The “salvation” highlighted my own need for acceptance while making me fear rejection for being different. Where “Salvation” showed me my weakness, “Mothers” showed me growth. My father's departure played a bigger role in my life than I remembered, and "Mothers" simply showed me the door to that again. Aside from being torn about my relationship with my father, Quindlen made me grateful for the best friend I found in my mother. Hughes brought up all the “skeletons in my closet” that I never told my mother about. [Instead of being ashamed of keeping secrets and relationships from him, I was ashamed every time I lied to save myself from his anger.] Both authors took me to times in my life that had lasting impressions on me. “Mothers” made me relive the birth of my little sister, and “Hi” made me relive countless disagreements I experienced with my parents. As much as I would like to hide these memories, it was healthy for me to remember the lessons I learned from them. Hughes and Quindlen are undeniably great authors who can use the power of their words to move readers. The memoir and the short story brought back disturbing memories that I enjoyed reliving. I can't think of any other literature that can expose such intense feelings in me, but everyone can connect to these works. Most people can relate to the pressure Hughes describes, and they have probably also felt this longing for an unknown relationship that Quindlen expresses in