Summary

of

Jada Pinkett Smith's Memoir

Worthy

Daniel Cleverly
 1

Copyright ©2023 by [Daniel Cleverly]

All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, recording
or by any information storage and retrieval system
without written permission from the publisher.
 2

DISCLAIMER
This is a Brief summary of Jada Pinkett Smith's
book 'worthy'. This Summary book written by
Daniel Cleverly is not meant to replace the
original book in any way, but rather to serve as a
comprehensive summary of the original book. It
acts as a summary to help the reader understand
the original text better.
Again, the goal of this summary book is to serve as a
study aid for readers to enhance comprehension
and persuade them to buy the original book for a
more in-depth knowledge.

Copyright © [Daniel Cleverly] 2023

All rights reserved
 3

Table of content
OVERVIEW
Chapter One Summary
Chapter Two Summary
Chapter Three Summary
Chapter Four Summary
Chapter Five Summary
Chapter Six Summary
Chapter Six Summary
Chapter Seven Summary
Chapter Eight Summary
Chapter Nine Summary
Conclusion
 4

OVERVIEW

The memoir 'Worthy' by Jada Pinkett Smith will gratify

readers looking for celebrity rumors. This book is about
fixing what was damaged in the beginning and dealing
with brokenness and loss.
Adrienne Banfield was a heroin addict who was 17
years old at the time of Jada's birth. For most of his life,
Father Robsol Pinkett struggled with drug and alcohol
addiction. Pinkett Smith is open about experiencing
awful anxiety attacks, being unhappy, and considering
suicide. She is as astute about friendships, particularly
the one she had with Tupac Shakur, as she is about the
social issues that impact poor communities.

Worthy teaches us about Jada and how to accept our

truest, most loving selves.
Unfortunately, most people's main concern in Jada
Pinkett Smith's memoir, "Worthy," will be whether there
are any new revelations about her marriage to Will
Smith.

Perhaps she realizes this because she takes her time

getting there, rendering signs of his presence in her life
prior to their meeting.
In Worthy, Smith frees herself from all the labels and
narratives that others have placed on her and reclaims
her story with radical self-love.
 5

She describes how she came to recognize her authority

as a woman and how she came to understand that
every woman has a right to and a saving grace in a
strong sense of self.
 6

Chapter One Summary

The book "Worthy" appears to have been written with a
cinematic adaptation in mind. It starts with a woman
contemplating suicide by driving off Mulholland Drive.
She is concerned about what would happen if she is
successful, as well as how her children will react if she
fails, fearing that being disabled or deformed would be
worse for them than her death. She eventually makes
her way to a three-day retreat with a "medicine woman"
who guides her through an ayahuasca experience.
Then we go back in time to her childhood, as if to say,
"yep, that's me." "I'm sure you're wondering how I got
here."
Jada spends a lot of time analyzing her family
background in Baltimore. She creates an emotional
portrait of her maternal grandparents, especially her
grandmother. She clearly cherishes what she learned in
her grandmother's home as she recalls navigating the
challenges of her mother's heroin addiction. Her father
also struggles with addiction, and Jada recognizes a
pattern when she meets her paternal grandmother, who
believes her weekend binge drinking is not an issue
because it only happens on weekends.

"One of the biggest lessons I've learned, which is the

main reason I wrote this book," she went on to say, "is
how important it is to share our journeys of self-worth."
 7

Here's some of what we discover along the road.

Jada's birth name:
Adrienne named her only child after Jada Rowland,
"who starred for two decades on The Secret Storm."
Jada's character appeared on the show as a teenager
and grew up in real time. So, in a way, my mother had
grown up with her, despite the fact that Jada Rowland is
white and has nothing in common with Adrienne or me.
Still, you might argue that my mother's decision to name
me after an actress was either foresight or wishful
thinking.

Jada Pinkett Smith's grandparents offered her valuable

life lessons: Jada and her single mother Adrienne
sought refuge with her maternal grandparents. Smith's
middle-class Baltimore home and her grandmother's
garden provided a safe haven while also serving as a
metaphor for personal growth. "Everything grows," she
explains. "If my grandmother's gardening lessons taught
me anything, it was that every stage is critical in caring
for and nourishing what we hope will grow and thrive."

