Parentification Case

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The responsibilities of being a parent should not be shared amongst children. Understandably there are responsibilities that can be shared with children in order to help them learn and grow and become full functioning successful adults, but what happens when the responsibilities become to cumbersome? Parentification is used to describe children who take on the responsibilities of a parent. Not only do they become responsible for themselves, but also become the parent to their parent. This happens when the parent, for whatever reason is unable to provide the child with care due to addiction, mental illness (Hooper, “Parentification: Measurement, Process and Outcome Research”) or in Bastian’s case a father grieving death. The neglectful, childlike …show more content…

He had become a neglectful parent. This wall is what becomes the force that pushes Bastian away and leaves him feeling as though no one understands him or even cares to try. Bastian does not refer to his mother’s death but instead refers to how his father used to be and how that makes him feel. This lack of response to his mother’s death emphasizes the severe effects of neglect that Bastian’s father ignites. Bastian is not only neglected by his father but he is mistreated by his classmates as well as others in the community. Outcasting Bastian in this way pushes him to find solace. He finds his solidarity through a book, through Fantastica and the journey. Upon beginning this journey Bastian has many questions about himself and who he is meant to be. Why he isn’t like the other people, how he is supposed to fit in, why his father seems not love or care about him. Little does he know, he is about to embark on an internal expedition that will change his life …show more content…

Ende makes this clear as Bastian tells Mr. Coreander why he is running into his shop. “Father doesn’t say anything. He never says anything. It’s all the same to him” (9). By repeating that his father does not say anything, it accentuates the severe disregardance of his son. This leaves no room for Bastian. This is where Bastian turns inward, not being able to rely on the one person that is supposed to support him and help become great. At this point Bastian’s emotional tool belt is empty. He is not ready to be the emotional support that his father needs. He has not yet gone through the journey that will transform him into the savior of his father’s lamentation. Bastian has to face his own feelings, grieving children do not scream and make a fuss, especially when they already feel outcasted. It is not strange that Bastian did not speak up and beg for his father’s love and attention, he chose to freeze out reality by finding a place to be himself. “Grieving children suffer silently, often neglected in the process of care.” (Ho 1575). Bastian uses his imagination to silently deal with his mother’s death and father’s neglect. His imagination can only come to life when he is truly in a place where he knows no one will disturb him, where no one will even look for him (Ende

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