Strayer university | Summary and Personal Response | “Farm Girl” by Jessica Hemauer | | Tim Mahoney
Debora J Aubuchon, M.A.ENG115 English Composition | 10/29/2012 |

Jessica Hemauer wrote “Farm Girl” as an autobiographical non-fiction essay, describing her life growing up on a farm, and its subsequent effect on her life and personality. She is speaking of events in her past, and trying to influence the listener to understand that hard work has benefits, and that what you want may not be what you expected when you get it.
In this story, Ms. Hemauer is trying to make the point of how adversity and obstacles, when worked through with support from those around you, not only can be overcome, but can also make you a better person. She is not pleased with her life as a Farm Girl, and she voices her displeasure often throughout the first three quarters of the essay. “I think to myself, ‘A typical ten-year-old child does not have to wake up at five in the morning to do chores!’” (Hemauer, 2011)
However, once she realizes the quality of person she has become, she makes an educated and reasoned conclusion that it is due to the work she did helping with chores on her father’s farm. “Though I hated it growing up, working on the farm has taught me many lessons about life, and it has shaped me into the individual I am today.” (Hemauer, 2011)
Another point she tries to make as well is that life on a working farm is difficult. She opens with a description of performing her morning chores with her brother and her sisters. This particular morning is described as being very cold and windy due to a blizzard:
There is a brisk and bitter wind accompanied by icy snowflakes that feel like needles digging into our faces. We don’t turn back. We desperately want to, but we know my father is patiently waiting for us to help him milk and feed the cows before school starts at 8:30 a. m. We lift our scarves and pull down our hats so only our squinted eyes show. We lower our bodies to dodge the fierce winds and trudge a half mile to the red barn, which is somehow standing sturdily in the dreadful blizzard. (Hemauer, 2011)
She also tries to describe her difficulties in fitting in with her classmates due to her inability to take part in extra-curricular activities. She doesn’t feel like she belongs as there is a lack of commonality in what her friends discuss and what experiences she has to share. She does not speak up, and only listens attentively to the conversations of the other girls. “The twenty- minute lunch period always feels like eternity. While everyone around me continues talking and laughing, I sit there next to them silently eating my French fries, listening carefully, trying to laugh at the right times.” (Hemauer, 2011)
When she is finally able to enjoy the more social aspects of school, and has become involved in many activities, she finds that her approach to these has been molded and shaped by her life on the farm. She discovers that even after her efforts to fit in, she hasn’t succeeded as her personality and maturity level have advanced due to the high level of responsibility she has had:
During all these activities, I always notice that I stick out from the group. In school people come up to me and ask how I manage my time so well, without getting stressed out. When I’m with a group of my friends, I always seem to be more mature than they are, leading the group while others try to follow in my footsteps. When it comes to my job, I am always on time, never calling in sick and never complaining about a task I have been asked to do. (Hemauer, 2011)
When reading this, I felt that Ms. Hemauer’s imagery and descriptions may have been over-used in an effort to sway the reader to her side. I believe she went too far, and as a result she came across as less respectable than she should have been. She tried too hard to establish what a difficult life she had when she was growing up. “Cleaning out various huts and pens and laying down fresh straw are a part of our daily duties. This is the worst of the jobs I have to do. It is so dusty that I can hardly breathe at times, but we all know it has to be done so there is no sense complaining.” (Hemauer, 2011)
I also think the time transitions were very jarring, and as a result, I wasn’t sure what time period we were in. At first, she described herself as a ten-year-old girl. Then, quickly after that, she was in 8th Grade, and finally a freshman. Her essay ended with her apparently still in High School. However, the amount of work and responsibility she had made it seem as many years had passed.
I think Ms. Hemauer is a talented writer, but she still needs polish. She seems very fond of some words. She used ‘finally’ 5 times, three of which were in her initial description of doing morning chores. The last two examples are within 2 lines of each other, and show a one-dimensional view, with little flexibility. * “When we finally reach the barn, Nick, leading the pack, grabs the handle of the heavy wooden door and props it open for my sisters and me to pass through.” (Hemauer, 2011) * “When I feed the calves, I am finally the one in charge.” (Hemauer, 2011) * “When I finally arrive at school, I have already been up for four hours doing chores on the farm in the bitter cold.” (Hemauer, 2011) * “In eighth grade I really want to play basketball, and after begging and pleading with my parents, they finally say I can join the team as long as I continue to help with chores in the morning before school and after practice” (Hemauer, 2011) * “I am thrilled to be on a team, and I finally feel like I am starting to have a life like the other kids. Now I am included in the conversations at lunch, and I feel like a part of the group.” (Hemauer, 2011)
This essay shows effort in story-telling but it lacks focus and a consistent level of detail. It was a somewhat enjoyable read, but it did not “grab me” in a way that would cause me to read more of her work.

Bibliography
Hemauer, J. (2011). Farm Girl. In D. Roen, G. R. Glau, & B. M. Maid, The McGraw-Hill Guide: Writing for College, Writing for Life (pp. 83-87). New York: MCGraw-Hill.