow up and be someone as strong
willed and have as much courage as she did. When reading the book,
you could feel the author’s pain and it makes one feel grateful for
the life that they have and that they did not have to go through the
same experiences as the author. The story told was honest and raw
and showed that people can overcome the challenges that they are
faced with in life and also that the experiences you have, no matter
how terrible they may be shape who you are today.
In this book, the author Rosemary did a strong thing by even writing
this book and sharing her story with the world. I think the hardest
part of dealing with a situation like this is coming to terms with
it, and she did by writing this book because she has to look back
and think about what exactly happened to her in great detail. Her
life was full of darkness and abuse. I really liked how she was able
to reach her audience on such a real level. I liked her book because
it helped me deal with my own life situations and think that I am
not as bad off as other people, and that if she can grow strong from
her situation, so can I. Reading her book reminded me of my own bad
times.
Growing up, my dad was an alcoholic, and when he was drunk which was
basically all the time, he was angry. Many times I was subject to
his abuse and actions because he was drunk and angry. I have
emotional scarring from his actions, which included him hitting and
abusing me as well as watching him do the same to my mom and sister.
The majority of memories from when I was a kid are full of these
incidents. I remember one Easter where for some reason my dad got
mad while driving and swerved the car across lanes of traffic, got
out and walked off and was gone for the rest of the day. And then
there is the time one Christmas that my sister was upset about one
of her gifts and he proceeded to have his hands around her throat
while he yelled at her. Since then ha has gotten help and now has
been sober for 8 years. Even though this happened, he still has
times where he loses control and uses force to get his way. I never
liked to think about thede times until I read her boo.
When reading the book, I realized that what I went through was
painful, but could have been a lot worse, and I am fortunate that he
got help and is not nearly as bad as he used to be. Although I was
never sexually abused like the author, it still helped me in a way.
That is why I hope I can grow up and be strong and help people.
maybe not in the same way she has, but maybe just to show my
children what it is like not to grow up in the same situation as me
or the author.. It was a touching book that had real pain, as well
as forgiveness, which is the most powerful part. He being able to
forgive and grow from her experiences is truly remarkable. I would
suggest this book to everyone. It is something that should be read
by everyone so they now what it is like to grow up in that kind of
life and realize they have a good life and not to take what they
have for granted.
Student #4
2009
Dance Beyond the Shadows
After completing the book “Dance Beyond The Shadows” by Rosemary
Richards, my understanding of dysfunctional domestic life and
abusive parenting was totally altered. The novel is a depiction of a
young girl’s life with a sexually abusive father and a family that
has a list of mental health problems. Throughout the story,
Rosemary’s character is tested and pushed to its limits and her
ability to preserver ultimately pays off for her in her adulthood
life. With her father as a sexual predator, and her family having a
laundry list of mental health problems, it makes the book a very
cheerless read.
The character “Amy” who was a manifestation of Rosemary in the
novel, seemed to be affected by many aspects that young girls go
through when experiencing dramatic travesties in their life. Such as
Amy, and her innate ability to not tell anyone about the sexual
abuse by her own father, mixed in with the psychological fear aspect
and the negative connotation that comes with it in society. I though
it was devastating that not only did she suffer constant sexual
abuse by her father but her family was also suffering from mental
problems as well (especially shown when the mother and older sister
eventually become induced into a mental hospital), thus only adding
to her fear of “waiting”. Whether it was waiting for an abusive act
from her own father or waiting to become like the reminder of her
family mentally.
What astonished me for the most part was her willingness to be open
about her entire life story. I believe the fact that she has become
incredibly willing to tell about it is a true testament to her
inner-character and exemplifies how mentally strong she truly is.
Her ability to discuss it and confront her problems shows how
mentally tough she is and how she has not lost faith in her own
family relations and seems to be making a great life now for her
kids and her apparent loving and affectionate husband.
The book in its entirety seemed disheartening because of the
constant trial and tribulations that Amy is continuously going
through. I did take gratification in the adding of poems into the
book and having it incorporate into the chapters. I though she did a
great job of using kid analogies to describe aspects of her life.
Such as referencing her father as a “Dragon”, only making the novel
seem more surreal and causing children and young adults to relate
easier, because a dragon is a creature a young girl would recognize
a sinful adult as however, the book was far from blissful and
consequently gloomy.
Student # 5
12/18/09
The story of Rosemary Richards or “Amy” as she calls herself is an
intriguing look at what abuse and pain can do to the psychology of a
person. Her history of incest, history of mental illness, moving
from place to palce, being ignored until she felt invisible and
sexual abuse, and abuse is almost like a guide to what was taught in
class. It is obvious that each and everything was burned into her
head even if she creatively remembered it. She responded to all of
these events with confusion and detachment. To finally come to terms
with these things through therapy and strength is a major
accomplishment.
Reading this book was almost traumatizing for me but healing all the
same. As a child I was severely abused by my father. After some
extensive therapy I learned how to get over that enough to survive
life fairly well. however, going through emotional changes or
descriptions and perceptions of abuse are often traumatic for me.
This book accurately represents the confusion and feeling of having
someone you trust abuse that trust as a child. Having Rose look back
on these things and make note of them shows really how a child
sometimes has no idea what is going on. When Rose speaks of touching
her father in the nudist colony and not seeing why it is wrong it
reminds me of how I look back on every instance with guilt of what I
did wrong though you know that is not true it is burned in your
memory with the emotions you felt at the age of 6.
The book was really a worthwhile read that represents the points
made in class. As healing as it was for Rose to write I truly think
that her dream of inspiring people with hope through this book is
fathomable.
Student #6
December 17th, 2009
Rosemary Richard’s Dance Beyond The Shadows is a memoir of sorts.
The book itself is a reflection of the experiences of the author,
and throughout the course of the story, she makes insightful
connections with those early experiences to events that took place
later in hr life.
One of the events of the author’s childhood that had a very lasting
effect on her was the sexual abuse she was subjected to by her
father. This is something she struggled with for most of her life,
and repeatedly mentions it throughout the story. Richards was also
told as a child never to “tell” about what her father did to her.
This caused her to withdraw from the world around her, finding
sanctuary only within herself. The abuse of her childhood continued
in different ways though her life. Abusive boyfriends continued this
cycle in her life. Though these events had a huge impact on
Richard’s young life, she has worked through them to her adult life,
where she is greatly successful, in spite of her greatly troubled
past.
Her writing is unexpectedly insightful, and she is very open in her
writing. The style and nature of the writing makes the reader
actually feel what the author is feeling. She has this uncanny
ability to connect to the reader, no matter what their emotional
background. Her willingness to share her experiences is remarkable,
and pulls the reader in. Her book is definitely successful in its
attempt to educate the reader not only about her life, but also
about options that are available for the readers who suffer from
similar issues to Richards.
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