Anti-social personality disorder

"A personality disorder is an accentuation of one or more personality traits to the point that the trait significantly impairs an individual's social or occupational functioning" (Encyclopedia Britannica). To be more specific, a personality disorder called antisocial personality disorder impairs an individual's social and occupational functioning even more. This disorder is also referred to as sociopathic personality disorder and psychopathy. People with this disorder often act on impulse, are manipulative, and have little or no conscious. "Dr. Robert Hare described individuals with an antisocial personality disorder as 'social predators who charm, manipulate, and ruthlessly plow their way through life, leaving a broad trail of broken hearts, shattered expectations, and empty wallets" (Psychology in Action PG. 528).
Acting on impulse often gets "antisocials" in trouble. They have to suffer the consequences when before, they gave no regard to the end result of their action. They don't know the difference of right and wrong. Their ways of thinking, perceiving situations, and they way they relate to others are dysfunctional. They often violate the law and rights of others, landing themselves in frequent trouble and conflict. They may lie, behave violently, and have drug and alcohol problems. They also may not be able to fulfill responsibilities to their family, school, and work.
Personality is believed to be formed during childhood, "shaped through an interaction of two factors" (mayoclinic.com): Inherited tendencies--genes--and life situations. The genes, passed on from parents, also called your temperament, are the "nature part of the nature vs. nurture debate" (mayoclinic.com). Combined with the genetic influence, it is also proven that ones environment also effects their personality. Research suggests that one may have a genetic vulnerability to developing antisocial personality disorder and their life situation may trigger its actual development.
Symptoms of antisocial personality disorder include the disregard for right and wrong, persistent lying or deceit, the use of charm to manipulate others, recurring difficulties with the law, aggressive or violent behavior, lack of remorse about harming others, and repeatedly violating the rights of others.
There are several different instances of antisocial personalitydisorder in the movie The Silence of the Lambs. Both Hannibal Lectorand "Buffalo Bill" show symptoms of this disorder. When ClariceStarling was sent by the F.B.I to interview the "psychopath" Dr.Lector, she was first warned of his danger. Once, he faked chest painand was taken to get medical help. When the nurse took off his mouthrestraint to take an EKG, he ate her face. His pulse didn't riseabove 85, even when he was eating her tongue. He couldn't choosebetween right and wrong, and had no care for her--even though she wasonly trying to help him.
People with antisocial personality disorder are often manipulative,charming, and cunning. The audience is made to like Lector throughoutthe movie, even when he is actually a serial killing cannibal. He'sclever and quick-witted. He helps Clarice to figure out the identityof the serial killer, but is also one himself.
In another instance, Lector killed Miggs--the person in the cell nextto him--just to amuse himself. He whispered to Miggs all night, untilhe killed himself. The next day, when Clarice interviewed him, hesaid something with sexual context. She told him that what he saidwas uncalled for, and something that Miggs would say. Lector repliedwith, "Not anymore." Again his actions prove he has no care forothers.
The night that Buffalo Bill decides to steal Catherine, he is dressedas an older man with a handicap--an arm in a cast. While strugglingto put a couch in his van, Catherine sees him and decides to help. Hemanipulated her by faking an injury and acting like an innocent man.All of the girls he kidnaps, he keeps for three days, and doesn'tabuse them or mutilate them until after they're dead--he just leavesthem, suffering, for three days, knowing what their future holds.
When he had placed Catherine down in the well, she screamed and criedand begged for him to let her go. His face was in a blank stare--hedid not care for her emotions. His lack of conscience is also anotherexample of his disorder.
"For better or worse, movies and television contribute significantlyto shaping the public's perception of the mentally ill and those whotreat them" (Stephen E. Hyler). Buffalo Bill and Dr. Hannibal Lectorboth fit the psychopathology stereotype of the "rebellious spirit."Rebellious--"not easily handled or kept in place"(wikipedia)--explains them both. They aren't handled easily insociety and don't fit in anywhere. I believe the movie portrayed themental illness very well without flaw. It showed how manipulativethese people can be, how impulsive their actions are, and howunconscious they really are.

Diction Essay

Price's sarcastic attitude shows her annoyance at America for their ironic actions. Her strong diction helps to show her sarcasm and annoyance. She also uses rhetorical questions and a rhetorical fragment to get her point through more clearly. Her use of symbolism and metaphors show exactly what she eans beyond the literal meaning.
To start off, Price's choice of strong diction helps with the imagery of her writing. The pink flamingo, a bird "synonymous with wealth and pizazz, had become popular during the 1950's." The fact that so many Americans wanted this bird at their home is ironic because "Americans had hunted flamingos to extinction in Florida in the late 1800's...but no matter. "Her sarcasm is shown through her words. We had hunted these animals to extinction, but what a plastic, "hotter pink" version in our homes. How ironic.
The only rhetorical fragment in her writing shows her sarcasm at its highest. "But no matter." it's okay that we hunted them to extinction and have replaced them with a much brighter, trashier plastic version. Using a rhetorical question gets te reader to think. After all, why call them pink flamingos as if they could be any other color?
The symbolism of the pink flamingo shows just how she feels about America and it's don't care about anything attitude. Americans can do whatever and it will always be okay. The US culture just wanted to look good, "extravagant," and "flamboyant."
The popularity of the plastic pink flamingo in the 1950's was obviously very ironic and wrong. Price crafts the text to show exactly how annoyed and upset she is at the US culture.

