It appears that in the very effort to preserve their children's childhoods, parents unconsciously impose psychological conditioning. Due to the impressionability of the young mind, children are prone to conditioning of many forms. There are many examples of negative conditioning , which come in the form of Buster Fang’s many unique childhood experiences. Buster, or child B as his parents called him, is a character from the novel “The Family Fang”, by Kevin Wilson. Although Buster later began to enjoy his performances, at first his preferences were neglected. Instead, his parents imposed their own will upon Busters’ childhood, and used him in their many outrageous acts. Buster, sometimes unwilling was often guilted into performing his “ Fang …show more content…
family duties”. Such psychological impositions undoubtedly had an effect on Buster's psyche and can be classified as psychological trauma. Fortunately for buster academic research in the fields of psychology, nursing and medicine show that artistic expression and the use of creativity helps children and adults recover from recent or long term childhood trauma. In particular, art helps to express the true self and provides a cathartic release for the victim. Both of these traits stem from the imaginative nature of art therapy and add a claim to the idea of using art to recover from psychological trauma. Buster’s inability to express his true self often results in a lowered sense of self-worth.
Minimal sense of self can cause thoughts of loneliness, fear, denial and a lack of self-esteem. Buster in his later years can be said to exhibit said traits and unfortunately even allows others to take advantage of him, as can be seen here “ Joseph said smiling… ‘I’m glad we met each other.’ Buster, twelve grand in the hole, face reconstructed and still tender, agreed ” (Wilson 73). Here, Buster suffers severe physical injury, and yet sympathizes with the man who caused him such harm. It appears Buster feels he needed to trade, his health, for friendship. Such unconscious transactions are reminiscent of Busters many negotiations with his parents. Although unintentionally the Fangs have created a barter system for parental affection, in return for performance. One of these transactions can be seen here “‘I'm going to do it’, he told them and Mr. and Mrs. Fang whooped with delight. They beckoned to him and he jumped onto the bed, worming his way between them ”(Wilson 66). Here Buster’s true intentions were suppressed, as he succumbs to his parents will and participates in an act he would otherwise not have. Eventually a prolonged denial of Busters emotions, leads to a suppression of his own ideas this makes him a good candidate for art therapy. Art bridges the gap between language and expression. It can often be difficult to express trauma, or joy, or even sorrow in terms of words. Strong emotions are often inexpressible through language, In fact, scholar Winscott states that ‘the process of language imposes further distortions and splits in the self’ (p. 133). In other words, by trying to express the inexpressible through terms of language an individual fosters the false self even more profoundly, as they are unable to find a likeness and must resort to analogies. A relatively simple and practical example that young Buster could have participated in can be found in the
book “Art therapy techniques and Applications by Susan I. Buchalter. In the book she suggests “WhoAmI? 4 Materials: Drawing paper, pastels, crayons, markers. Procedure: Ask clients to draw an answer to the question, “Who Am I?” Individuals may answer the question in any manner they please (realistically, abstractly, using stick figures, etc.). Discussion/Goals: Discussion focuses on exploring one’s interests, personality and unique characteristics. Goals include increasing self-awareness and self-esteem.” This exercise, as stated would help buster connect with himself. In the midst of his frantic family Art therapy could provide Buster much needed healing. Between the years of two to three, the language centered left hemisphere begins to take over from the right hemisphere. Winscott reminds us that, “‘emotional experience is not processed through language and logic; as the right hemisphere speaks a language of images, sensations, and impressions ... therapeutic discourse must be conducted in a language that the right hemisphere speaks’” (p. 229). Art therapy seeks to do just that, it allows the individual to express themselves in true fashion, and by releasing earlier stressors caused by the inability to communicate. For Buster, such treatment would result in lower anxiety, and a willingness to stand up for himself. Buster would no longer see himself as a mere object, but as the individual that he is. Often victims of trauma are left questioning their experience and themselves, causality of their suffering can cause frustration and even anger. Fortunately, catharsis allows individuals to express pent up emotions, and ideas. Art therapy provides an express alternative to the built up rage within an individual. In Buster’s case, as a child, he was forced to play many roles, and his participation was mandatory. When Buster learns the truth behind the work “ More Woe, he questions his actions and attempts to understand his parents lie. This questioning can be seen here, “‘We’ve always done whatever you asked us to do,’ Annie said, her whole body shaking. ‘We did what you said and we never asked why. We just did it. For you.’ ‘ If you’d told us what was happening,’ Buster continued, ‘ we still would've done it ” (Wilson 147). In the piece of text, Buster and Annie learn of how their parents hid their true intentions to obtain the ends from their children. They finally recognize to what extent their parents are willing to push Child A, and Child B. Buster’s parents can be seen as oppressors of his free will, and Buster in his adult years show evidence of relational trauma. During their childhoods, both Buster and Annie are isolated from other children, and instead, are kept extremely close to their parents, coupled with the mandatory performances, Buster’s adulthood depression is not surprising. It is common practice to seek therapy to help overcome negative emotions, similar to the ones Buster suffers from. Unlike other forms of treatment, mainly exercise and diet, traditional therapy, and even the usage of medication, cathartic release allows for, as Scholar Scheff puts it, “ the emotional- somatic discharge and cognitive awareness. The first is the one that is referring to the expression and discharge of strong emotions while the second refers to the ability of the individual expressing the emotion to maintain an ‘observing’ role, and to learn from the awareness that emerges after expressing the event.” The act of catharsis and recovery as well, include the ability to release all the negative emotions associated with a single moment or moments in the past, as well as learning new mechanisms to avoid the act of being emotionally impacted in the future. Catharsis discourages denial, instead, art therapy allows expression and acknowledgment when the emotions are triggered. An example tailored for Buster is included in the book Art therapy techniques and Applications by Susan I. Buchalter, it is called “Release Materials: Relaxing music, drawing paper, pastels, crayons, markers. Procedure: Play soothing background music. Ask clients to relax and pay attention to their breath. Ask them to spend a few minutes breathing in and out slowly. If they feel comfortable have them close their eyes. Suggest that clients visualize what they are breathing out. Ask them to think about size, shape, color and texture. Next ask them to draw “what they breathed out.” Examples may include breathing out stress, anger, fear, etc. They may use any type of design to depict their thoughts. Discussion/Goals: Discussion focuses on the relaxation experience, the feeling of release when breathing out, and the emotions/feelings depicted in the artwork. Clients have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of their feelings by analyzing and observing the size, color and shape of their design. Goals include release of negative feelings and stress ” (Buchalter 40). This exercise would provide Buster, as stated release from the negativity that permeates his mind. Catharsis allows for the patient to move forward from past inflections, and to learn from previous experiences. Going one step further Art therapy can even reveal that which was previously inaccessible to the conscious mind. By expressing trauma through art, the artist is able to recognize what they have overcome as it appears on the canvas. This canvas can be viewed indefinitely, therefore, affirming to the artist that they have left those emotions behind. For Buster, this would mean moving on from his symbiotic relationship with his parents, and it would mean a recognition of his true self-worth. Art therapy style recovery would prove beneficial to Buster, as his childhood often prevented him from making conscious decisions in regard to his life path, and this could be a cause of frustration for buster. Art can provide an alternative form of release, which sparks creativity and recovery in individuals. Scholar Joy Chong Explains “The neutrality of art also makes communication within the therapeutic relationship less confrontational. Art materials offer a unique capacity to absorb and slow down high impulse emotions. The ability to slow down high impulse emotions is a big leap in opening up opportunities for the cortex to be reconnected, and thus to get involved in the process of a stress response.” Here Chong is referring to how art can aid in therapy sessions by altering the mindset of the patient, and allowing the therapist a deeper insight into the psychological issues, instead of just confrontation. Art therapy can be applied in numerous ways, and practices may greatly differ from patient to patient, one commonality however must be a desire for healing. If an individual allows, through therapy and alternative habits many psychological issues which stem as far as childhood, can come to resolve. Even in its cathartic properties Art therapy is unique. As most individuals are familiar with, cathartic release can be cleansing and healing, as it is a ventilation of built up emotions.. Art, however, is not just cathartic release, it is the cathartic expression. In other words, art therapy can facilitate the expression of feelings that are associated with the trauma, suffering, and cope, such as anger, rage, vulnerability, depression, frustration or joy, and pleasure. However, in terms of mental health the ideal scenario is to minimize the trauma initially, or treat as soon as possible. For Buster this intervention would have played a large impact on the man he would grow to be. Unfortunately due to Buster’s childhood experience he matures into a fraction of his potential. Plagued with childhood trauma and relational issues Buster finds it difficult to recognize his own worth. Early Art therapy would have helped a great deal with this.
