“MY LEFT FOOT” Book Review
The novel begins with Christy’s difficult birth story. When her mother tried to feed Christy, she noticed that the newborn couldn’t hold her head up and involuntarily clenched her hands. Her mother began to suspect that something was wrong. Christy, who couldn’t sit up without supportive pillows, could only communicate by grunting and needed help from her siblings to move after being placed in her wheelchair, was living a challenging life. The day her wheelchair broke was the day she felt most hopeless. She tried to draw using her foot with colored paints. After a while, she met Katriana Delahaut, who took care of her and provided emotional support.
In the following days, with Katriana’s encouragement, she colored one of her drawings again and submitted it to a competition. Although she had no hope of winning, she was chosen as the winner. Over time, she began to explore other fields and started writing short stories. While writing her book, she exhibited introverted behaviors. Despite the financial difficulties her family faced, they sent Christy on a trip where other children with disabilities participated. During the project, Christy spent time with people who shared similar problems and emotions. Seeing people with even more severe challenges than hers helped her mental state, even if only temporarily. However, when she returned home, she fell back into a pessimistic mood.
Her path crossed with a doctor who had seen her as a child and wanted to help with her treatment. To assess her recovery, she went to London with the doctor. It became clear that with treatment, she could improve. When she returned home, her physical therapy began. Christy reached a point where she could express herself in a way that not only her close ones but everyone could understand. In her journey to find her life’s purpose, Christy started writing her own story. Her doctor told her that a seminar on cerebral palsy would be held and asked her to read her book at the seminar. Christy’s presence at the seminar and sharing her story of perseverance and success would be important to inspire other patients. Christy joyfully accepted the offer and read her book during the event. She stood up and demonstrated how she had overcome her past condition. Throughout her life, she tackled various challenges with a solution-focused approach and emerged victorious from her honorable struggle. Despite suffering from cerebral palsy, she fought tirelessly in her battle for life. Now, she is an artist, creating drawings with her left foot and writing her novel. Not being able to use her hands did not make her give up on life.
I was deeply saddened by how the novel depicted a young person being led into despair due to untreatable cerebral palsy. Christy walked a fine line between life and death. Thanks to her mother’s selfless efforts, Christy transformed from a child who appeared intellectually disabled into a person who exhibited healthy behaviors. This clearly shows us how crucial perseverance is in achieving success. If I had experienced the same events, I don’t think I could have been as successful as Christy. She did not let misery define her philosophy of life. My favorite part of the novel was when Christy learned to write the word “MOTHER.” I could feel the excitement her mother felt at that moment in my soul. Even though she couldn’t speak, I believe that her writing “MOTHER” using her left foot stirred our emotions instantly.
When we read this book, we see that the success of our main character is, in fact, normal. Nowadays, a large portion of people who feel unhappy do so because they lack a success story. I think healthy people without goals or life energy face invisible barriers. After reading Christy’s inspiring story, I realized that my perspective on life had changed despite the difficult circumstances she faced.
