JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH
ENGLISH SENIOR RESEARCH
HAWTHORNE HIGH SCHOOL
Students in all levels of English 12 were challenged to engage in all aspects of this research process. While we know AP students would have also done a phenomenal job, we did not want to deter their focus from preparing for their exams in May.
Students were asked to select a literary work from any year in our HHS English curriculum and create a unique thesis that analyzes the novel within a social, political, historic, or economic lens. In other words, how does the chosen work shed light on an aspect of society, past or present?
As students leave HHS, enroll in colleges and universities, or move on to their professions, they will be expected to understand how and where to look for important and relevant information. It is a skill that transcends the educational fields. Whenever a difficult question or decision needs to be examined, i.e. Which new car would be best for my driving needs? Which college will help me succeed in a given major? Which stocks should I invest in for a short term gain? How about a long term investment? The answers to all of these questions requires research. By developing these skills now, students greatly improve the likelihood of successful research-based decisions for the rest of their lives.
T O D E
Senior English students developed an approved topic through initial research activities, diving into scholarly resources and databases offered by our Library, ultimately creating a unique thesis that received feedback from their teachers
Students were provided an editable outline template that assisted in organization of essay content. All students submitted their formal outlines for feedback from their teachers.
Students were guided on proper introduction, conclusion, and body paragraph structure for papers that incoporate texts and outside primary/secondary sources. Multiple drafts were submitted for teacher feedback.
Students engaged in a variety of self-editing, peer-editing, and teacher-guided editing activities to polish their essays for final submission
Below are just a few examples of compelling research paper topics developed and completed by seniors in English
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Wealth: An Analysis of the Post-WWI American Dream
Race, Gender, and Class from a Feminist Perspective in To Kill a Mockingbird
David Goggins and Guy Montag: Societies’ Untapped Potential
Perks of Being a Wallflower: Mental Illness Through the Eyes of a Wallflower
The Detrimental and Regressive Effects of Armed Conflict
The Untold Truth: The History of Native Americans
Heroes of Inner Cities: The Importance of the Creation of Community
Is The Lack of Education The Root of Pakistan's Problems?
Savage Desires That Surface: Mob Mentality within Lord of the Flies
Government Censorship and News Suppression
as seen in Fahrenheit 451
Latino Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Breaking Barriers: The Triumphs of Black Men in Achieving Success
The following five seniors have earned "Highest Distinction" for their exemplary research papers. The selection process for this honor begins with a nomination from their teachers, and is followed by a "name blind" selection from the Senior ELA Research Committee.
Qualities we were looking for in our ultimate selections were depth of analysis, utilization of well-chosen primary and secondary sources, and overall sophistication of writing.
Perspectives showcases their full papers. Congratulations to these members of our HHS community on their hard work and dedication to developing their writing and research skills.
Ashley Smith
Theresa DiGeronimo
Kelly Clifford
Deborah Clark
Supervisor of Humanities
Library Media Specialist
Teacher of English
Teacher of English
Daria Kotlarchuk Teacher of English
Mariam Nassery Teacher of English
Sayed is a seven-year resident of Hawthorne and plans to study at both Passaic County Community College and New Jersey Institute of Technology to pursue a career in Computer Engineering He has always possessed a deep fascination with technology and literature, hence his involvement in the Creative Writing Club and the Robotics Club When reflecting on his experience with the research paper, he expressed the belief that perception is key, not just in being familiar with a character and their actions but to understand the motive behind their actions He explains, “People as a whole tend to share similar reasoning for the actions they take; it's just a matter of questioning and understanding the act itself ” Sayed would ultimately like to thank Snoopy, his loyal companion who, even in death, never fails to lift his spirits
Alienation is a state of being deprived of attention from others. Such is the case with Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of J.D. Salinger's coming-of-age novel The Catcher in the Rye The novel follows the recollection of Holden's younger years, a time in which he was distancing himself from others and withdrawing from school When Holden is kicked out of his school, for failing to apply himself to his studies, he wanders the streets of New York seeking attention from anyone he is able to receive it from, whether it be a taxi driver, a stranger on the train, a woman at the club, or a prostitute in a hotel To say that Holden's desperation for attention is relatable to many young adults would be an understatement After all, that relation is what has led to the many controversies surrounding this piece of literature. Two of the most prominent ones are the presence of the book in the killer of John Lennon, Mark David Chapman, and the attempted assassin of Ronald Reagan, John Hinckley. Clearly, the novel had resonated with these murderers; however, the influence that Holden held over Mark Chapman and John Hinckley was not one based on malicious intent, rather the actions of the two criminals were taken as a statement to announce their manners of projection and similarities to Holden.
The upbringing of both murderers began with a withdrawal from their daily lives, an act that Holden partook in towards the
beginning of the book. Not only had he resigned himself from others but Holden had also been pulling out from his studies, as stated in the first chapter: “I wasn't supposed to come back after Christmas vacation, on account of I was failing four subjects and not applying myself at all They gave me frequent warnings to start applying myself but I didn't do it” (Salinger 6) To say that Holden did not want to apply himself would be incorrect; it is far more accurate to state that he had let the time he had spent in Pencey pass by. His actions are similar to watching time pass idly, not wasting time but not necessarily making full use of it Holden's withdrawal meant slowly becoming less involved, not just in his education, but with people as a whole Those actions are akin to John Hinckley's behavior during his years at university, clearly presented in the article "A Shared Grief ” “...he began withdrawing into himself and detaching himself from others… merely stopped trying… He dropped out several times, switched his major frequently and moved from one apartment to another” ("A Shared Grief" 86) Hinckley had tried, in a repetitive cycle, to further his education But much like Holden, he had found himself unable to move any further and at that point, began his slow but steady crawl of withdrawing himself from education entirely.
Proceeding with their individual withdrawals, each figure underwent a period of isolation that displayed how truly detached they were from others Hinckley's form of isolation was to hole himself up in his room, dreaming of playing music for large crowds In a way, his actions were ironic, but nevertheless, an excerpt from “An Assassins Portrait” clearly presents not only his isolation but his later obsession: “Retreating to his room, where he spent hours playing his guitar and listening to Beatles records, he established a pattern of isolation that he would maintain throughout high school He wanted to be a rock star, but was unwilling to play for others” (McMillan 17). Despite Hinckley's dream of playing for a crowd, he could not bring himself to play for one. His isolation from others had become so severe that it had rendered his dream of playing his guitar in front of a crowd to playing it for his lonesome shadow.