Robsol Pinkett, her father, was a substance abuser, an

autodidact, and a poet: Robsol Pinkett married Adrienne
Banfield because she was pregnant. The couple had
been married for just a period of time exceeding one
year. He suffered from alcohol and drug addiction
throughout his life. Although Robsol wasn't much of a
father figure to Pinkett Smith, she appreciated his
intellect and flair and included one of his poems, which
 8

includes the theme she's loved since she was a

youngster, "nobody gets out of life alive..."
 9

Chapter Two Summary

She recounts her first meeting and kiss with Tupac
Shakur. Rapper Tupac Shakur and Jada were close
friends.
The connection between the two is a recurring theme in
the story. The two first connected in high school and
remained close throughout his life (despite getting into a
few physical altercations). Square is what he nicknamed
her. He was referred to as Pac. Their love was profound
even though they quickly recognized it was not
romantic, she says. Deep enough for him to make her a
proposal once.
Tupac was 15 years old when Pinkett Smith first saw
him at the Baltimore School of the Arts, and there was
an "immediate connection." Eventually, they became
inseparable, and their bond went on to impact her life
forever.
Mother was then a "full-blown, high-functioning heroin
addict." Her father wasn't there, and she had lost all
trust in her stepfather.
Tupac and Jada Pinkett Smith were aware of their lack
of connection on a romantic level, yet he would still go
on to have a significant impact on her life.

"Pac made up for the lack of male protection and care I

sought," she writes in her autobiography. She also
helped with his upkeep, buying shoes and clothing when
 10

the young rapper often struggled to pay for three meals

a day.
Later, they collaborated to create a music video in a
theme park while lip-syncing to the Fresh Prince, who "I
would become, um, very well acquainted with." Describe
it as ominous.
 11

Chapter Three Summary

At her 21st birthday party, a chance encounter proved
prophetic: "...at one point, I brushed up against Will, who
was leaning against the wall, and he wished me a happy
birthday." "'Thank you, Will.'"That was the end of it.
Pinkett was not playing games.
It merely took a bit for her to understand that "Will Smith
is actually intriguing and captivating," as she eventually
writes. Who'd have guessed?"They only began dating
after he and his wife, Sheree, filed for divorce."
Breaking up is just as difficult as maintaining a three-
decade marriage in public.
Will Smith, 55, and Pinkett Smith have been leading
"separate lives" since 2016, according to Pinkett Smith,
who recently made headlines for the revelation.
"I'd always pledged to myself that if we were truly going
to end our marriage, we would do so with an amicable
partnership to keep together the family we both valued,"
she writes in the novel. It would require teamwork from
all of us. There had to be a tactful approach to separate
without drawing unwanted attention from the outside
world.
In other words, we would want to end our marriage
without actually doing so.

That is, she writes in her book, "to split up, to separate
on our own terms, without legal interference." Will and I
 12

then made the decision to end our relationship amicably

rather than through the judicial system. We would
continue to be a close-knit family, preserve our
friendship, and adhere to our principle of total
transparency, which calls for keeping nothing about
what we did or who we did it with a secret.
When Will Smith hit Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars,
Jada initially thought it was a joke.
From her seat in the Dolby Theatre, Pinkett Smith
initially misunderstood the encounter for a pre-planned
skit. "I saw professional fighters knocked out in the
boxing ring by the force of Will's hands." Numerous
times. This must be performed. "How else could Chris
be up and about like nothing happened?" she says. "It's
not until Will yells back up at Chris from his seat... that I
realize the gravity of the situation." I'm not clear why Will
is so incensed, though. Because we had been leading
different lives, we were there as a family and not as a
husband and wife. But I suddenly realize that I'm Will's
wife when I hear him say "wife" in the midst of the
chaos. happened right away.
 13

Chapter Four Summary

Jada Pinkett Smith has never been one to go with the
flow, whether it be because of her peculiar Baltimore
upbringing or her very unusual marriage to one of the
most well-known men in the world.
Actor Josh Charles, who was up in Baltimore, is briefly
mentioned along with Jada's friendship with rapper
Tupac Shakur on a high school trip to New York. At this
point, the tale has become a classic, highlighting the
potential for discovering platonic soulmates who are of
the opposite sex.
But it's clear that she cares about this story and that she
adores him. "What I didn't expect, even with the
uniqueness of his vibe," she states in a message, "was
that this young man and I would create a bond that
would impact my life forever."

