Open Heart, Open Mind by Clara Hughe Book Analysis

From the time many of us are old enough to understand, it is repeatedly instilled that being selfish and doing wrong are equivalent behaviours. We are taught it is always right to put our needs aside for the sake of others, without considering how this may turn us into less compassionate, intolerant individuals. This is an idea explored through Clara Hughes’ memoir, Open Heart, Open Mind. Clara’s original definition of strength is the stereotypically tough, domineering personality. After discovering the courage in vulnerability Clara seeks to heal herself. Only after taking this time to work on her own faults, can Clara turn her focus onto the needs of others; only after being selfish, can she relinquish any jealous or narcissistic tendencies. Before Clara could wish success for others, she had to look inside herself; redefining her ideas of what it is to be strong were vital to heal and, consequently, reflect kindness unto others.

Clara's path to embracing kindness and experiencing personal growth were hindered by her misguided views on what it means to be strong. From the beginning, Clara's definition of strength is clear. In a moment of hardship Clara expresses, "I didn't dare ask for help for fear that acknowledging these feelings might make me more vulnerable... I told myself: You have to be stronger" (Hughes 67). Clara will go through great lengths to avoid being seen as fragile because she does not equate strength with vulnerability. At the beginning of her story, there is an unspoken rule underlying Clara's actions - seeking to heal was not an option because it would display weakness. For example, Clara reflects, "As a kid, I felt safer being angry like my father than submissive and vulnerable like my mother" (Hughes 202). Aggression had been a shield Clara could bare in the face of danger – her resilience, her gritty exterior, a shelter for the spiraling emotions she harbored inside. In this attempt to protect herself, kindness was put on the sidelines. It did not fit into this “tough guy” persona. We are witness to this effect when Clara describes, "...I was always battling an internal darkness, making me impatient and intolerant, very much like my dad" (Hughes 108). Not only is Clara's need to be "strong" inhibiting her from seeking the care she needs, but it is also impeding her ability to be a considerate and affectionate person. At the heart of this behavior Clara is not at fault. Society has engrained this idea that if you want to be a strong, fundamentally good person, stow away your messy emotions so that other people do not have to deal with them. This alienates individuals who, like Clara, will find that this clichéd version of courage is not the kind of strength they need to heal. Not the kind of strength they need to accept the misfortune of their past and move on. As her story progresses, it is made apparent that her current mindset must be redefined so that Clara can develop into the kind person she is capable of being.