There may seem to be a parallel between the loneliness that Hinckley and Holden display as the loneliness Hinckley suffers from is selfinflicted while Holden's loneliness is caused by the people around him, but Holden is actually the one who is causing his own period of isolation To elaborate, Holden is drawing away from his school, a school full of people his age, he chooses not to interact with them the same way he chooses not to show up at the football game Instead, Holden opts to speak to adults, a mother of a fellow student and not one, but two taxi drivers, inviting them all for cocktails, “Would you care for a cocktail? I asked her. I was feeling in the mood for one myself We can go in the club car. All right?... Would you care to stop on the way and join me for a cocktail?... He certainly was good company. Terrific personality” (Salinger 64-68). Inviting others out is a sign of wanting company,
an action taken to avoid loneliness. But depending on the person, in this case, Holden's classmate's mother and a random taxi driver, one may surmise that he was desperate for company Holden had isolated himself from his classmates by leaving Pencey and wandering into New York, and despite his attempts at breaking from his isolation by inviting strangers out, he was always met with rejection. Both Holden and Hinckley suffered from loneliness, but only by their own hands. While Hinckley made no attempt to break free from his isolation, Holden attempted and failed to free himself from the chokehold in which he had placed himself
The phoniness that Holden detested so much was present in not only himself but most prominently in Mark Chapman. The sense of self differs between all things on this earth It can vary from feeling like a different person to never changing even after years and years of growth Such is the case with Chapman: he had grown up without ever feeling like he had matured, and to make up for his childlike self, he had put up a front, a mask of sorts, in order to disguise himself. Since Chapman had been at odds with himself, unable to discern the mask and his childlike self, it created an internal conflict: “It wasn't a man. It was a child killing his hero… My only feelings were the feelings that came through that book to the sixteen-year-old Holden that was inside me I wasn't real to myself And since he's so specially linked to the phony adult that I was ” (Jones 6)
The phoniness that emanated from Chapman was that of taking up a mask and fooling oneself, he had perceived himself as a child all throughout his life, even during his adulthood
"BothHoldenandHinckley sufferedfromloneliness,but onlybytheirownhands."
In that sense Chapman was phony, acting and playing the role of an adult when in reality he was only fooling himself. This is reminiscent of how Holden had presented himself to strangers. He had acted like an adult taking full advantage of his height and patch of gray hair It seemed he had enjoyed the company of adults far more than that of people his own age
So in order to interact with an adult he had to play the role of one, even making up a name that sounded “adult-ish”, clearly shown in this excerpt from Catcher In The Rye: “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jim Steele...She didn't care what my name was, naturally Hey, how old are you, anyways? Me? Twenty-two” (Salinger 105)
Throughout the novel, Holden displays several habits that usually only adults would partake in A prime example being drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes; Holden does so to play the part of one, even going as far as lying about his name and age to convince a prostitute.
Despite his distaste for phonies, Holden had been one for seemingly acting like an adult when in reality he was but a minor In the end, both figures had created a falsehood in order to fit into the maturity of adults.
Preceding Hinckley and Chapman's thirst for attention, they developed an obsession, one just as intense if not more than Holden's infatuation for innocence
For Hinckley, it was the theme of a love that was ultimately met with a tragedy, a tragedy that he was prepared to create himself. That tragedy of course was his preparation for the assassination of Ronald Reagan, a process that was written in “An Assassins Portrait”: “He seems to have spent much of his time in Hollywood seeing and thinking about the movie Taxi Driver He saw it fifteen times… He had Romeo and Juliet. It's a tale of doomed young lovers, a distant reverberation of the pact he fancied making with Jodie Foster… Hinckley bought a rifle exactly like the one Oswald used to shoot President Kennedy his arsenal contained the same number of guns as Travis Bickle’s” (McMillan 17) With a movie, an actress, and meticulous reenactments of other killers, Hinckley's obsession was bound to lead to his later actions. Deep enough for an obsession of a movie to lead to another of an actress in that movie, Jodie Foster, to whom he dedicated his attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan to. At a glance, Chapman's obsession may appear to be John Lennon, the victim of his murder, it was actually an obsession of the self To elaborate, in the biography Let Me Take You Down: Inside the Mind of Mark David Chapman, it is reported that Chapman repeatedly refers to a child, “It was a little kid that did the act of killing John Lennon… It was a child that killed John Lennon. It was a child killing his hero I preserved my childhood but a child's heart I was a child with an adult body I threw temper tantrums like a child It was a child's anger, a child's jealousy, a child's rage” (Jones 6) This child that Chapman keeps referring to is himself, perhaps never truly growing up as he should have, now locked inside of his own head, leading to this unhealthy obsession of himself in the past. The buildup of which was so great that it led to Chapman’s later act of murder
"Each of their unhealthy obsessions led to acting upon their individual compulsions, ones that started off small before snowballing into a vicious actofviolence."
Each of their unhealthy obsessions lead to acting upon their individual compulsions, compulsions that started off small before snowballing into a vicious act of violence.
Hinckley and Chapman's actions were taken in order to display their desperate need for attention, a need akin to Holden's That desperate seeking of attention tends to morph as it digs itself further into a person. In Holden's case, his display may seem very nonchalant and subtle, only ever really showing itself in extreme situations. With a close read, Holden's enlistment of a prostitute's service despite his inexperience in sexual activities exemplifies these motivations: “It was against my principles and all, but I was feeling so depressed I didn't even think” (Salinger 102) Despite not wanting to purchase the time of a prostitute, Holden does so instantly; his reaction was too quick to say he nervously accepted. In fact, his reaction was almost confident. His actions were natural, almost like he was acting on a basic need. His need for attention from another, desperate enough to even accept the attention of a sex worker Both Holden and Hinckley share that desire for attention, although Hinckley only sought after the attention of Jodie Foster in contrast to Holden, who sought out attention as a whole. John Hinckley's attempt at assassination was taken to receive the respect and love of Jodie Foster, one of the most prominent forms of attention His desire for Jodie Foster's love is supported through an excerpt from an article in The Butch Femme Fatale: “John Hinckley's 1981 attempt to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in order to gain Jodie Foster’s 'respect and love' may be the ultimate gesture of the postmodern movie fan who ... plays it out in 'real life'" (Brown 229). Through his actions, Hinckley professed his dire need for attention from Foster, going as far as attempting to shoot a man to gain that attention
This differs from Holden's demeanor of displaying his needs as Hinckley is far more direct with his approach; nonetheless, both have a yearning for some form of attention.
The reasoning behind their own individual actions can be determined in the similarities they share with each other The similarities shared between Holden, Chapman, and Hinckley are prominent enough to confidently declare that the actions of Chapman and Hinckley were taken as a statement to announce their manners of projection and similarities to Holden. This is the case as Chapman, Hinckley, and Holden have all gone through a sense of withdrawal from people which lead to a moment of isolation creating their own sense of phoniness and later building an obsession for which they derived a deep need for attention. Holden innocently goes through this process as he had only suffered a very brief isolation in the days following his expulsion; nonetheless, he seeks attention throughout those days. Both Chapman and Hinckley also sought attention, but due to their isolation lasting from adolescence to adulthood, it became a more twisted and deranged desire for attention A desire that, unfortunately, could only be fulfilled by taking the life of their obsession. However, that alone was not their main attempt at receiving attention. It was their possession of The Catcher in the Rye that showed the true intention behind the actions they took. Chapman and Hinckley's motives were to force a spotlight to shine on them and the book in order to announce their kinship to Holden
Brown, Terry. “The Lesbian Postmodern.” The Butch Femme Fatale, 1994, pp. 229–230.