Each person, whether they realize it or not, has been shaped by their relationships with others. The effects that piercings or family members can have on someone are limitless and often times profound. In many instances, people do not even know that they are being influenced by others. Even if it is in the most subtle manner, all characters in novels are directly influenced by other figures. Authors use rhetorical strategies to demonstrate the different ways in which relationships affect and shape a character’s identity.
Parental influences can negatively impact a child’s life. An example of this is in the novel
Throughout their early life, children feel oppressed by their parents. From being constantly nagged to being misunderstood, children can feel that their parents dislike them. With screams and threats, with lions lurking, Ray Bradbury utilizes foreshadowing and symbolism to uncover those dark feelings that dwell within a child.
...society as a whole. When one is taunted or ostracized, the pain they feel is not only emotional but physical as well. The notion “sticks and stones” has been shown to be untrue. Sian Beilock, Ph.D. spoke about research which shows that, “intense social rejection really does share a lot in common with physical pain”. People that are abandoned, teased, rejected, taunted, or ridiculed by their peers may at first seek to do good things, as the monster in Frankenstein attempted. Should this not result in acceptance, these same seemingly weak people can strike out with devastating consequences. This leaves us to wonder, “How could we have stopped the tragedy “? As Shelly’s novel Frankenstein demonstrates, if society treats a person as an outcast simply because of their physical appearance, the end results can be catastrophic for the victims and for the perpetrators.
In a normal functioning family, both parent and child care for and love one another, and display these feelings. A parent is required to nurture his or her child and assure that the child feels loved by spending time together, and by giving the child sufficient attention. However, there are often times when a parent is unable to fulfill these requirements, which can ultimately have damaging effects on the child. A child who is neglected by his or her parents “perceives the world as a hostile and uncaring place. In addition to this negative perception of the world, the neglect a child faces affects later interaction with his or her peers, prompting the child to become anxious and overly withdrawn” (Goldman). This neglectful type of parenting proves to be a pattern in the novel Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, as the main characters, Jimmy, Crake, and Oryx are crucially affected by their parents’ choices and are unjustly abandoned by them. In this novel, the neglect of parents, especially mothers, is clearly reflected in the behaviours of the three main characters.
This story makes the reader wonder, why must parents do this to their children, what kinds of motifs do they have for essentially ruining their child’s life. I believe
Many times people tend to allow their thoughts to have an overtake in which it clouds what is actually happening. Some can revoke their right state of mind and make their own make-believe world with these thoughts. Authors, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Edgar Allan Poe both demonstrate this perception in their short stories, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Yellow Wallpaper.” In The Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator murders the old man he lives with because he is disturbed by the man’s eyes. Similarly, in The Yellow Wallpaper, the narrator is dealing with depression, and feels that she is being watched by the wallpaper and starts to study it and decoding the meaning.
