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Fola Solarin

Ms. McCain

English III 8th period

November 20, 2010

“[P]oor [L]ittle [R]ich [G]irl”

sTori telling
By Tori Spelling
271 pages
Simon Spotlight Entertainment. 2008. $15

sTori Telling, a bestselling biography, contains the highly publicized life of Tori

Spelling, from her ostentatious childhood birthday parties to her flamboyant marriage to

“Mr. Wrong.” She shares her struggles as an actress; her disaster-prone relationship with

her parents; and, ultimately, her journey to be “normal.” Spelling’s quirky and likable

attitude promotes effortless reading. The simplicity of her syntax and her informal,

conversational diction craft an enjoyable read.

Spelling generates an ordinary and congenial persona with familiar diction that

ultimately promotes the reader to shatter the previous image of the spoiled Hollywood

brat. The use of colloquial language, rather than detach from, enhances the sophistication

of the memoir. Phrases like “I had no idea to be a nanny was a job” and “all I wanted was

to be normal” reflect the author’s need for acceptance after a childhood of classic

nepotism. She yearns for the reader to understand that though, she lived in “the largest

single-family residence in California” and owned a million dollar “doll collection,”

“picking up poo” with her father is what stayed with her, her whole life. Meaning,

glamour was her nature, but the “low-key indulgences” was her nurture.
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As Spelling’s strives to acquire more credibility from the reader, she utilizes a

hint of pathos to convey that her life was filled with trials and tribulations “like everyone

else.” Some prime examples are when she conveys that, she had never been to a slumber

party because her parents were demanding and overprotective; her first boyfriend abused

her and gambled away her paychecks; and, the glory of her first true love after a love-less

marriage. ‘[P]icking my nose, snorting when I laughed, wearing white after Labor Day-I

was just who I was.” The reader then begins to counter the previous gossips and the

misunderstanding the media had created. Understanding the authors background,

establishes a greater sense of credibility and sincerity. By achieving this, the formation of

personal tone is generated and the author’s connection with the reader continues to

strengthen.

The author then goes a step further to convey the message, through more evident

traces of pathos, that all the glamour we see on television is not worth emulation. She

uses emotionally loaded words like “despised” and “humiliation” to prove that all the

glitter portrayed in the media is not gold. She explains that her “life [was] always

considered public property” and “privacy never exist[ed].”

Tori Spelling was able to successfully convey to the reader that though she grew

up in riches and fame, he life is not worth emulation. The memoir is very successful in

trying to convey the ultimate theme that true happiness lies in life’s “low-key

indulgences.” The informality of the diction and the hilarious quirky attitude of the author

deem “sTori Telling” as a brilliant and memorable masterpiece.

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