Educated: A Memoir

Westover portrays memories of her first semester of graduate school. Just like at BYU, she felt she did not fit in at Cambridge. All the other students seemed more refined, and they already knew all the scholars and concepts the professors lectured on in her courses. But she began defying some of the beliefs she had always held to: She decided to get her vaccinations, and she drank coffee with her new friends, even though caffeine was forbidden by the church. She also learned about feminism from her new friends, Katrina and Sophie. Westover was surprised to hear feminism discussed in a positive light, having only heard the word “feminist” used as a reprimand at BYU. She began immersing herself in feminist literature and began to understand her desire to pursue “unwomanly” things as normal, rather than unnatural.

At the end of the term in December, Westover flew home to Buck’s Peak. She found that her parents were expanding and upgrading the house with the profits from Faye’s successful essential oils business. One night, there was an intense cold spell. Everyone stayed indoors that evening except Emily, who came bursting into the family home late that night. She was shaking violently from the cold and only had on a pair of jeans and a worn T-shirt with no shoes.