Joy Harjo - Crazy Brave - Overall Feelings

In Joy Harjo’s memoir, Crazy Brave, she explains her story about her struggling life. Joy Harjo has many different strengths and weaknesses and many different struggles occur throughout her life, but none the less, she has become a successful performer and writer.

In her memoir, she conveys her feelings and memories through poems and stories. To me, she was a strong woman. She’s strong because she even was able to write and tell her story to others. Others might feel uncomfortable to tell their life story, especially if a lot had happened. She’s able to give guidance through her stories to others. Other people might be able to connect with what she has been through and that’s very helpful for some people. They will feel like they’re not alone and feel even inspired to better their lives. After all that she goes through, for instance, her abusive stepfather or her teen pregnancy, she’s still able to become a successful woman.

In Crazy Brave, although it wasn’t directly told, Joy Harjo had strengths and weaknesses. She was very caring. She cared a lot about her family and what happens to them. Her weakness I would have to say is not being able to stand up for herself. She lets people do things to her and she never really complains. Another thing is, she’s able to forgive and forget. Now, I don’t know if this is really a strength or a weakness. I would consider it both. It’s a strength because it’s good to get over things that happened. It’s a weakness because she forgives too easily. She ends up getting the same thing over and over again. An example is her father’s beating or her husband’s violence after drinking.

Overall, Joy Harjo really inspires me. Being able to convey her feelings through a book and letting others be able to connect with her is really a brave thing to do.