Jones, Jack Let Me Take You Down: Inside the Mind of Mark David Chapman, The Man Who Shot John Lennon Random House Publishing Group, 2011.
McMillan, Priscilla J. “An Assassin's Portrait.” The New Republic, 12 July 1982, pp 16-18
Salinger, Jerome D The Catcher in the Rye Little, Brown and Company, 1951.
“A Shared Grief.” The Saturday Evening Post, July 1981, pp. 68–86.
After graduation, Samantha will attend William Paterson University, where she plans to earn her bachelor's degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice She has just recently joined the HHS community at the start of this school year In reflecting on the research paper process, she expressed that it can be tedious, but with the right determination and helpful guidance it is “100% doable ” She would like to thank her English teacher, Mrs Clark, for always pushing her forward and helping her improve She would also like to thank her girlfriend, Emily Waddell, and her mother for helping to proofread throughout the writing process
Morrie Schwarz was a Sociology professor at Brandeis University. Shortly after his passing, the famous memoir, Tuesdays with Morrie, was written by one of his students, Mitch Albom, and eventually published in 1997. Throughout the memoir, readers experience Morrie’s striking wisdom derived from his personal experiences As he endured traumatic experiences, such as losing his mother at the young age of eight and watching his older brother David endure Poliomyelitis (Polio), he was forced to mature. These scarring events left an everlasting effect on Morrie, which sparked his wisdom. His wisdom assisted with the development of his own theory: the theory of detachment His theory of detachment connects to everlasting ideologies of classical philosophical Daoism, and the religions Stoicism and Buddhism. This theory, being an analytical coping mechanism for emotion, was derived from the teachings of major religions in which he studied. He practiced this theory while facing the terminal illness, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), until his disquieting death
By generating his own theory with influences from modern day ideologies and religions, Morrie was able to thoroughly engage in his everyday life without his emotions overwhelming him. For instance, sitting in his chair became an enjoyable pleasure, and enjoying life for what it was became reality. Executing the theory of detachment allowed him to properly identify, cope, and then detach from certain emotions
Morrie faced many overwhelming emotions before his death; jealousy, envy, anger, sorrowfulness, downheartedness, and more. Facing a terminal illness affected Morrie’s capability to enjoy life without the activities he loved: dancing and swimming. In order to become satisfied with the way his life was before his death, he detached from a majority of emotions Despite being detached, he was not being ignorant toward his feelings. The memoir explains, “Loneliness: you let go, let the tears flow, feel it completely- but eventually be able to say, 'All right, that was my moment with loneliness. I’m not afraid of feeling lonely, but now I’m going to put that loneliness aside and know that there are other emotions in the world, and I’m going to experience them as well Detach'" (Albom 105) He fully immersed himself in the emotion in order to wholly feel it and then detached from the emotion entirely once he was fulfilled. As a result, there were no remainders, second guesses, or doubts afterward. He made it clear to himself that there were more emotions to feel in the world; in addition, there were more things to appreciate and experience other than that current point in time Nevertheless, by practicing his own theory of detachment, he was able to enjoy the time he had left. Rather than holding onto grudges, or feeling sorry for himself, he appreciated all aspects of his life, even the moments he did not feel lively.
The theory of detachment is similar to Master Zhaung’s literature piece, Zhuangzi Master Zhuang Zhou is the pivotal figure of classical philosophical Daoism, even after his death in 286 BC. He was described as an “antirational, follower of a mystical Laozi'' (Hansen). He composed the Zhuangzi, a thirty-three chapter anthology described as “a distinctively Chinese, naturalist blend of Daoism and Buddhism with its emphasis on focused engagement in our everyday ways of life” (Hansen) and promotes “detachment from official life” (Liu) By encouraging thorough engagement in one's everyday life, Zhaungzi and Morrie’s theory of detaching from emotion in order to enjoy a worry-free life are similar.
Instead, he endorsed, “All right it’s just fear, I don’t have to let it control me” (Albom 105). By prohibiting his emotions from taking control of his life, as many individuals allow such emotions to consume them, his theory related to the Zhuangzi concept of detaching from entrenched norms and emotions.
Morrie’s theory of detachment promotes separating from emotions in order to properly identify them and allow them to complete their course Similar to the Stoic method of detachment, he found himself capable of detaching emotions from their origins, in order to evaluate them and move forward Whenever he found himself enduring an emotion he did not want to feel so extremely, he would identify the emotion, and psychologically separate from it. Before separating from the emotion entirely, he would allow himself to feel the emotion entirely and then move on from it, as to have no remaining emotions left over to burden him Morrie admitted, “Envy comes to me, I feel it, and then I let it go That’s envy, I’m going to separate from it now” (quoted in Albom 119).
Leading up to his death, Morrie began to detach from his material goods and favorite pastime hobbies Without attachment to his emotions, or even to his material goods, Morrie followed the Zhuangzi in a more personal way throughout the rest of his days. This assisted him in becoming peaceful and grateful for the rest of the time he had left Additionally, Zhaungzi promotes readers to become “detached from entrenched practices and norms and the constraints they place on the lives of ordinary people” (Liu) Morrie did not allow emotions to consume him as frequently as social norms consume individuals.
Detachment, in the religion of Stoicism, can be described as detaching emotions from their external causes in order to properly, and fully, heal and move on from them. Furthermore, it is defined as, “detachment from emotions from the thought of their external cause” (Becker), allowing followers to become aware of the cause of an emotion by stepping back from it, and analyzing it from a different perspective. Additionally, detachment is also considered “an appropriate response in periods of public crisis and private misfortune” (Becker). By detaching, the emotion becomes less extreme and heavy on the mind, creating a sense of emotional freedom Detachment in both Stoicism and Morrie’s theory offers “freedom resilience to the vicissitudes of the strongly felt, unstable
"SimilartotheStoic methodofdetachment,he foundhimselfcapableof detachingemotionsfrom theirorigins,inorderto evaluatethemandmove forward."
attachments that threaten one” (McRae) Both concepts teach followers to psychologically “step back” from an emotion. By doing so, they become fully aware of the emotion they are feeling, in order to accept freedom from the emotion, and move on.
Morrie borrowed concepts from all religions, but he showed a fervent adoration for Buddhism and the Buddhist’s concept of detachment The Buddhist concept of detachment can be defined as a deep attachment to life as a result of a detachment to the outcome. Buddhism was “especially well known for its advocacy of detachment,” and although “the idea of such detachment/attachment can appear both impossible and very familiar the idea of resilience appears in many cultures designed to help mourners become reconciled to their losses”
(Wong) Throughout Morrie’s illness, he was never afraid of his inevitable and unavoidable death. He displayed strong resilience and detachment despite all that was happening to him. This is because, he claimed, “You know what the Buddhists say? Don’t cling to things because everything is impermanent” (quoted in Albom 103) He believed that life's cycle was merely reversing itself, allowing him to live like a baby before he passed. He was incapable of completing simple daily tasks on his own such as, bathing, eating, and using the lavatory. Oftentimes, he would ask Mitch to help him readjust in his seat or move from room to room. Without the theory of detachment, these encounters would have psychologically and emotionally strained Morrie This would have potentially caused him to spiral into a hole of self-pity and depression His theory of detachment, together with Buddhism, promotes detachment as something that “enhances proper love and compassion and is conceived
of as a tool for virtuous emotional engagement” (McRae). Through emotional engagement with others, such as Mitch, Morrie witnessed his increasing dependency on others. However, using the theory of detachment, he saw this as a positive thing, rather than a nuisance. He appreciated the chance to live life as a baby once more, and endured every emotion in a calm manner His theory of detachment allowed him to view these stereotypical burdens on the bright side, causing a lack of emotional and psychological disturbance in his last months alive.
