Misconceptions about Human Behavior in To Kill a...

How do we define normal human behavior? In order to determine the answer we must first determine what behavior really is, the conclusion is easy enough to reach: Human behavior derives from reactions to internal or external stimuli (Salvador); these reactions bring about emotions that dictate a particular response or behavior. These become part of a person’s personality, which defines their behavior, due to this, a person’s behavior is able to adapt to the stimuli with their environment and thus the definition of â€Å"normal behavior† is in a state of constant flux. What remains to be determined is when does a person’s behavior go beyond the accepted norms of society and begin to reflect a mental illness. Though it is a work of fiction, this†¦show more content†¦However the reason for bringing her into this essay is simple, she shows a clear picture of current medicinal practices working to benefit the patient, while One Flew Over The Cuckoo†™s Nest was written in the early 1960’s it has relevant points to misdiagnoses that cannot be ignored. These points refer not only to the interjected opinion of doctors based on either bias or personal experiences, but malpractice and the use of out dated treatments. Oliver Sacks writes about his personal experience with Temple Grandin. Grandin was able to gain a relatively good amount of control over her autism though she still suffered from certain developmental traits or a lack of adjustment to social customs. Although Temple was diagnosed at the age of three with autism she is an accomplished woman, Sacks writes â€Å"she had moved from this almost unintelligible childhood†¦to the successful biologist and engineer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sacks 255). Despite this, there was a lack of adjustment in the sense that she did not fully comprehend the necessity of proper greetings or human contact. Sacks describes his first encounter with Temple and how she failed to notice or tak e into consideration his long travel and need for refreshments. While he tried to wait patiently for an offer, there was none, and after an hour of waiting, he asked Temple for coffee. He says there was no apology, â€Å"no socialShow MoreRelatedHarper Lee s Kill A Mockingbird 1331 Words   |  6 Pages Some things in life are not actually what they seem. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, certain characters are judged by their external appearance rather than who they really are on the inside. The novel displays that an impeded point of view can cause an individual to perceive things completely different than they what actually are. Throughout the novel, the main character, Scout, has many illusions which ultimately prove to be false. During Scout’s maturation process, she learnsRead MoreSocial Inequality : Bullying, Racism, And Appearance Inequality1541 Words   |  7 Pagesthousands that orbit this world like moons around a planet. There have been a manif old of efforts in order to raise awareness about these problems. Social inequality can never be erased from people s lives like marker on a whiteboard, but such efforts including newspapers, songs, movies, books, and many more can be used as proactive tools to inform today s people about the kinds of persecutions that exist in this world. We may not be able to stop it, but we can slow it down. One of the mostRead MoreDiscrimination and Prejudice in United States History2772 Words   |  12 Pagespassed in the southern states after the Civil War since African-Americans were no longer detained against their will as slaves. (Osborne 3) In the same period, Harper Lee wrote the novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. She saw the need to illustrate the discrimination of the 1930‘s, letting the world know of the racist behavior in the southern town of Maycomb. Throughout the novel, the reader sees the narrow-mindedness of the towns citizens. One of two residents of Maycomb committed to racial equality is named