Essay Critique" Talking Back" by Peggie Mcneil

I can feel her. She speaks with conviction. Eloquently and powerfully,She presented the facts, and nothing but the facts. No fluff, no melodrama, just plain truth the way she saw it, and to me the way it was ,and still is within society . I can relate to her plight, because I too lived that life up until I decided enough already. My mom wielded words like King Arthur wielded Excalibur, and you had better not "talk back". There was not to be any back talking in that house, because if you did ,be prepared to get knocked out. I remember writing my thoughts on any surface, even the bathroom wall. Not mine, of course. I think I cussed my mom out a least a thousand times to myself. Although I had a voice, it was slowly drying up, like a raisin in the sun.



Not only could you not talk back to your parents, you could not talk back to any adults without suffering the same consequences.One day I threw all caution to the wind, and talked back to my aunt, my mom's oldest sister, the big cheese. I had not gone to school that day, and she asked me why I didn't go to school . I replied by saying"why are you worrying about it?. You aren't my mom". Big trouble, she charged at me like she was a big ole bull, and I was wearing all red. She was all over me, like a cheap suit. I learned to speak without words after that experience.



I have a sister that is about seven years younger than I. She and my mom butted heads almost from day one , so it seems. My mom was always riding her, and I grew tried of it. I would champion her cause without saying a word. One day my sister got into trouble with my mom, and she was going to get a beating. My mom started beating her with a switch, and I heard her crying and screaming. My blood boiled, and I again threw all caution to the wind. I went into the room and just looked at my mom. She stopped beating my sister, and I went over to my sister and took her from the room. I was no longer afraid.



As a parent, I never raised my voice. I was cool, calm, and wielded a look that could stop you in your tracks, and worked it. Yes, my mom ruled the roost, strutting around like the queen bee herself, but I too ruled my roost, without saying an angry word.



The power of speech can be a powerful tool in your arsenal, and I respect that fact, but you can sometimes speak with saying a word, and I respect that too.