Morrie Schwarz’s theory of detachment connects to everlasting ideologies of classical philosophical Daoism, and the religions Stoicism and Buddhism
His theory, an analytical coping mechanism for emotion, allowed him to cherish every moment of life without worry. After being diagnosed with ALS, Morrie had difficulty managing his emotions at first. Gradually, he developed and incorporated his theory of detachment, making it easier to accept his disquieting and inevitable death, and every moment beforehand Despite facing ALS, he cherished every minute of his life that he had left with the help of his theory. Even the moments where he was forced to endure overwhelming misery in pain and agony. This theory allowed Morrie to refrain from dwelling in misery. He would simply step back, evaluate, fully immerse himself in his emotions, then detach from them Rather than holding onto grudges, or feeling sorry for himself, Morrie was able to get closure As a result, he appreciated all aspects of his life, even the moments he did not feel lively, and his viewpoint changed from burdened to grateful. For every breath he took in, he was able to indulge in his life. He displayed gratitude, and made it a point to see the bright side of everything that came his way.
"Hemadeitapointtoseethe brightsideofeverythingthat camehisway."
Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie : An Old Man, A Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson Doubleday, 1997
Becker, Lawrence "Stoic Emotion " Stoicism: Traditions and Transformations, 2004 https://digitalcommons hollins edu/cgi/viewcontent cgi?
article=1018&context=philfac
Hansen, Chad. "Zhuangzi. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N Zalta, Fall 2021 https://plato stanford edu/entries/zhuangzi/?
fbclid=IwAR0xjA3kSc4DJdy0msKeuhOd9HvBxwKz0m7MolJKaSp2vD6gopFUq5c7g
Liu, Xiaogan. Classifying the Zhuangzi Chapters. University of Michigan Press, 2020 https://library oapen org/viewer/web/viewer html?file=/ bitstream/handle/20 500 12657/41839/9780472901340 pdf?
sequence=1&isAllowed=y
McRae, Emily "Detachment in Buddhist and Stoic Ethics: Ataraxia and Apatheia and Equanimity " Ethics Without Self, Dharma Without Atman: 73 http://ndl ethernet edu et/bitstream/123456789/77166/ 1/224 pdf p df#page=87
Wong, David B "The Meaning of Detachment in Daoism, Buddhism, and Stoicism " Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy, 5 2, 2006, pp 207219. www.researchgate.net/profile/David-Wong-35/ public ation/226392277 The meaning of detachment in Daoism Buddhism and Stoicism/links/00b49520e8ac63b0be000000/Themeaning-of-detachment-in-Daoism-Buddhism-and-Stoicism pdf
Adam has been in Hawthorne for four years, and during his time here has strived to be a well-rounded, involved student in numerous student groups and extracurriculars. Adam has participated in soccer, wrestling, and “ a little bit of track,” as well as STEM Capstone He serves as a Peer Leader, and even with all these activities, finds time to volunteer at various school/community events After graduation, Adam plans to study Electrical Engineering at NJIT In his reflections on the research process, he expressed that he believes there is value in teaching students about looking for valid information and connecting the dots between complex ideas Ultimately, he would like to thank Mrs DiGeronimo and Mrs Clark for all their efforts in helping him reach this milestone
Sigmund Freud claims “A man should not strive to eliminate his complexes, but to get into accord with them; they are legitimately what directs his conduct in the world” (Davidson) Truth is, most have experienced an internal conflict between what feels like different personas contained in every human. This constant struggle may very well be what makes humans, human. Sigmund Freud attempted to contextualize these personas with his famous psychoanalytic theory He did this by splitting the human psyche into three parts: the superego, ego, and id Within his novel Lord of the Flies, William Golding creates an elegant yet chaotic world to display this very nature of the human psyche. Golding’s work includes skillful representations of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory through his principal characters, where Piggy portrays the superego, Ralph portrays the ego, and Jack, the dark and sometimes savage id
Through Piggy’s civilized behavior and actions, Golding presents the superego Psychology Professor Saul Mcleod describes, “The superego is a part of the unconscious that is the voice of conscience (doing what is right).” The superego is what drives people to follow the moral compass. So regardless of logic, the superego will always aim to do the “right” thing. An analysis of Lord of the Flies claims, “Piggy serves the role of superego either by continuously struggling to impose the rules or limiting the instinctive cravings of callousness and dominance over others” (Qadir et al 10) From the beginning, Piggy continuously attempts to maintain order by guiding the other kids on the island. Piggy complains, “Cos the smoke's a signal and we can't be rescued if we don't have a smoke” (Golding 173). Piggy clearly shows his concern for everyone and like a proper representation of the superego, he decides to take action based on the effects the smoke has on the group At one point, the boys accidentally cause a forest fire and react to it by giggling in excitement. Piggy, however, loses his temper at this behavior and challenges his peers: "How can you expect to be rescued if you don't put first things first and act proper?" (Golding 55). Piggy illustrates his prioritization of the “rules,” which are meant to keep order within the group; yet, they do not necessarily take care of Piggy himself
Furthermore, Piggy displays aspects of the superego not only with his behavior but also in the way he looks and the way he is treated. Piggy tries to bring order to the kids explaining, “Then I’ll give him the conch…I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking” (Golding 39) Here, Piggy suggests using the conch to maintain order and hold civilized conversations It becomes clear that his actions exhibit “an important role of the superego” and how it “is employing the ego to control the id” (Qadir et al. 10). Throughout the book Piggy relies on Ralph to try and control Jack. At the same time, Piggy is “fat,” wears spectacles, and despises manual labor. This symbolizes how acting on the superego will inevitably create problems and may be a bad choice if convenience is the objective Following the superego might mean taking the short end of the stick more often than not which becomes clear when Piggy is eventually murdered by Jack and his hunters.
