TOW #16: IRB Final Review

Three Little Words  was a phenomenal book. Ashley Rhodes is one of my new favorite authors, not only because of the plot and storyline, but because of her style and the way she writes. She writes as though the reader is sitting there in the situation, not as if the reader is an outsider looking into an foggy window. I  would definitely say, above all, her descriptiveness and metaphors were the most outstanding elements of her book. For example, one way she described herself in the book was, "As we pulled out of the driveway, I heard a shattering sound inside my head as if a glass had broken between my ears...I was escaping, and yet, I felt as worthless as the junk in my trash bag. Once again, I was the one being tossed and thrown away." (Rhodes, 74) As the author describes herself as a piece of trash being tossed into the garbage can, the audience can imagine how small and worthless she had been feeling. 

    A recurring theme throughout the book was the idea of these "three little words", thus, the title of the story. As I read, I began to learn that the three words were "I love you", and the book helped define what that actually means- to love someone. Ashley had been abused for half of her life by foster mothers, never understanding the true meaning of love. She didn't belong anywhere, and she never had a home. It took over 195 people to find the two people who would save her from foster care. When she said those "three little words", it altered her life, as well as the world's life because she was able to put it into words and publish it. I think what Rhodes was trying to teach her audience was that life will throw struggles out that don't seem fair. There will be times where you won't  know if you'll survive this time or make it to tomorrow. The only thing that keeps you from jumping off of that mental cliff is hope. Love teaches hope. As Rhodes crawls her way to the appallingly flawed American foster care system, the audience is taken along for the ride, and Rhodes doesn't fail to convey her strength over and over again. By the end of the book, the reader realizes that not only did Rhodes make it through all of her struggles, but she was able to do more than that- she was able to live a part of the American dream by writing her book. It's incredible that after nine traumatic years, Rhodes was able to accomplish writing a book and overcoming her battles. I respect her not only as an author, but as a person.