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Mental Health And Substance Abuse In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

550 Words3 Pages

The subject of mental health and substance abuse is a matter that should not be taken lightly. I feel I have the right approach to this topic, due to the injustices I have seen firsthand and even experienced to some degree. This topic is brought to light in discrete moments throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. Dolphus Raymond is one of the prime examples of the prejudice people under the influence face. Although Raymond was sober, he led the town to believe that he was addicted to alcohol and he soon became the town “drunkard.” In the courtroom we learn Dolphus is actually not an addict, despite allegations, and that he just pretends to drink all the time so people can blame his actions (having a black woman as a partner which was highly controversial) on …show more content…

I too, was once blindsided by what I had been taught for years, but I was able to overcome my own preconceptions after many years. Another smaller way substance abuse is brought up in TKAM is through Bob Ewell and the abuse his children face. It is very clear that Mr.Ewell struggles mentally as well as with an alcohol use disorder. Instead of utilizing the money he has been given to help keep his family on their feet, he wastes it to feed his addiction. Mayella and the entire family had to put up with a life of abuse and the injustice of living a poor life due to their father’s action, which is something we see happen a lot in modern day society. Many families are torn apart due to the judgment they must face from others. One example of this in modern society comes from personal experience. Thankfully, unlike Mayella, I did not face any abuse, however my family’s dynamic changed drastically once my Uncle’s struggle with addiction began to get out of hand. My mother was never home, always on phone calls, and hiding things from my sister and

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Analysis Of Childhood In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

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Unfortunately, difficult childhood experiences still define adulthood even today. Harper Lee illustrates how childhoods are being shown as innocent, as well as how they can shape a person's future. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, she describes how difficult childhood experiences shape the future of kids; in America today, progress has not been made. Childhood is described as a time when children are young, innocent, and filled with a lack of knowledge when they are being put into these situations. In this novel, Jem and Scout, Jem’s sister, go through many troubles finding the truth about their surrounding racial community to being more mature and grown up after watching a trial about an African American being accused of raping a white woman.

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Examples Of Misconceptions In To Kill A Mockingbird

686 Words | 3 Pages

In reality, Dolphus Raymond is not a drunkard; he pretended to be one so he will not be judged by the townspeople. The lesson from the misconception is that some people change some part of themselves to fit in with society. Dolphus raymond put on an act, so he can stay true to

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Dolphus Raymond Quotes

589 Words | 3 Pages

In chapter 20, the kids left the courthouse and on the way out they found a man by the name of Dolphus Raymond, who they thought was an evil alcoholic man but they soon found out that he wasn’t an evil man he just pretends to be an alcoholic for his reputation. For example, Dolphus said, “I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live,” (chapter 20, Pg. 170). Dolphus was meaning that he disguised the way he lived his life because he cared about how the other town folks saw him as.

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Dolphus Raymond's Real Character

968 Words | 4 Pages

okay. He pretends to be a drunk man to give the town of Maycomb justification as to why he does what he does, “Mr. Dolphus Raymond lurched by on his thoroughbred. “‘Don’t see how he stays in the saddle,”’ murmured Jem. “‘How c’n you stand to get drunk ‘fore eight in the morning?’”(Lee 160). The people in Maycomb just assumed that he was a drunk and

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Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde Addiction Analysis

1956 Words | 8 Pages

He does a commendable job of avoiding prejudicial tropes of the era and does not demonize the drugs themselves, noting that the drug “was neither diabolical nor divine” (63). By outlining the physical, psychological, and social effects of addiction, Stevenson presents a realistic portrayal of this problem without demonizing the person suffering from addiction, and in couching as a metaphor he successfully avoids exploiting addicts as well. The narrative, especially at the time of its publication, was suspenseful, terrifying, and enthralling, and though these elements may not have aged well as the work seems rather tame by today’s standards, the story of addiction has only increased in

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Use Of Metempsychosis In To Kill A Mockingbird By Robert Montgomery Bird