Meanwhile, Ralph seems to be playing the role of the ego throughout the book through his balance. According to Sigmund Freud, the ego is the part of oneself that is supposed to mediate between the complete animalistic desires of the id and the high moral standards the superego requires (Id, Ego, and Superego) The ego is responsible for acting according to reason, and unlike the superego, it will sometimes sacrifice morals if the action does not make sense or is not in one’s self-interest. On the other hand, the ego will also never surrender to its animal instincts and resort to instant gratification as is the case with the human id In an argument with Jack, Ralph demands, “Listen We've come to say this First, you've got to give back Piggy's specs If he hasn't got them he can't see" (Golding 177). Here, Ralph takes responsibility
by confronting Jack and shows that he wants what is best for everyone; yet, just like a proper ego, he does not just follow his morals blindly. Ralph provides a reason as to why he follows through with this action when he explains to Jack how Piggy will not be able to see without his spectacles As Jack starts to lure the kids to join him in doing exciting activities, they start to pursue momentary happiness at the expense of maintaining order and this is when Ralph protests: “We waste time, rolling rocks, and making little cooking fires. Now I say this and make it a rule because I'm chief. We won't have a fire anywhere but on the mountain. Ever” (Golding 88). Clearly, Ralph shows how he tries to mitigate Jack's behavior by maintaining the order he established, indicating again how he plays the role of the ego in trying to control the id of the story (Jack)
Not only does Ralph mediate between Piggy and Jack, but as is expected from the ego he also does not hesitate to do or say something blunt or hurtful to the other boys in order to increase the likelihood of success and in their case, survival. When Jack takes out the fire Ralph immediately reprimands him when he yells, "There was a ship Out there You said you would keep the fire going and you let it out!”(Golding 84) He scolds Jack's selfish behavior when it proves to hinder their progress and causes them to miss out on an
"This constant struggle Ralph faces with balancing acting selfishly or selflessly embodies the ego's constant battle between acting upon the desire or following through with the moralcompass."
opportunity for survival In another instance, Ralph asserts his opinion bluntly as described in an analysis of Ralph's character: “...on boys’ first expedition of the island, Piggy wants to come with them but Ralph quite rudely hurts Piggy’s feelings by asserting that he is not suitable for this task, and on the realization of his mistake, Ralph gives him another task, 'Now go back, Piggy and take names That’s your job So long'”
(Mazhar et al 35) Again, Ralph shows that he is capable of being quite blunt and rude when it is in his best interest but afterward always tries to redeem himself to try and make the other person feel better. This constant struggle Ralph faces with balancing acting selfishly or selflessly epitomizes the ego's constant battle as it battles acting upon the desire or following through with the moral compass As the personified ego in the story, Ralph will never blindly follow the desires of the id nor will he submit to the moral standards of the superego.
As the story progresses it becomes clear that Jack embodies the Id through his emotions, choices, and reactions. According to scholar Ajvazi, “ the Id, represents the bestial, primitive, instinctual, down and dirty, reactive, Jerry Springer guest that resides within all of us”
(Ajvazi) The id is part of the personality that leads people to do whatever they want with absolutely no regard to any morals whatsoever. If society were to act according to what the id demands all the time, chaos would rule the world and we will cease to see how humans differ from mere animals which cannot think outside of their desire for food and procreation This id leads people to chase whatever instant gratification they can, knowing fully well that these actions are not only bad for society as a whole but also for their future selves. In many instances, Jack proves that he is consumed by
Yet, even though Jack is almost completely consumed by his id, he still is a human and that means parts of his ego and superego still linger in there somewhere. This becomes clear when Jack is utterly incapable of killing the pig they needed to eat. Jack struggles to kill the pig even though he is hungry because remnants of his superego conscience prevent him from doing what he might consider evil Golding sheds light on this incident through a conversation Jack had with Ralph and Simon When questioned about his hesitation, Jack makes excuses. Golding reveals the true reason: “They knew very well why he hadn’t: because of the enormity of the knife descending and cutting into living flesh; because of the unbearable blood” (quoted in Qadir et al. 13) In Jack's mind, cutting living flesh with blood flooding out is against his moral code, which was enough to suppress his dominant id from pursuing the gratification obtained from killing and eating the pig.
Jack’s remnants of the ego and superego inside him are enough to make him feel guilty when mindlessly pursuing his evil desires. His solution is to put on a mud mask to hide behind. To escape the guilt he feels, he uses the mask to remain in denial Golding describes, “He looked in astonishment, no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger He spilled the water and leaped to his feet, laughing excitedly. Beside the pool, his sinewy body
held up a mask that drew their eyes and appalled them. He began to dance and his laughter became a bloodthirsty snarling” (Golding 69). Jack proves that he considers himself as another person when putting the mask on and so he liberates himself from anything holding him back which results in the atrocities observed later in the story
In summary, Golding displays the inner workings of the human personality with the clever setup of young boys stuck on an island remote from the rest of society, where they show which parts of their personalities seem to be dominant. Through the interactions between Piggy, Ralph, and Jack the roles of Sigmund Freud’s id, ego, and superego become clear As the story progresses, it starts to make sense which characters represent each part of the psychoanalytic theory Piggy fits the role of the superego following morals, Ralph portrays the ego following logic and maintaining order, and finally Jack, who is consumed by his id making him follow his desires blindly.
Ajvazi, Irfan Freud’s Id, Ego and Superego PhilArchive https://philarchive org/archive/AJVFIE
Cherry, Kendra “Id, Ego, and Superego: What to Know about Freud's Theory ” Explore Psychology, 25 May, 2023 https://www explorepsychology com/idego-superego/
Davidson, Nathan “Best Sigmund Freud Quotes of All Time ” Thriveworks, 7 Jan 2022 https://thriveworks com/blog/best-sigmund-freud-quotes/
Golding, William Lord of the Flies Putnam Publishing Group, 1954
Mazhar, Shumaila, Mehwish Malghani, & Farmanur Rahman Khan The Hallmark of Civilization: A Psychoanalytic Study of Ralph in Lord of the Flies JOUR, Jan 2020 www researchgate net/publication/358928320
Mcleod, Saul “Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego: Definition and Examples ” Simply Psychology - Study Guides for Psychology Students, 20 Feb 2023 www simplypsychology org/psyche html
Qadir, Samina Amin, et al “The Echoes of Conscience: Study of Lord of the Flies Based on Ghazalian Nafs-e-Lawwama and Freudian Superego ” Global Language Review, IV, no I, 2019, pp 8–17 https://doi org/10 31703/glr 2019(iv-i) 02
Emma has lived in Hawthorne her entire life During her time at Hawthorne High, she has consistently strived to secure good grades, be an overall good student, and set an example for underclassmen In her freshman year, she was put into the Media Arts program, which sparked the passion for her future career path in graphic design She reflects that entering Hawthorne High School was exciting but a little scary and never in a million years thought that her senior research paper would be nominated, let alone published Emma would like to thank her strong, loving, incredible mother Krista Brown who has, from the very start of her struggles, been her advocate and best friend She would also like to thank her sister Stephanie who has taken the time to proofread everything Emma has ever written, even when she was swamped with school or work, and has attended IEP meetings to help explain things Emma couldn't find the words to say Finally, she would like to thank the rest of her family for all their support while struggling with reading, writing, rhyming, etc. due to her dyslexia. Emma would like to say that she loves you all so much and wouldn’t have been able to write anything like this without you
The Latino immigrant community is no different than any other community throughout America in this respect: Everyone is trying to live out their American dream They want the best for their children, and a bright, beautiful future for their grandchildren When Ernesto Quinonez wrote Bodega Dreams, he shined a light on all that the Latino immigrant communities have to endure in their day-to-day lives. Although fiction, the book holds many true details about the life of Latino immigrant families living through poverty and hard times Bodega Dreams follows Chino, a half Puerto Rican, half Ecuadorian young man living in Spanish Harlem He narrates about his childhood, what his environment was like, his schooling, and his overall experience growing up in Spanish Harlem. Throughout Bodega Dreams there are many chapters on educational indifference as well as systemic racism, which result in these communities suffering through poverty, a lack of equity, and threats to mental health, creating serious obstacles for immigrants trying to succeed in America
For some, school can be a safe haven, a place where young people go to learn and socialize with their peers; unfortunately, for many Latino students in the 1960s, and even today, school became the opposite. In Bodega
Dreams, Chino went to Junior High 99, also referred to as “Jailhouse 99.” In the chapter “Spanish for Toad,” Chino mentions, “To the white teachers we were all going to end up delinquents”
(Quinonez 6) Unfortunately a majority of the classes in the novel were taught by teachers who lacked effort to reach the Latino students. Chino mentioned that the teachers would bluntly tell the students that they were not worth their time, stating, “I get paid whether you learn or not” (Quinonez 6). The book also highlights the few Latino teachers who tried twice as hard to teach the students, knowing they had potential If teachers treat students as delinquents from the start, that is what they will become. This is a perfect example of how the education system can fail Latino students; because of assumptions and treatment based on negative stereotypes, the students are given a lack of education.
