Punching Bag is a memoir of Rex Ogle and his upbringing. Ogle talks of how difficult his home life was, between his likely mentally unwell mother and his abusive stepfather. In this story, Ogle is only 16 and is continuously trying to protect his younger brother, Ford from not having such a childhood as he’s had so far. The setting is always at home, almost as if the author is trying to convey how inescapable this terror really was. Ogle was consistently urging his mother to leave his stepfather for a better and less abusive life, but every time his mother refused. Ogle suffered this utter pain and torture for 18 gruesome, bloody years. This book is very intense, to say the least. As soon as the book opens, you’re immediately introduced to the mood of the book and how tiresome this constant abuse truly was. It made me think and worry quite a bit about my peers around me-- what if they were going through a similar situation? What if their home isn’t safe? What if? It shifted my worldview just a bit, just enough to want to do something about it. But, really what can you do? In this book, the cops are called for a disturbance in Ogle’s home after a fight between Ogle’s mother and stepfather. Instead of telling the police the truth, Ogle lied to protect his mother. How many abused children have done this? How many abused children have had to cover their bruises and scars? How many abused children have had to protect the younger ones from harm? From their own parents? Most of all, the book hurt my heart. I felt angry at Ogle’s mother because she wouldn’t leave him. Ogle did a wonderful job putting you into each and every situation with intense word choice but somehow keeping it adolescent to remind you that he really is just a kid. I constantly felt as if I was walking on eggshells right along with him, I felt helpless for him. He can’t leave, he has nowhere to go; he can’t leave, he’ll leave Ford behind; he can’t leave, his mother will find him soon. There is no solution for him, and he perfectly conveys that in his memoir. I sincerely hope he is doing well today. By Kealy H.
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AuthorSTenth grade students at Decorah High School share how they're reading outside of their own experiences and how it has changed them. Categories
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November 2022
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