Patricia McCormick's Cut and teenage self-mutilation

¶ … Cut by Patricia McCormick

The book Cut by Patricia McCormick explores the life of a wayward teen named Callie. The book is set in the present day twenty-first century and Callie is having a difficult time dealing with the fact that her parents are gone all the time and that her brother has a debilitating form of Asthma. Callie is also on the track and field team at her school but has not been performing well. All of these circumstances make Callie feel that she is trapped and that the circumstances in her life won't ever get better. The problems that Callie faces are heightened because she feels that she does not have anyone to confide in. The pressure becomes too much to handle and Callie decides to cut her wrist this starts a viscous cycle of self-mutilation. Callie is then sent to a Psychiatric home called Sea Pines. At Sea Pines there are other teenage girls that have a myriad of problems and therapist that attempt to help them resolve their issues. While in the home Callie learns how to deal with the internal pain that she is feeling by discussing it instead of cutting herself. Ultimately she is reconciled with her parents and gradually recovers from the disorder.

Main Theme

The main theme that this book addresses is self-mutilation. In particular McCormick addresses the issue of self-mutilation among teenage girls. Self-mutilation is a relatively unheard of psychological disorder that has not often been discussed in the form of a novel. McCormick attempts to inform the reader of the circumstances that can lead individuals to harm themselves. Ultimately McCormick is able to persuade the reader that this disorder can be overcome and that there are people that can help with the recovery process.

Critical Remarks

In my opinion this is a book that is needed in our society especially for teenage girls and their parents. It gives parents a glimpse into the mind of teenage girls and allows them to see the warning signs of self-mutilation so that they can address the problem and get the appropriate help. It allows teenage girls to see that they are not alone in their thoughts and their feelings, which may persuade them to talk about their problems with a trusted adult or peers.

The book provides an intimate view into the life of a cutter and the challenges that they face. I like the fact that the book isn't journalistic in nature and it connects facts to real human emotions, and it does so without the use of complicated language. The book is very intimate and the reader finishes the book believing that they actually know Callie personally.

The only part of the book that I disliked was the graphic details of the cutting, which are rather horrific, and in some instances rather unnecessary.

Overall I think that the book is a must read and that it does an excellent job of discussing the epidemic of self-mutilation among teenage girls.