We now reach her Hollywood career. You won't find any

behind-the-scenes videos from her other career-
launching movies, such as "A Different World," "Menace
II Society," "Set It Off," or any of them. She moves
quickly between the various sets, complimenting her co-
stars as necessary before returning to thinking about her
life's course.
She takes advantage of the gifts of youth, beauty, and
fame a little too much, as pals like MC Lyte periodically
have to ensure her safe return home. Then, all of a
 14

sudden, her life collapses around her as a mental health

crisis forces her to return home to Baltimore to be
rehabilitated. During her visit, she encounters the Fresh
Prince of Bel-Air, a.k.a. Will accepts an invitation from a
mutual acquaintance to go out together. Will is still
married, and Jada's mother tells her not to do anything.
When Will's first wife divorces him a year later, he calls
her and declares himself her man in so many words,
and the rest is history.
Jada discusses their courtship, her unexpected
pregnancy, her trepidation about marriage, his proposal,
her refusal to sign a prenuptial agreement, and their
wedding. Their relationship is sometimes nice, and
sometimes full of "dislike." She shares an amusing
anecdote about tripping while running with Cesar Millan
and her dog. Her ankle was swollen and discolored by
the time she got home. Concerned, she asked Will if she
should have it checked out, but he merely glanced at it
before saying she was alright. Her ankle had been
shattered the next day, she discovered. The incident
taught her that if she did not articulate her pain
effectively, she would be ignored and forced to fight it
out.
They both learnt this lesson when they were young, and
it is just as harmful to a marriage today.
We now have confirmation that they have "a relationship
of transparency, which is different from an 'open'
relationship." Nothing about their relationship is novel or
unexpected, but Jada acknowledges that embracing the
phrase "open" is easier than diving into its nuances. For
decades, there have been rumors about their
 15

relationship status. Will's memoir and the 2020

"entanglement" problem have led to numerous
additional revelations. The fact that the two have been
apart since 2016 may, however, surprise some. There is
no formal separation even though Jada bought her own
house in 2021.
She makes it clear that they are still a "family."
But it seems like a fresh chapter in their relationship
began after the 2022 Oscars ceremony. Jada was
surprised to receive an invitation from Will to the
Academy Awards, and when she realized that Chris
Rock would be hosting, she prepared herself for the
worst. Will and Chris have been at odds since the late
1980s, and Jada claims that Chris once took her out on
a date under the mistaken assumption that she and Will
were no longer together. Chris has made it a point to
irritate her in the past.
Jada wondered whether it was a joke when the slap
took place, as did many other people watching at home.
From where she was sitting, she couldn't tell if Will had
made eye contact. He referred to Jada as his wife in the
now-famous phrase "keep my wife's name out of your
f---ing mouth," which seemed to catch Jada off guard.
She came to the conclusion that Will's account of the
incident was his own, but she was aware that there was
more going on than just his defense of her, and she
needed to help him get through his own trying time.
 16

Chapter Five Summary

Between each chapter, there is a reflection with quotes
from Jada's journals, Carl Jung, Ntozake Shange, and
other sources. Nearly all of the thoughts end with
questions for the reader to reflect on in order to gain
understanding of their own lives. Despite her disclaimer
that she is not a therapist and is not giving advice,
Jada's inquiries give the impression that she is.
Ayahuasca is a drink created from psychedelic plants,
but Jada also recounts attending Scientology lessons,
reading Buddhist books, meeting a Buddhist monk in
Vietnam named Thich Nhat Hanh, and engaging in other
spiritual activities. This story undoubtedly has a self-help
element to it. Ayahuasca use is an indigenous tradition,
therefore it is reasonable to question the level of
appropriation in this situation, especially given that Jada
continues to utilize it and exposing her close friends and
family, including Will, to it. She is currently disclosing it
to her readers. While she does not provide a detailed
prescription, she emphasizes how helpful it has been to
both her healing process and her relationships. It may
present an ethical conundrum as to whether she should
support the behavior, or perhaps it all just serves as a
testament to how far Jada has gone from the Baltimore
tomboy who previously skipped school in favor of New
York experiences.