The authors of the article “Bettering the Education System” reveal that here in America, society has a tendency to enforce certain expectations that not everyone can meet, stating “American teachers have traditional cultural views of what students should or should not do. They have an expectation of how students should look, act, talk, and learn from the dominant culture” (Viramontez et al).
Chino’s frustration in Bodega Dreams reflects this pressure to assimilate.
In his view, the teachers have appeared to have already given up on the students they have yet to get to know because they do not fit the standard and are being stereotyped This causes the students to fall behind and develop a lower sense of self As these students' minds are developing, they question: If everyone around them has no faith in them, why have faith in themselves?
Although the schools might be at fault for Chino, there are other circumstances that play a role Factors like immigration status, language barriers, and economic instability can all play a role in the lack of a child's education As mentioned in the article “Bettering the Education System,” “Parents are not always able to access all of the educational resources that are created by the school district” (Viramontez et al). Because the Latino community is not the dominant culture, they have less resources to assist their children in securing an education The language barrier is not properly addressed Many Americans do not have patience to help someone who might not speak English well, or someone who might not speak English at all. The article adds that “teachers appeared unprepared and acculturated to differentiate the differences between ‘gangsters’ and Latino students who were simply trying to make friends ” Because of the preconceived notions regarding immigrants in America, there is this lack of understanding For Latino students who might not speak English or do not have a computer at home, proper accommodations should be put in place to help those students get the education they need and deserve.
Within the Latino immigrant community, there may also be a fear or distrust of asking others outside the community for help. People outside of the Latino community can be harsh, racially insensitive, and discriminatory, and prior experiences cause the hesitation to ask for assistance Viramontez et al note: “Political and economic issues led many Latino families to fear accepting aid from the community....Some other members of the community provoked this fear and acted as a form of resistance that encouraged discrimination and isolation of the Latino community.” Latino families that are immigrants may be facing financial and economical issues in addition to the aforementioned struggles These obstacles can lead students to engage in activities such as joining gangs, causing others outside their community to harshly judge them and become discriminatory against them. Humans have a tendency to stereotype people who do not share the same values, color, or language they do, making it very hard for immigrant and Latino families to settle
When entering America for the first time, some are very kind and welcoming while others can be the exact opposite. The authors of the article “A Study of Social Work,” state that “[e]vents during the stages of the immigration process can correspond with elevated trauma, risk of depression and complications related to grief and loss” (Held et al 61) Immigration is an extremely hard journey and more often than not it has lingering effects once people get to their destination.
"Immigrationisanextremely difficultjourneyandmoreoften thannotithaslingeringeffects oncepeoplegettotheir destination."
Held et al also report that “premigration poverty, stress and trauma during the migration stage, and postmigration discrimination each correspond with a heightened risk of mental health disorders” (65) If Latino youth encounter negative experiences during their immigration to America, and they then attend a school where authority figures are dismissive and discriminatory towards them, that is the perfect cocktail for developing mental health issues. Feeling alienated can cause anxiety, depression, self-harm, as well as an identity crisis. They may develop feelings of shame regarding who they are because they do not fit the mold that is being emphasized as the American norm (Alarcon) In Bodega Dreams Chino mentions that “Since we were almost convinced that our race had no culture, no smart people, we behaved even worse. It made us fight, throw books at one another, sell joints in the stairways, talk back to teachers, and leave classrooms whenever we wanted to” (Quinonez 6) The way people are treated makes a major difference in how they view themselves and how they act
The Latino immigrant community faces stress on a daily basis. Despite potentially already struggling with economic issues that come with the transition, they also have to face political and social issues. They may struggle to receive a proper education they are entitled to because society dismisses them as future delinquents before they can even write their own name Many members of the Latino immigrant community simply want a better life for themselves and their children, and battle suppression by the system each day. Bodega Dreams portrays that concept well and emphasizes that when someone is born their life is (and should be) theirs to make of it what they will.
