Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls
by Dr. Mary Pipher

Reviving Ophelia is a powerful book by Mary Pipher that deals with the emotions and real life challenges that adolescent girls face today and will face in future America.

Ophelia is actually a metaphor for today's adolescent girls. The story/myth of Ophelia is about a girl who through her lack of self-worth and personal destruction ended her life.

Today's teenage girls are facing strikingly similar issues as they are bombarded with society's customs and unrealistic media role-models. We, as family and peers are all helping to destroy the shaky self images of young girls and women who grow up in conflicting roles and ideas of perfection.

A part of the book is dedicated to the adolescent's relationship with their parents. Through real life stories Pipher discusses how teens are encouraged to break away from the family and be more independent, when realistically they are at a time in their life where they need their parents the most.

Females in particular are given great leeway during the initial years of their life to explore the world at will with very little gender distinction. This freedom is ripped away at a very early age when girls feel pressured to act and react more appropriately in their peer group. This sudden change helps to knick away at self-esteem and confidence - 2 very powerful issues that plague most of our young females in this country.

According to Mary Pipher, 'We live in a look-obsessed, media saturated, girl-poisoning culture'. Many females are still internalizing blame instead of looking at the world around us and this book helps the general reader to pin point what's happening to our younger generation and how to react to the situations. Most parents assume since they survived adolescence that their children will too. But children are facing a very challenging time. And while they may escape drug addictions they may end up with damaged feelings of self-worth, lack of confidence and won't exceed to their abilities.

Through very real examples Dr. Pipher takes us through the psychological journey of young women trying to conquer the challenges that face them every day. It is an enlightening book and one that I recommend everyone read, whether you are a mother, father, female or male.

Other Titles By Dr. Mary Pipher

The Shelter Of Each Other ~ rebuilding our families.