The book "Worthy" emphasizes the fact that every facet

of life is important to think about, experience, and honor.
 17

Jada may answer all questions about herself without a

doubt, but she usually only goes briefly into detail. Even
though she owes no one more than she is willing to
provide, readers cannot help but notice how her use of
spiritual clichés and therapy-speak alienates her
audience.

Jada Pinkett Smith considered the Oscar slap to be one

of her most "surreal" experiences. She cannot, however,
dispute having seen it coming. She voiced
"disappointment" with the lack of diversity among acting
nominations amid the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in
2016 and questioned if people of color should attend.
Jada boycotting the Oscars is comparable to me
boycotting Rihanna's underwear, Rock said during his
opening monologue as host. I was not requested.She
recognized that her hunch had been correct when she
performed the most iconic eye-roll in history at the 2022
Oscars when Rock made fun of her alopecia-related
baldness by comparing her to the fictional character G.I.
Jane." Just like I'd thought, [Rock] wasn't able to help
himself." Despite the fact that she acknowledges that it
was "indeed a very light joke," she insists that it wasn't
directed at her: "My heart broke for the many [with
alopecia] who live in shame, the children who have
committed suicide after being teased." And the Oscars
are teaching everyone that it's acceptable to joke about
a woman with alopecia now, with all their political
correctness? She originally took the slap for a "skit," and
she didn't realize Smith had been in touch with her until
 18

their publicists told them Rock wouldn't press charges.

She had asked, "Press charges — for what?" In
retrospect, it was "disturbing" to witness "conflict of that
nature displayed between two Black men on a 'white'
stage... as was watching a Black man insult a Black
woman on a 'white' stage," she states. "Yet again."
The event put a stop to "decades of disrespect between
Will and Chris." But in her book, which will be published
on October 17, she described a number of intense
encounters in addition to this one. The most noteworthy
revelations from "Worthy" are the truth of her odd
marriage, suicidal concerns, a kiss with Tupac, and the
joys of ayahuasca.
 19

Chapter Six Summary

The Oscars slap wasn't Pinkett Smith's only premonition
that came true. She alleges that when visiting Cabo San
Lucas in the late summer with her ex-boyfriend Will
Smith, she turned to him in bed and announced, "I'm
pregnant." She claims that she knew "the second" that
they had conceived.According to her, it felt like she was
"inside a bank vault." "There's a lock that resembles a
large round steering wheel." As you turn it, it locks with a
CLICK. In my womb, it felt like that.
Sitting up, Will Smith instructed her to "jump up and
down" and "stand on your head." Before "the little ones
have even stopped swimming," he called a friend to joke
about her belief that a baby was on the way. When Will
grinned, Jada cried "all night long."She had five positive
pregnancy tests two weeks later. July of that year saw
the birth of Jaden Smith.
She was'scared as hell' to wed Will Smith.
When Pinkett Smith was trying to recover from "all-day"
morning sickness, Will proposed to her. Her recollection
of him is that he insisted there was "no way" he would
have a kid apart from marrying her.
Throughout the proposal, "all I could do was
cry.Although it was lovely and genuine, I was frightened
to death. She believed marriage wasn't for her, which
contributed to some of it. She purchased her own
engagement ring the following day in Beverly Hills in an
effort to convince herself to "get with the program."
 20

On New Year's Eve 1997, she was "straight-up crying"

as she made her way down the aisle, feeling "happy and
sad... triumphant and uncertain."

She once jumped out of a moving vehicle to get away

from her furious boyfriend.
Lance is the moniker Pinkett Smith gave to a past
"Hollywood-type" romantic partner. They were founded
in the fall of 1994 by their managers and publicists.
Lance was driving in New York after drinking when he
had an "explosive reaction" and banged his fist on the
dashboard. She was worried that she would be the next.
Before running to Lance's house and arming herself with
a kitchen knife, she "threw the car door open and
jumped out in my flat sandals and skirt." The next day,
when a friend helped them resolve the conflict, she took
a plane to Los Angeles and vanished. "I never saw
Lance again—alone, that is."
She wanted her suicide to look like an accident for the
sake of her kids.
When Pinkett Smith was 21 and thriving in Hollywood,
her history of suicidal ideas first surfaced. The more I
tried to push the thought from my mind, the more afraid I
felt that I might actually slit my wrist.
In a "tidal wave of sadness," Pinkett Smith begged her
mother to immediately book a flight to Los Angeles
because she was about to commit herself. On her
mother's recommendation, she tried treatment, which
she says saved her life.
 21

