Room is a terrifying yet uplifting book told by a five year old boy named Jack. Jack who we can ultimately call the hero in the novel is living in an 11x11 shed in a man named Nick’s backyard. Jack has no concept of the world and the only person he knows really exists is his mother, because she is the only person he has ever seen. Things such as trees, buildings, parks and even people are not real to Jack. It’s all fantasy to him until he is able to escape and see the “outside world” in which he calls it. Emma Donoghue does a great job at convincing the readers to never want to put the book down. It’s a read that is always keeping you intrigued and wanting to know what is going to happen next.
Even though this novel is a fiction book there are kidnappings that happen daily throughout the world. The author really zeros in on realism because all of the events that happen in the book could happen in reality. One of the inspirations of the book Room was the Fritzl family who was kidnapped and escaped there dungeon in Austria. Emma Donoghue also references parenting and that tight knit bond between a mother and child. She exemplifies how much a child relies on and looks up to their parents. In the novel Jack never wants to leave his mother’s side once they are in the treatment center. As an object of comfort and security Jack keeps his mothers old rotted tooth in his sock. This just shows how much Jack depends on his mother’s presence and guidance. Jacks actions are a pure reflection of how a child would act if his life was suddenly opened with doors into the real world, not his usual 11x11 room.
As Jack is telling the story of his life it’s as if he is sitting right by the reader’s side, guiding them on a journey. The words he uses are captivating and precise giving the audience a clear and vivid image in their head. Jack’s life is thrilling but at some moments palm sweating. He guides the readers on a step by step path of how he is able to escape the 11x11 shed. Dead, trunk, wriggle out, jump, run, somebody, note and police are the eight words of action he uses to get away. These words illustrate the exact steps in order for Jack to find help and save his mother. Emma Donoghue creates well structured sentences that enable the reader to paint a picture for themselves. Room captivates readers hooking them in to never wanting to put down this heart stopping book until they have reached the very end.