Erika Martinez

Period
Wild part 3
Cheryl Strayed
Q: Cheryl describes her biological father as an abusive husband and says he would constantly
treat them bad, yet when her mom decided to finally leave him she writes, I wept and begged
her not to do it. Divorce seemed to me to be the very worst thing that could happen (Strayed
133). What factors contributed to Cheryls mom divorcing her dad? How could this quote be
used to compare her mothers divorce with her own?
A: Cheryls mother decided to leave her husband for many reasons. The main reason she left
was because in 1974 the first shelter for abused women open up and that was the year she
finally left for good. Cheryls mother would be physically abused by her father, she writes

There was my father choking my mother straddling her chest and banging her head against the
wall (Strayed 132) and my mother stood by bloodied and clutching my sleeping baby brother
and begged him to stop (Strayed 132). While her mom went through the more physical abuse,
Cheryl and siblings were mentally abused, Cheryl writes My father would smash our dinner
plates full of food out of rage (Strayed 132) and When we cried instead of answered, he
collapsed onto his knees and press his forehead to the floor and scream desperately. I was sure
we were all going to die right then and there (Strayed 132). For these amongst other reasons,
Cheryl's mom decided to leave him once and for all. This quote can be related back to Cheryl
and Pauls divorce because while at times Cheryl did not want to leave him she knew it was the
right thing to do because she had caused him so much harm. After her and Paul went to get
their divorce finalized it was up to them to send it out but Cheryl did not want to do it.
Q: As Cheryl finishes setting up her tent she reaches over to her arm and feels the tattoo if
Lady, her mothers horse. As she does this Cheryl begins to write about a memory. Why was
Lady put down? Why do you think Cheryl decided to include this as specific memory ?
A: After Cheryls mom died she lost touch with her family and they all decided to go their own
ways. Because they all went their own ways Lady didnt get much attention. Lady had gotten so
weak that they had to put her down. Cheryl thought that a veterinarian wouldnt go down to
euthanize the horse so instead she told Leif to shoot Lady. I think Cheryl decided to include this
quote because its a really powerful memory that had a great impact on her life. Lady went
through a lot of pain in suffering at the time of her death and it was all Cheryls fault. Once Lady
was officially dead, Cheryl writes When a great warrior dies youve got to kill their horse so that
they can cross over to the other side of the river. Its away of showing respect, Maybe mom can
ride away now (Strayed 162). Though Cheryl liked the idea of her mom crossing the river she
says i had to make a wish, not that my mother would ride back to me though of course, I
wanted that - but that she and lady would ride away together (Strayed 163). This memory
showed that she not only misses her mother but she also missed lady and felt bad for what she
had gone through.

Q: Cheryl meets a family who was on vacation. They took her in for a little while. They had
some conversations and they fed her. Why did this family decide to take Cheryl in? How did
Cheryls encounter with this family have an impact on her.