The emotional support children receive from their parents in the early years of their lives can make an everlasting impact in how their fears develop and persist over the course of their lives. Take, for instance, a considerably difficult a child who received a nurturing amount of support from his parents in contrast with another little boy who was physically reprimanded for his antsy behavior. The first boy’s parent’s found tactful ways to allow their child to better handle his fears, consequently allowing him to forge a more functional life in the future. In opposition, the other child’s father, who hit him in efforts to stop his anxiety, ironically contributed to the child’s unwanted behavior, causing him to become more disruptive and disturbed in the
The movie begins with the family and parenting styles concept of child development by introducing the audience to the main character James and his parents. James lives in a two-parent household with his authoritative parents who are providing him with warmth, love, and encouragement (Levine & Munsch, pp. 521-522). This concept of parenting styles is shown as the movie begins and James is seen spending time with his parents. Then suddenly, James’ world changes and he is abandoned as a result of his parents being killed. This causes James to become orphaned and forced to live with his authoritarian aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge are very controlling towards James and expect him to obey their rules without allowing him to express his feelings. This authoritarian behavior is seen throughout the movie. Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge are also uninvolved, neglectful, and abusive, using verbal and physical punishment on James when they feel it’s necessary, which is also seen throughout the movie (Levine & Munsch, p. 522). These behaviors cause James to develop lower self-esteem, show less intellectual curiosity, and feel lonely and afraid, which are typical outcomes of an authoritarian parenting approach (Levine & Munsch, pp. 521-523). Although James’ aunts’ authoritative parenting style has an effect on his emotional and social behaviors, it is his parents authoritative parenting that plays a...
“Hope and fear are inseparable. There is no hope without fear, nor any fear without hope” (François de la Rochefoucauld). One of the many defining qualities of human existence is the ability to experience emotions. Among them, hope and fear may be two of the most commanding. The balance of the two and the influence they have on a person, as well as each other, is imperative to one’s personality, behavior, resolutions. Authors use the contrast of hope and fear to create a character out of thin air. By applying these to emotions to a flat character, he or she is sculpted into a complexly depicted person. Both Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Sandra Cisneros use this technique to create their main characters. The narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper and
In the novel Frankenstein, the monster is deserving of empathy because as a young child he did not have the guidance nor care from a parent or guardian like most people do. He was brought into the world and then cruelly rejected by the ...
holds an interesting bearing on Alex. Alex's love is for his snake. Generally Love is defined by an understanding, or closeness between two items. The snake is represented by many things in the natural world today. & nbsp; Freud's analysis of the male closeness to the snake is that the person involved is questioning his sexuality, or his love towards the female gender. Alex keeps coming back to his snake after his nights on the town, and his first.
For example, adolescents are often forced into therapy by their parents or school as a result of an inability to cope with stress in a socially acceptable way. Patients at this stage are too old to engage in play therapy, where therapists analyze a child’s behavior during play and when presented with toys. Also, patients acting out during adolescence are often too young to obtain the maturity to verbalize their emotions in a socially acceptable form. Art therapy is useful at this stage of development because similar impulses expressed in play therapy are expressed through drawings, meanwhile not requiring verbal communication. Art therapy introduces the mature defense mechanism of sublimation to the patient, guiding them to achieve better self control as they learn to communicate their impulses through art and talking about their art. A particular form of therapy is managed in groups, and adolescents are encouraged to engage in conversation about their drawings while they are creating them. This creates an environment of low anxiety, allowing patients communicate internal conflict and disregard their normal defense mechanisms that are used to conceal these emotions. The defense mechanism of sublimation is apparent in this process, as the use of color, composition, space and shapes to provide an
The narrator, Madeline and Roderick all fit together and complete the human psyche. The narrator represents the superego, an unselfish, conscious filled perspective, while Madeline portrays the total opposite id of the story. As seen, Roderick symbolizes the ego of the story, since he has qualities of both the id and the superego. Even though “The Fall of the House of Usher” is a popular short story, it is not the only piece of literature that includes Freud’s concepts. Everyone human being, at one point or another, and characters from literature, contain the qualities of ego, superego and id. For example, as a baby, everyone illustrates the qualities of id because at that age, all one knows what to do is act based upon one’s emotions. Overall, Roderick, Madeline and the narrator, in “The Fall of the House of Usher” are just one example of how Sigmund Freud’s personality theory is portrayed in everyday
Anna Freud used the defenses as hints of the repressed, scary impulses (instincts) that were underlying the patient's troubles. For example, the goo...