Two or Three Things I Know for Sure is the story of big losses and then a great victory, the story of success through pain and poverty. Dorothy Allison was born in a small town in a poor family; she lived there with her mother, aunts, sisters, stepfather and uncles. She was a strange girl, and her passion since childhood was telling stories, and she did it as no one else. Her sisters were listening to her with the great interest but Allison didn’t need any listeners. She used to go somewhere walking, telling the stories to herself out loud, which made her mother feel embarrassed. But she didn’t care of it at all, she created her own world where was everything she loved and needed.
Her stepfather was a mean person, she abused her when she was five but no one protected her, so she understood that the only person who can help her is her. The atmosphere the girl grew in, wasn’t quite friendly and appropriate for girl. Men in her family always abused women, calling them ugly and freaking and they accepted it, considering that poor women cannot be beautiful. And since that time Allison decided that she will do everything not to be like them. So she enrolled for karate with her friend Flo. At first, the sensei didn’t want to accept them but they were coming again and again. Boys were laughing at her, but it only made her stronger, giving her power not to give up and keep on struggling. She felt shame, pain and sweat but these were good and pleasant feelings for her because it meant that she was growing and becoming stronger.
Her life is constant struggle – struggle with abuse, hate, pain, love and passions. Many times she was left alone with problems and she understood the thing: life is a struggle and the one who is constantly working on himself, wins the day. Besides, she always had her stories, and they gave her strength to move forward. And, as she said “Two or three things I know, two or three things I know for sure, and one of them is that to go on living I have to tell stories, that stories are the one sure way I know to touch the heart and change the world.”