476 Words | 2 Pages

Robert Montgomery Bird uses metempsychosis, the soul being able to survive the death of the body and possess another, as a way for Sheppard Lee to navigate his discontentment with himself and a way for him to achieve the goals he perceives to be ideal. Bird also uses metempsychosis as a metaphor as a way to tackle social and economic issues of the antebellum era, as Sheppard Lee chases what he perceives as happiness in a culture based on envy. For instance, Sheppard Lee stumbles from one occupation attempt to another because a gentleman of that era is supposed to be successful, however, he is lazy and does not want to do the hard work necessary to achieve his goals (10). Further, Sheppard Lee’s envy of others success and perceived happiness leads him to the wealthy Squire Higginson, a man he sees as the “picture of happiness” seeing him with “admiration and hatred together” (31). In this manner, Bird uses Higginson as the personification of health and contentment, something Sheppard Lee wants very badly (31).

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Examples Of Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

862 Words | 4 Pages

As expected there was a very bad backlash from the town, but Raymond had a cover story. He lets the town people think that he is a bad alcoholic, he drinks Coca Cola that is covered in paper bags to fool people. Scout remembers this “Mr. Dolphus Raymond seemed to be so doing: two yellow drugstore straws ran from his mouth to the depths of a brown paper bag.” (Lee 214) Many people think that he is a drunk and is making taboo decisions but in reality he knows what he is doing.

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Examples Of Outcasts In To Kill A Mockingbird

740 Words | 3 Pages

Life as An Outcast in Maycomb County Essay Assignment Draft Outcasts have very influential roles in the development on a child’s thoughts and values. For instance in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, current and former neighbours of Scout give her valuable insight into the lives of others from the perspective of an outcast. In particular, both Dolphus Raymond and Arthur Radley directly display the importance of treating others as equals. Dolphus Raymond, a white Negro-lover, explains to Scout that Maycomb County’s prejudice has forced him to fake being constantly drunk so others would not bother him on his non-racist views.

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Examples Of Deception In To Kill A Mockingbird

1014 Words | 5 Pages

Considering his social status and the people he socializes with, African Americans, the people of Maycomb can only assume the reason why is because he is under the influence of alcohol. While Dolphus was in town, he observed Scout and Dill walking out of the courthouse with Dill appearing sick; and that was when Dolphus reveals his true self, “ When I come to town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond's in the clutches of whiskey--that’s why he won’t change his ways. He can’t help himself, that’s why he lives the way he does,” and that is what the people have always assumed (Lee 268). Dolphus is considered a town drunk just by the way he acts around others. Mr. Raymond portrays a lie because no one will understand being friendly and equal to African Americans.

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To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes

769 Words | 4 Pages

folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey- thats why he won’t change his ways.” He makes it seem like he learns to understand others by making them think he’s a drunk but he’s just disgusted of the white society. On the other hand he makes it seem like he doesn't learn how to understand others because he’s doing all of this so people won’t bother him by asking

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Essay On Righteous Dopefiend

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1097 Words | 5 Pages

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1120 Words | 5 Pages

Growing up can be deeply impacted by the experiences that you face as a child and these events can increase the likelihood of facing mental health problems in the future. When we were first introduced to Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, they had a very set idea of what is good and what is bad. Jem seems to believe that good will always win no matter what. However, as the story progresses, they come to a more realistic conclusion about the world and how people don’t always do what’s best. In particular, Scout was able to narrate the story allowing the reader to see how her innocence was changed throughout the novel.

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841 Words | 4 Pages

This essay will tackle the topic of substance use disorder as a psychology topic. The film that will be reviewed for the topic is 28 Days. This is a film written by Susannah Grant and written by Betty Thomas. The film stars Sandra Bullock as a columnist for a New York newspaper (Thomas). In the film, Bullock acts as Gwen Cummings, an alcoholic forced to attend rehab for 28 days.

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1104 Words | 5 Pages

Over 265,000,000 people suffer from various anxiety disorders globally, and in this category stands Arthur “Boo” Radley. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout experiences racism, loss of innocence, and more while growing up in the small town of Maycomb County. Boo Radley is a reclusive character who lives across the street from Scout, known for never leaving his house. (INTRO TO EVIDENCE 1,2,3)

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