Unconditional Love: Is it a Healer?

Room
By Emma Donague
Danielle Pouliot

Have you ever loved someone so much that the rest of the world does not matter? No matter the circumstances, your love for this person will always pull you through tough times. This is the life of Room’s protagonist, Jack and his mother. Jack, a five year old boy, has spent his whole life trapped in a tiny room with his “Ma”. Jack has no reality of the outside and presumes everything he sees on tv is fake. The only taste of the outside world that Jack has is on Sunday Treat, where a man named Old Nick brings Ma and Jack “stuff we need that I ask him for” ( 37), if it does not provide Old Nick any trouble. Every night when Old Nick comes to sleep with Ma, Jack hides in the wardrobe, away from the monster. Jack is unaware of what Old Nick does/ has done to Ma. She hides her troubles from him so he does not have to feel the struggle that she is feeling.

I whole heartily recommend this book to any teenager or adult. There are some moments that are not meant for children, and children could not be able to comprehend some moments of the book. I espically recommend this book to teenagers so they can experience the unconditional love a parent has for their child, and the sacrifices they make. Room would also be great for parents, because they can relate to Ma and her character, someone who keeps her child safe from any harm.

Emma Donoghue should also be commended on her writing throughout the book. We can see what life is like through a small child like Jack, who makes a game or fun out of every moment. The light hearted moments that Jack gives us in his thoughts brings humor and a flashback of being a child again to the reader.

I believe that the simplicity of this book connected it to me the most. It's diction is not complicated and the plot it not confusing. But, the reader can translate Jack’s childish thoughts into more serious events. For example, when Old Nick comes to visit Ma at night, Jack, “always has to count till he makes that gaspy sound and stops” (37) Even though I have only read the first part of the book, I am confident that it will only get better.