At age 40, however, suicidal thoughts returned. She was

unhappy in her marriage and still coping with her PTSD,
so she "wanted to be on this earth less and less."
Pinkett Smith frequently steered clear of a curve on
Mulholland Drive by pausing and pondering staging a
"fatal accident that wouldn't look intentional—for the
sake of my kids."The biggest thing that worried her was
"that I might not die." She was however adamant about
locating a cliff that would guarantee her demise. "The
world had become less heavy now that I had a solution,
a plan for my own exit, and I was resolved."
 22

Chapter Six Summary

What makes "the slap" still relevant a year later:
Last year's Oscars were ruined when Will Smith
smacked Chris Rock in front of millions of viewers. It
explains why it is still crucial.
Jada Pinkett Smith has spoken out frequently about her
alopecia and hair loss.
It was "indeed a very light joke," she acknowledges, but
she makes it clear that it wasn't directed at her: "My
heart hurt for the many [with alopecia] people who live in
shame, the children who have committed suicide after
being subjected to cruel comments. And the Oscars,
with all their political correctness, were telling the world
that making jokes about a woman with alopecia was
acceptable?She first misunderstood the blow for a "skit,"
and she wasn't aware Smith had gotten in touch with her
until their publicists told them Rock wouldn't make a
formal complaint. Inquiring, "Press charges—for what?"
In hindsight, she claims that seeing "conflict of that
nature displayed between two Black men on a 'white'
stage was disturbing, as was witnessing a Black guy
insult a Black lady on a 'white' stage. "Once again."

She and Will have been living apart for seven years.
As Will Smith famously shouted at Rock, "Keep my
wife's name out of your f— mouth" was both an honest
cry of rage and a slight fabrication. Pinkett Smith
 23

acknowledges that she hasn't been his wife in seven

years when asked if she is still with him. Despite the fact
that they are still technically married, they separated in
2016.

She was confused by his strong response to Rock's

joke, among other things, because of this. "I [was]
unclear on the reason why Will [was] so upset," she
shared. "We had been living separate lives and were
there as family, not as husband and wife."
 24

Chapter Seven Summary

She was saved by the 'magical' hallucinogenic
ayahuasca'.
Her life took a fortunate turn when she was introduced
to ayahuasca "in our living room, no less" by her son
Jaden and his adolescent pals, whom she calls
surrogate children.
Mateo, 15, and Moises, 17, gave an account of their
father's allegedly transformative drug experience.
Pinkett Smith started to feel optimistic.
"All I could think was, 'What do I have to lose?'" Even if I
perished, the mission had been completed. If not, praise
God.
When she did, she heard voices shouting, "Your kids will
be better off without you." They only require Will. "All
that is required is Will." However, during her initial
journey, she came to the realization that she was
deserving of love and deserved "the gift of being alive...
Never again would I contemplate suicide." She sold
drugs in Baltimore when it "seemed practical." For a
time, Pinkett Smith juggled being a student and a heroin
dealer, she writes, supporting herself while living in a
roach-infested house with her mother.She claims it
didn't seem extreme in her violent surroundings, where
"one of my homeboys was shot multiple times and left
dead in the middle of the street" for hours. She viewed
herself as a "queen pin" when she was 22. "I just kept
 25

on stepping, deeper and deeper, into the s— that I

believed was going to be my way out of it all."
 26

Chapter Eight Summary

Her marriage was wrecked by Will's stardom.
She and Smith had disagreements over how to handle
stardom. "[He] wanted to be one of the biggest names in
Hollywood and was always surprised that I didn't."
Their "most profound difference" increased as Smith
rode his success, which led to a "clash in our visions of
what happiness looked like." Will was living his dream,
therefore I had to be doing the same via him. He was
perplexed as to why I was so frequently depressed.

