General hackworth book

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Grealy's memoir is a sensitive account of the relationship between physical appearance and self-esteem. It is a story of courage and resilience in the face of adversity. It describes the psychological, social, and cultural implications of an ailment.

At nine years of age, Lucy loses half her jaw to Ewing's sarcoma.

About face book summary

In the early stages of the disease and treatment, she does not comprehend the significance or the implications of her condition. After more than two years of surgeries, radiation treatment, and intensive chemotherapy, she realizes the impact of the illness and disfigurement. The narrative incorporates several childhood events. Her awareness of people staring at her face, her attempts to hide her face with her hair, and a feeling of joy on Halloween, when she could mask her face are heart-wrenching.

The book describes the impact of Lucy's disease on her family relationships.

About face goodreads

Lucy belongs to an Irish immigrant family that copes with displacement. They face economic difficulties too. Lucy's mother raises five children, battles depression, and endures the agony of Lucy's illness. She teaches Lucy to 'be brave' and 'not to cry.