Theme Analysis of Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys Essay Example

The book Out of the Easy, written by Ruta Sepetys, is about a girl named Josie, the daughter of a prostitute. She is forced to be strong and independent because her mother has a habit of constantly abandoning her. She never knew the whereabouts of her father, or if he was even alive. When she was younger, Josie and her mother moved in with the owner of the prostitute house where Josie’s mom works; she's known as Willie. Josie didn’t want to be a part of that because she was ashamed and embarrassed by that aspect of her life. When she was able to, she moved in with a family friend in a room above the bookstore he owned, but only if she agreed to work in the bookstore. 

The theme of the book is that even when bonds are not genetic, they can be built through love. In the beginning, Josie was distracted by her mother continuing to stab her in the back, and the search for her father. By the end of the book, she finally saw that she had a family right in front of her. Willie had taken on the role of a mother figure in her life. You can see the realization in the middle of the book when she says to Willie, "‘You're the wicked stepmother with the fairy godmother heart.’" (Septeys 211). The joking and playfulness shows the deep connection between Josie and Willie. Even though she called her "wicked," it wasn't meant in a bad way. It was meant to show that she is strict, strong, and independent. Others that do not have a relationship with Willie may describe her as wicked because she puts on a bad guy act to make others respect her. Another time the theme is shown is towards the end, when Josie takes Cokie’s last name. She never liked her last name because it was something that tied her to her mother. She had always planned to change it but never knew what she was going to change it to. Because she and Cokie had such a good relationship, she decided to take his last name. Their relationship is best shown at the very end of the book when he sets up a safe place for her to stay at a college she got into while she applies for Smith again. He reassures her that everything will be safe when she gets back, and he isn't going anywhere. (Septeys 345). Cokie took on a role as a father and a protector and displayed that all throughout the book. He had many father-like qualities about him that gave Josie and him a father-daughter relationship. He was always there when she needed him and always gave her good advice.

The character development of Josie throughout the book is remarkable. In the beginning, she was afraid of becoming her mother and that she would be stuck with the lifestyle she was born into; prostitution, gang violence, and lower class treatment. She was always embarrassed about being lower class and associated with prostitutes. Her mother never cared about what Josie did with her life. If anything, she encouraged her to become a prostitute, even though she knew that wasn’t what she wanted. Willie, on the other hand, knew that Josie was intelligent and worth so much more than what she was given. She encouraged her to do more with her life. As the book progressed, Josie gained more confidence through her experiences and supporters. Cokie was one of her biggest supporters. For her birthday, Cokie got her a thermos as a gift, so when she drove to college she would be able to stay awake. The talk of college gets her worried that she won't be accepted, but he reassures her that she's going to get in and that she should believe in herself. (Septeys 163). They’ve had a connection since the beginning of the book, when Josie was a child. "Cokie and I hit it off right away" (Septeys 2). He was the first character in the book that she created a connection with, and it continued until the end, when he drove her off to college. At the end of the book, Josie is able to finally do what she has always wanted to do since the beginning of the book; leave New Orleans and pursue a better life. She also changed the way she felt about herself and where she came from. She became proud and realized that the value of a person isn't determined by their class.

Overall, I would give this book a 9/10. It had a good plot and storyline that I could get into, but in the beginning, it was slow. I really enjoyed being able to imagine what was going on in the book. You could clearly see the amount of imagery being used when Cincinnati, her mother’s gang affiliated boyfriend, came into the bookshop and approached Josie. "Cincinnati leaned up against the shelf in front of me, cigarette dangling from his mouth. The black suit jacket hung large on his slender shoulders. His handsome had gone rotten, like a bad fruit. " (Septeys 55). The description of Cincinnati was so good that I could paint a visual in my mind as I continued reading the book. This happens countless times and in multiple chapters. I had a hard time putting down the book once I got past the background information. I would recommend this book to women in general. The story line has a little bit of mystery, romance, thrill, and historical context. As you go deeper into the book, a romance triangle develops. Usually, women die for the drama and pick sides. I personally liked that because it added to the thrill and mystery. It also allowed a break from all of the crazy stuff happening outside of the romance.