She worried that Smith would be drawn to the gorgeous

women around him and came up with an open marriage
as a "solution" because she "wanted to be aligned with
that which I deemed inevitable."
She explains why they haven't requested a divorce
because they are themselves the children of divorce:
"We were aware of the challenges to the family unit that
nearly always arise when marriages end. You can also
bring up the desertion issue for both of us.
She mentions having "an entanglement" after her
relationship with Will ended, which is possibly a
reference to her romance with the musician August
Alsina, who is 21 years her junior.
She also wants to provide some clarifications. Contrary
to what would usually be reported, my co-conspirator in
the scam was not my son's best friend. They became
 27

close as she helped her "entanglee" get through grief

and loss. She says that eventually, "very unexpectedly,
[it] turned romantic." In 2018, he stopped talking to her
since things had "run their course."
 28

Chapter Nine Summary

One recurring element in "Worthy" is Jada Smith's call
for serious self-reflection. As she expresses her
awareness that one can only find true worth within
themselves, she underlines how crucial it is to love and
accept oneself. She highlights how people frequently
seek others for acceptance as a result of social
pressures and personal concerns, emphasizing the
need to break these behaviors.

Jada describes her experiences as a wife, mother,

sister, and daughter in great depth in her book. She
considers both the drawbacks and advantages of these
responsibilities in her consideration of the intricacies of
family ties.
One of the book's standout features is Jada's openness
about her marriage to actor Will Smith and how they
came to share a happy and loving relationship. She
emphasizes the value of communication and self-
awareness in the context of relationships. Jada Smith
emphasizes the value of being open and vulnerable as
well as self-improvement and empowerment.
She discusses how being vulnerable in her personal life
enabled her to overcome emotional challenges. Her
argument is unmistakable: allowing yourself to be
exposed to vulnerability may really be a source of
connection and strength rather than a weakness.
 29

Jada discusses traumatic experiences, such as a

challenging upbringing or challenging interpersonal
connections. She discusses her path to recovery
through therapy, faith, and self-reflection, emphasizing
the value of healing and self-care. Jada advises
individuals to put self-care first and work on mending
their emotional traumas.
The book talks on cultural expectations and how they
affect women's self-esteem in particular.

Jada discusses her own struggles with accepting who

she is and how she overcome societal pressure to
accept who she really is. Her quest for self-acceptance
inspires readers with a positive message.
Jada Smith questions accepted notions of what defines
success. She places a strong emphasis on the value of
living a virtuous life and following one's passions. The
book implores readers to critically evaluate societal
expectations and to choose their own pathways to
happiness.
The importance of surrounding oneself with like-minded
people and creating a supporting network is discussed
in the book. She emphasizes the importance of
developing friendships with people that inspire and
empower others as well as the strength of sisterhood.
The significance of turning to the community for support
during trying times is a recurrent theme throughout the
book.
Additionally, she thinks back on her parenting style and
the lessons her kids have given her. She talks on the
rewards and difficulties of parenting while highlighting
 30

the significance of letting her kids be who they are. Her

views on motherhood are insightful and sincere.
Jada Pinkett Smith also expresses her conviction that
everyone has limitless potential. She exhorts others to
concentrate on their own growth and recognize their
inner fortitude. She places a strong emphasis on the
value of perseverance and resilience in overcoming
challenges and attaining one's objectives.
 31

Conclusion
As it explores the path to self-discovery and self-worth,
Jada Pinkett Smith's memoir "Worthy" is both
captivating and intriguing. Readers can learn valuable
lessons from Jada Pinkett Smith's own experiences,
triumphs, and failures throughout the book. This book is
a fantastic resource for anyone looking for personal
development and self-empowerment because of the
author's sincerity, honesty, and knowledge.
The example of Jada Pinkett Smith's life shows how
important self-acceptance, self-love, and vulnerability
are. In addition to being a memoir, "Worthy" is also a
manual for embracing one's true self, following one's
passions, and redefining success in accordance with
one's own standards. It exhorts readers to emphasize
self-care, look for healing, and establish supportive
communities.
"Worthy" serves as a reminder that true value can only
be found within a society where external pressures and
unrealistic expectations are frequently imposed. Jada
Pinkett Smith gives heartfelt advice and outlines a path
for everyone looking to realize their own potential and
lead a truly honorable life.
Daniel Cleverly suggests that readers purchase Jada
Pinkett Smith's original book for a clearer
comprehension of the narrative.
32