You can help us out by revising, improving and updatingĪfter you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. It describes the human kind and the beautiful and horrific things they can do. Overall, this novel wraps up as a story of patience and empathy. The audience follows Sheila and her teacher on a journey to self-development and understanding, and in the end, Sheila ends up going to 2nd grade rather than the mental ward of the hospital. More personal encounters shape the novel’s plot. Next, as the novel progresses, the audience learns more disturbing facts about Sheilas’s personal life, for instance, once, Sheila's uncle cuts out her vagina, describing the struggles this girl has been through. Slowly, Torey learns that Sheila’s knowledge extends to way above her grade level, and Sheila begins opening up. Torey teaches Sheila communication skills, and the two even begin having fun together by dressing their hair. Through the advanced characterization of Torey, the audience learns about her patience, calmness, and kindness toward Sheila. Scenes like these set stage to describe the struggles ahead to restore Sheila back to normal. Despite Sheila’s naughty acts, Torey remains calm and caring. Later, she pulls the eyeballs out of a goldfish, and this scene contains grotesque imagery. When Sheila first enters the classroom of Torey, the child refuses to communicate with her teacher. This was the belief of all of the educators in the school, except for Torey. Most students in the “garbage class” are not even expected to advance forward, and Sheila remains as one of them.

This class, in the novel, is called the “garbage class”, and this is a metaphorical reference to how special needs children are treated. Like Sheila, other students in the novel cannot be placed into the regular education system due to their struggles. Torey is a character in the novel that works, specifically, with children with unknown disabilities.

It is obvious at the beginning of the novel that Sheila is a depressed girl, who is heading to the hospital soon, but under the care of the special educator, Torey, Sheila ends up going to school instead.

One Child narrates the story of a disowned, lost girl who slowly transforms under the care of a teacher, Torey Hayden, into a blooming youngster. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.

One Child by Torey L. Hayden