nts from Heidi, who needed to be thin for gymnastics to get a scholarship, to Samantha, who became anorexic after being fed up with all of the insults and being ridiculed by peers, are way too familiar to me. This is definitely a reality with severe consequences that our society wants to avoid. You can’t avoid it; it is not just going to go away without changing people’s views on acceptance. Throughout “Reviving Ophelia”, Pipher urges change to take place in our society and in each household. To grow into healthy adults, Pipher stresses that girls need love from family and friends, meaningful work, respect, challeges and safety. We also need to promote identities based on talents and interests rather than appearance and sexuality. Schools need to have classes that teach good habits for coping with stress, self-nurturing skills, and a purpose for life. Pipher encourages parents and society to recognize and take responsibility for neglecting to care for our adolescent girls. She insists that we can do more for adolescents by just listening than anything else. I remember in junior high when everyone would offer you advise or tell you something you should do; it doesn’t help during this time because it goes in through one ear and out the other. Learning comes so much from just listening. Pipher also speaks to the adolescent girls themselves to be positive, and to think confidently about themselves. A diary, poetry, or an autobiography can also be very beneficial to teenage girls; indeed, this is a good way to drain emotions that are carried throughout a day. This is a place where they can be themselves. This is also a time when Pipher believes girls should search deep for their values and beliefs. Relaxation is also a main aspect that girls need to practice. I think two of the most basic skills that Pipher says girls need, making choices and managing pain, are also the toughest. I do not have a ...