Alarcon, Renato D , and Hector Perez-Rinson "Crossroads: Identity Struggles in Latin America and Latin American Psychiatry " International Review of Psychiatry , vol 22, no 4, ser 330-339, Aug 2010, pp 330–339
Held, Mary Lehman, et al “A Study of Social Work Students' Knowledge and Perceptions of Stages of Latino Immigration ” Journal of Social Work Education, vol 54, no 1, 2018, pp 61–78 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2017.1307148. Quinonez, Ernesto Bodega Dreams Vintage Books, 2000
Viramontez Anguaino, Ruben P , et al “Bettering The Educational Attainment for Latino Families: How Families View the Education of Their Children ” Journal of Latinos and Education, vol 18, no 4, ser 349-362, 7 Feb 2018, pp 349–362 https://doi org/https://doi org/10 1080/ 15348431 2018 1426465
Novels can have a profound effect on people. A book can not only expose one's mind to different beliefs and cultures, but also help humans understand and make sense of their own emotions. Yet, there are some cases where instead of empathy, novels invoke psychopathy Some readers feel so deeply about the characters that they develop a need to be them, or do anything to please them, as if they are no longer fictional characters in a book they have read.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger has been considered a masterpiece of modern literature as well as a cultural phenomenon since 1951. Its main character, Holden Caulfield, became an iconic figure of teenage angst, rebellion, and disillusionment, making it a rite of passage for countless young people seeking to understand the complexities of growing up. This coming-of-age story follows the journey of a teenage boy, Holden, as he navigates his way through the intricacies of growing up and the challenges of adolescence. The story follows Holden as he gets expelled from his private school, and instead of going home, he decides to spend a few days walking around New York City on his own Throughout the novel, Holden is portrayed as a troubled and negative person, whose mental state slowly deteriorates through the story as he struggles to fit into society and make sense of the world around him. He is deeply cynical about society and sees it as phony and superficial, the only pure, innocent part about it, is the children Holden feels as though it was his job to protect the young children who knew nothing of the world yet
Gianna’s interest in criminology has led her to continue her education at FDU this Fall, majoring in Criminal Justice with a Forensics concentration Hawthorne has been Gianna’s home for 18 years, where she thrived academically, participating in the NHS, IHS, and multiple AP classes, as well as extracurriculars such as softball. Preparing and completing the ELA research paper on her chosen topic solidified Gianna’s decision to focus the next four years researching the criminal justice system. Gianna would like to thank her parents and English teacher, Ms. Nassery, for helping her complete this rigorous paper
Towards the end of the book, Holden realizes that he is unable to reconcile his feelings of isolation and confusion about growing up and not fitting in, but instead hopes that he can become a protector of innocence and make sure no child grows up as he did
Since the year that this book was published in 1951, it has garnished both popularity and criticism and has been censored for its themes of mental illness, violence, and mature content. While the novel was famous before these following events, it became infamous and associated with murder after its association with these two violent cases: John Hinckley Jr, the man who attempted to assassinate the then-President, Ronald Reagan in 1981, and Mark David Chapman who murdered musician John Lennon in 1980 These connections have provoked a great deal of debate over the influence of literature on behavior. Both Hinckley and Chapman were said to be highly influenced by The Catcher in the Rye to commit their crimes and the novel’s themes of alienation and isolation and their connection to the main character Holden only furthered their belief and need to even think about seriously harming someone
The censorship of The Catcher in the Rye has been a subject of controversy for decades, and is still in the top ten most challenged books of all time, with its portrayal of themes such as mental illness, alienation, and mature, sexual content, many have sought to ban this book from libraries and keep it away from children It was also briefly banned in a few states due to
the belief that it contains a “communist plot.” This was the time of the Red Scare Era in the 50s, a time of fear against communism in America:
President Woodrow Wilson's World War I pledge to make the world safe for democracy was severely compromised on the home front by the Red Scare of 1919–1920 With its xenophobia, attacks on labor, radical witch hunts, and insistence on one hundred percent Americanism, the red scare had deep roots in the American past, but it also triggered a growing American paranoia about an increasingly dangerous and chaotic world ("Red Scare").
Some believed that Holden and The Catcher in the Rye, in general, were influencing young minds to rebel against the social order and the “natural” way of life in America
As aforementioned, Holden Caulfield struggles with potential issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, most commonly known as PTSD, and depression following the death of his brother, Allie, who died of Leukemia when Holden was a young child. Holden copes with these issues through substance abuse Multiple times throughout the book, he is found at bars, drinking alcohol, or smoking He also contemplates taking his own life: “What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would've to do it too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed” (Salinger 136). Even in this dark moment, though, he expresses a desire to make sure that even in death, he is still protecting the children
Throughout the novel, Holden expresses that he does not fit in anywhere, feeling alienated and isolated. He is unable to fit into the expectations
that society has brought upon him. This is why so many people, especially certain criminals, have related to Holden. They all have felt like outcasts with no place in society.
One of the many assassins said to be influenced by The Catcher in the Rye is John Hinckley Jr , who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton, where he would give a speech. Hinckley tried to kill the President to impress the actress Jodie Foster, as he became obsessed with Jodie after watching the movie, Taxi Driver. Taxi Driver, released in 1976 and directed by Martin Scorsese, is a movie about a mentally ill insomniac named Travis Bickle, played by Robert DeNero In the movie, Travis becomes a taxi driver who drives at night After a while of roaming the streets at night, he becomes increasingly disturbed as he watches the violence and filth that run amuck in the city. He begins to feel a need to cleanse the city and save the world, he even plots to assassinate a presidential candidate, as well as save a child prostitute that he meets, played by Jodie Foster John Hinckley Jr proved obsessed with Taxi Driver, watching it numerous times and becoming infatuated with Jodie Foster as well. John saw how highly the movie was regarded and he wanted to impress Jodie and get the infamy that he thought he deserved. Both the plots of Taxi Driver and The Catcher in the Rye are extremely similar While Travis takes his ideals to a much more violent approach, he and Holden have the same concepts and beliefs about society Salinger’s novel was ultimately found in Hinckley’s hotel room after the crime (Johnson).
When John Hinckley Jr. was tried for the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity, “‘suffering from a major depressive
disorder and from process schizophrenia.’” (Caplan). Even though he was found not guilty, he still spent around 30 years in a psychiatric hospital. In 2016, Hinckley was released, with multiple conditions But in 2022, he received a full unconditional release Upon this, Hinkley tweeted, “After 41 years 2 months and 15 days, FREEDOM AT LAST!!!” (Hinckley)
The second case said to be influenced by the novel is the murder of John Lennon. Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman. In 1980, Chapman purchased a gun and flew to New York, planning to kill Lennon then but he had a sudden change of mind; however, a month later, he returned and met Lennon outside of his apartment, had him sign a copy of his album, and then shot him in the back
Chapman even read this passage from the book during his trial:
Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be (quoted in Nolasco)
Chapman felt deeply connected to Holden as a character, he even went to the lengths of calling himself, “this generation’s catcher in the rye” (Nolasco)
Two other killers have been associated with this novel. Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who assassinated John F. Kennedy in 1963, and Robert John Bardo who stalked and killed model Rebecca Schaffer. There is no concrete evidence to connect the book to Oswald but, as reported in "A Fan's Fatal Obsession," it is said to have been in his possession after the assassination
Chapman had been an avid Beatles fan, especially of Lennon. He murdered John Lennon because he believed it would make him famous: “My big answer to everything. I wasn’t going to be a nobody, anymore” (Nolasco) Chapman pled guilty to the murder in 1981 and was sentenced to 20 years in prison Unlike Hinckley where The Catcher in the Rye could not be directly linked to his actions, it is quite the opposite for Mark Chapman, who had his copy of the book on him when he shot Lennon and continued to read it while waiting for police to arrive at the scene.
Robert John Bardo was sentenced to life in prison after he shot and killed model and actress, Rebecca Schaffer in 1989 (Johnson). Writer Beth Johnson reported the following:
Around 10:15 on that morning of July 18,1989, the buzzer rang at her apartment in L.A.'s pleasant, middle-class Fairfax district. The intercom was broken, so Schaeffer, still in her bathrobe, went down to answer the door On the other side was 19-year-old Robert John Bardo, an unemployed fast-food worker who for three years had been trying to contact his idol Bardo pulled a 357 Magnum from a plastic bag and shot Schaeffer once in the chest with a hollow-point cartridge. A halfhour later, she was dead on arrival at CedarsSinai Medical Center (Johnson)
"Chapman appeared deeply connected to Holden as a character.Heevenwenttothe lengths of calling himself, 'this generation’s catcher in therye.'"