Argumentative Essay

Everyone knew them--the kids in highschool with wire-rimmed glasses and pocket protectors, the ones who were too busy with their noses shoved in a book to realize what was going on in the real world around them. They were the ones who dissidently disagreed to wear attractive clothes or do anything normal in society's eyes. The kids who circumvented prom and all other social gatherings simply because they didn't fit in. We've all hear the saying "geek today, boss tomorrow," but just how much truth is behind it? Do geeks really rule?
In some cases, yes, they do. Geeks are often top wage earners--CEO's of banks, neurosurgeons, and even scientists. These assiduous nerds came out on top. What about the popular kids; where do they end up? The senior class favorite, Homecoming King, and all-state football player goes off to college, parties too hard, drops out, then becomes a construction worker in the small hometown he desperately wanted to get away from. Not all jocks drop out, in some cases, they graduate to become Junior High football coaches, which is so very ambitious. And the blonde bimbo? The beautiful and mean vixen goes to beauty school and graduates top of her class. Geeks work hard in school so they don't have to work as hard out of school. They're the ones with the mansions, the cool cars, and the private planes to take them where they want, when they want.
On the other hand, they are still looked upon as geeks no matter how wealthy they become. These geeks can't effectively communicate with others because they didn't learn social skills in high school. They still aren't attractive. After all, money can't buy everything, even beauty. They lack the personality that it takes to climb to the the top of the social ladder. No matter what, they're still geeks.
Geeks don't always climb to the top and jock don't always fall to the bottom. Who says a smart guy can't be good looking? Who says the Homecoming King can't break the dumb job mold? Who says the blonde bimbo has to become a hairdresser?

Synthesis Essay

The stick-thin women and muscular macho men that are popular in the media affect the way teens perceive their own body images. When there are barely any normal sized people shown, then what are teens supposed to think about their own bodies? The statistics on teen's and even young children's dieting are alarming.
Television, magazines, advertisements, and movies "have, since World War 2, increasingly held up a thinner and thinner body images as ideal for women" (source B). By viewing these images, girls get the wrong idea about how they're supposed to look and sometimes take drastic measures to try to fix their non-existent weight problem. Even 40% of girls as young as 9 and 10 years of age "have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute" (source B). It has also been reported that "at age thirteen, 53% of American girls are unhappy with their bodies" (source B). Most of high school students complain about their bodies too--even the 90 pound, super-thin, muscular cheerleaders call themselves fat when they are nothing but skin and bone.
In source D, two teens are seen discussing their weight. When they decide they will no longer talk about their weight, they absolutely have nothing to talk about! We live in a world obsessed with body image and looks in general. "In a study on fifth graders, 10 year old girls and boys told researchers they were dissatisfied with their own bodies after watching a music video by Britney Spears or a clip from the TV show Friends" (source B). Even young boys have become obsessed with their body image! In a study conducted by The University of Toronto, it was suggested that "one out of every six people who qualified for a full or partial diagnosis of anorexia was male" (source E). The unrealistic bodies of men can be seen especially while shopping in the mall. For example, take a stroll into Abercrombie (the children's clothing store). The models are sickeningly muscular and extraordinarily beautiful. "Men are more likely today to be swayed with depictions of thickly-packed muscular torsos, visible ripples of abs, and narrow waists" (source E).
I believe that a major part of the reason people shop in places like Abercrombie is because of the bodies selling the clothes. "Women--and their body parts--sell everything from food to cars" (source G). It's true, who wouldn't want to buy a hot sports car with an even hotter model sitting seductively on the hood?
In a world where perfection is becoming the norm, actions should be taken to chance teens' minds. We should place more normal actresses and actors on TV, and stop using hot bodies to sell products. We need to tell the young children that starving themselves does not make them beautiful, and we need to tell the public that being healthy is much more important than being thin.

The Awakening-analysis of sentence in chapter 6

Check out the maps we made describing the diction, syntax, imagery and attitude of the sentence in The Awakening. Click on the bubbles to read our analysis. If the map will not load, click on the hyperlink title.

"Diction Detective"
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"Syntax Sleuth"
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"Imagery Imitator"
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"Attitude Analyst"
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Customized Shoes?

Customized shoes.  50 years ago, this was unheard of.  It's not only about the quality anymore, but also about the look.  People personalize their looks now, right down to their shoes.  I went to www.vans.com and created these shoes:

Who would have thought you could create your everyday shoes to look just how you want them?  You can also customize your cellphone, there are a lot of covers just for a certain type of cell phone.  You can even put your picture on your phone.  All of these products came from right-brained people.

Of Mice and Men

George and Lenny are traveling farm workers in the 1930's. The two men have a dream to rent their own farm and be their own bosses. Lenny is a gentle giant who is "slow". He loves to pet small furry animals because they are soft. George is often taking dead mice from Lenny. George is clever and is responsible for both of them. They are going to a new job.

Most of the characters have a dream-- there is a dream theme. George dreams of a farm of his own. Lenny dreams of caring for rabbits. The one handed worker dreams of a brighter future. The stable negro dreams of a place where he can feel free. The bride dreams of Hollywood and the movies. The son dreams of being the best of the men, stronger than any of them, above them all.