We Need To Talk About Kevin Essay

Are children born the way they are, or are they a product of their environment? This is a question in which there is yet to be a definitive answer. However, psychologists do indicate that heredity is the core of who we are, and that just like physical traits, any psychological trait can be inherited. With regards to this, it is apparent that depending on what genes run in a family, conceiving a child can be risky. Thus, in We Need to Talk About Kevin it is clear why Eva Khatchadourian would heavily ponder such a question. Researchers have found a child is more likely to develop a mental illness if it is in the family history. One factor that influenced Kevin, was that “Eileen's mother [Kevin’s great-grandmother] was a schizophrenic” (Shriver,

This is because it has been found that there is not one gene responsible for specific mental disorders, rather there is a multitude of genes. According to bbc.com, schizophrenia is composed of 108 different genes, and “scientists say many of these genes will be shared across the different [mental] conditions”(2016). Another factor that could have influenced Kevin’s genetics and biology was his mother’s actions while pregnant with him. Eva drank alcohol while pregnant, even though she knew she “shouldn’t have been drinking at all (Shriver, 200, p. 51). It is common knowledge that whatever a pregnant women intakes, so does her baby. This is true of any alcoholic substance as it harms the child at any stage of pregnancy. Cdc.gov states that “drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause physical, behavioural, and intellectual disabilities” in a child (2016). It is likely that Eva’s drinking resulted in a chemical imbalance in Kevin’s brain, which could have contributed to his likelihood of mental