Bardo claimed he had to “eliminate what he could not attain” (Johnson). When he ran away from her house and towards a bus stop, he threw the copy of The Catcher in the Rye that he was carrying that night in a nearby alley, almost as if he was disposing of the weapon he used to kill Rebecca Schaffer’s death resulted in numerous antistalking laws, not only in California but across the country.
Some additional literary works that have been possibly identified as a catalyst for extreme, violent behavior are Rage by Stephen King and The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad. Rage is one of King’s earlier works that he wrote while still in high school in 1965 The book's main premise is about a student who brings a gun to school and kills multiple other students and teachers It is unlikely that this type of novel would even be published without controversy in these days and even if it was, it would likely be banned from schools before it even hit the shelves. King acknowledges this point, in a short essay he wrote in 2013: "I suppose if it had been written today, and some high school English teacher had seen it, he would have rushed the manuscript to the guidance counselor and I would have found myself in therapy posthaste,” King wrote. “But 1965 was a different world, one where you didn’t have to take off your shoes before boarding a plane and there were no metal detectors at the entrances to high schools (quoted in Adwar)
Unfortunately, a couple of decades after the release of the book, King had to ask his publishers to take it off the market This was due to four separate shooting instances where all of them linked in some way to the novel. The perpetrators seemed to be either reenacting
scenes from the book or were visably inspired by it. The first was in 1988 when Jeffery Lynne Cox decided to hold his classes hostage, outwardly claiming he was inspired by Rage. The second was a year later in 1989, when a seventeen-year-old, Brian Pierce, decided to hold his class of eleven hostages for nine hours, beginning at 9 a m , and he released his final classmates around 5 p m Pierce only stated that he wanted to talk to his father and claimed that he would not hurt anyone. “State Police detective Bob Stephens, who negotiated all day with Pierce, said he feared Pierce would try to kill himself since he seemed to be carrying out the scenario of the Stephen King thriller Rage During a search of Pierce's room at home, police found a paperback copy of the book, in which the lead character is shot by police'' ("Kentucky Student"). The third was almost ten years later in 1996, when Barry Dale Loukaitis, a fourteen-year-old, from Washington, killed his Algebra teacher and two of his classmates. Barry even stated during his trial that he tried to model his life after the main character in Rage, by killing his Algebra teacher The final instance was when a freshman in high school, Micheal Carneal opened fire against a prayer group in his school, killing three and injuring five, a copy of the novel was found in his locker that day (Adwar).
"Ofcourse,notallpeoplewho read become psychopaths, but these examples illustrate thatnovelshavetheabilityto invoke not only the richest andmostknowledgeablepart of our minds but the deepest, darkest parts that were hiddenaway"
Furthermore, The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad is said to have inspired one of the most notorious killers in American society, a man who evaded the FBI for 20 years: The Unabomber From 1978 to 1996, The Unabomber, who would eventually be identified as Ted Kaczynski, sent a number of bombs in the mail to various different locations, such as universities, airlines, etc., in doing so, he killed three people and injured multiple others. The Secret Agent was about a crazy professor who suddenly quit his job and became a recluse who then decided to create a bomb and blow up an observatory Before the FBI even knew who the bomber was, they suspected that he would be eerily similar to Joseph Conrad’s character. In 1996 when Kaczynski was finally captured, the police could finally see what they had only suspected:
With Kaczynski's April arrest, the parallels fell neatly into place Kaczynski, a brilliant man who has been troubled most of his life, fled academia for a hermit's existence in a Montana shanty, where, grossly unkempt, he lived for a time off turnips he grew behind his cabin. One of the anarchists in the novel lived on a diet of raw carrots (Kovaleski).
Furthermore, before his capture when he was evading the police and FBI, Kaczynski would use pseudonyms like “Conrad or Konrad” when checking into hotels Kaczynski's arrest was due to his brother turning him in His brother, David, recognized his brother's writing style in the manifesto that he wrote. Kaczynski is currently in prison for life without a chance of parole (Kovaleski).
These crimes , as well as those committed by Chapman and Hinckley exemplify the impact literature can have on the human psyche of those with other predispositions
In general, novels can certainly have a powerful impact on the way people think or feel Of course, not all people who read become psychopaths, but these examples illustrate that novels have the ability to invoke not only the richest and most knowledgeable part of our minds but the deepest, darkest parts that were hidden away, influencing the unstable to commit heinous acts.
Adwar, Corey. “School Shootings Drove Stephen King to Take Rage Off Shelves ” Business Insider, 1 April 2014 www business insider com/school-shootings-drove-stephen-king-to-take-rage-off-s helves-2014-3
Caplan, Lincoln The Insanity Defense and the Trial of John W Hinckley, Jr Olympic Marketing Corp 1984
Hinckley, John (JohnHinckley20) “After 41 years 2 months and 15 days, FREEDOM AT LAST!!!” 15 May 2011, 3:58 p m Tweet
Johnson, Beth “A Fan’s Fatal Obsession ” Entertainment Weekly, no 283, July 1995, p 72 EBSCOhost, search ebscohost com/login aspx? direct=true&db=aph&AN=9507191053&authtype=geo&geocus tid=cjrlc085&site=ehost-live
“Kentucky Student Seizes 11 Students as Hostages ” The Washington Post, 19 September 1989 www washingtonpost com/archive/politics/1989/09/19 /kentucky-studentseizes-11-classmates -as-hostages/42754e71-7811-4086-9751cb01b5da593f/
Kovaleski, Serge F “1907 Conrad Novel May Have Inspired Unabomb Suspect ” The Washington Post, 9 July 1996 www washingtonpost com/archive/politics/1996/ 07/09/1907conrad-novel-may-have-inspired-unabomb-suspect/6593b4cc-7d6e4c27-9181-2fc0315f989b/
Nolasco, Stephanie “Mark David Chapman Says He Murdered John Lennon for Fame: 'Evil in my Heart '” New York Post, 8 November 2022 https://nypost com/2022/11/08/mark-david-chapman-says -hemurdered-john-lennon-for-fame/
"Red Scare." Encyclopedia.com. www.encyclopedia.com/defense/energygovernment-and-defense-magzines/red-scare
Salinger, J D Catcher in the Rye Little, Brown & Company, 1951
Stashower, Daniel “Crime: On First Looking into Chapman's Holden: Speculations on a Murder ” The American Scholar, 1983, www jstor org/stable/41210957
As we continue to build on each year, we look forward to including research projects and academic papers completed in Social Studies classes as well as in underclassman English classes. Next year, Hawthorne High School will be adding more databases to our library collection in preparation for AP Seminar students and other research initiatives.
We also eagerly await the completion of the rennovation of our HHS Library/Media Center this summer, knowing it will be a comfortable and inspiring environment that cultivates 21st Century research skills.
All English 12 students, as well as the Senior ELA Research Paper Committee, would like to thank Mrs DiGeronimo for all her support and contributions to our seniors' success in this endeavor. From teaching mini lessons on citing and finding sources to working with students one-on-one, Mrs DiGeronimo has consistently taken time out of her schedule to ensure student achievement and learning
Thank you for guiding students every step of the way through an important process, providing specific positive and constructive feedback that students could act upon and, as a result, submit something they were proud of
