Abstract In this paper, the stress of seeing the traumatic murder of his wife had launched Parry into a schizophrenic personal identity crisis. The delusional disorder or vision of the Red Knight and the quest for the Holy Grail further exacerbate Parry's problem with his own grief. However Davidson's article points out that subjective and objective reality is crucial in defining a case such as Parry's which help him find an external stimulant Jack to return him to his former self. In this manner, Jack helps to confirm and validate Parry's delusional state which opens Parry's mind to the error of delusions.
From the Paper "This psychological study examines the nature of delusional disorder within the film 'The Fisher King' by Terry Gilliam. By understanding the repressed memories of a homeless man in New York City, the trauma and stress of his life in Parry, the central figure in 'The Fisher King', have created a delusional disorder in his behaviors. Throughout this film Parry represents the classic delusional disorder by his traumatic memories from the murder of his wife, which created a delusional identity from the medieval poetic figure Percival in the Arthurian quest for the Holy Grail. In this manner, the psychological states of delusional disorder within schizophrenia will explained within the context of the movie, and help to identify Parry's condition regarding his actions within the story, as told by director Terry Gilliam."
Abstract This paper examines "Don Quixote" by Cervantes, a novel that delves deeply into the themes of mental illness and the expectations of society. It discusses how the protagonist's delusional life as Don Quixote is fueled by Spanish society's expectations that a man should be chivalrous, brave and macho and how it is these expectations of society that lead Alonso Quixano to embark on a life as the great, noble adventurer Don Quixote. It analyzes whether this flight into a delusional life and Quixote's myriad of delusional adventures clearly resembles the actions of schizophrenic and considers whether Don Quixote was simply an eccentric and unusual man, rather than mentally ill with schizophrenia.
From the Paper "Don Quixote is a book about a man so obsessed with chivalrous ideas that he transforms his life in search of these ideals and a more chivalrous life. Alonso Quixano, a middle-aged man form La Mancha in central Spain becomes obsessed with the chivalrous ideas in the books that he reads. He takes up his sword in a quest to destroy the wicked and defend the helpless. Quixano convinces himself that he is the brave knight, Don Quixote. He persuades the laborer Sancho Panza to follow him on his adventures. He searches for grand adventure on his worn-out horse, Rochinate. He falls in love with the peasant woman, Dulcinea del Toboso, believing that she is a princess."
Abstract The paper examines two of Edgar Allen Poe's best and most moving pieces -"The Black Cat" and "The Tell-Tale Heart." The paper describes how in "The Black Cat" the narrator is a delusional man who has a pet cat and how in "The Tell-Tale Heart" Poe depicts a narrator who is not only delusional but clearly insane. The paper highlights that in both of these stories there is a common thread of delusion and paranoia. The paper concludes that although Poe wrote his work in the mid-19th century the themes are still relevant today.
From the Paper "For decades, Poe has been regarded as a leader in gothic literature. His stories (along with his poetry) are often filled with violence and hatred and because they are dark and graphic, they usually depict the narrator as twisted and distraught.
The stories of Poe usually portray a narrator laden with self-hatred and said narrator often projects his own feelings onto the audience and other characters within the story. In "The Black Cat," the narrator is a man who places all blame for his alcohol indulgence--and later murders--on intemperance and perverseness rather than on his own insanity and lack of self-control."
Abstract This essay uses a number of well researched case studies to explore individuals who pose or represent themselves as characters other than themselves. It also discusses how those around them are wilingl to believe often ridiculous claims if it is beneficial to them. The case studies include carefully calculated deceptions, self-delusional fantasies and blatantly criminal representations driven by damaged self esteem.
From the Paper:
"The comedian Robin Williams once said, ?I?ve investigated reality, and there's really nothing to it.? While this is just another glib comment in that wild comic's repertoire, the remark certainly applies to three items used in comparison in this essay. For the cord that ties Garfinkel's Story of Agnes, Carrere's downright bizarre account of the true story of Jean-Claude Romand, Baudrillard's views on hyper-reality, and the personal ad placed by the blue-eyed blonde, all focus not just on the issue of deception itself, but on the self-perception of the individual, society's perception of the individual, and how (and to what extent) some people base their sense of reality on a fa?ade in order to placate their own egos and/or society itself."
Abstract In this paper the author makes a psychological analysis of a 16 year old youth who is demonstrating various recognized symptoms for negative affectivity. The author looks at all of the symptoms and attempts to asses what has led both to the symptoms and behavior of the youth. The author considers the youth's relationship with his parents and siblings and also the effect on the youth of his brother's death.
From the paper:
?Vacillations such as declaring himself an atheist one minute and praying to God the next Caulfield is in a flux of coming to terms with his own identity, not an uncommon trait among teens. The difference in Caulfield's behavior and normal "growing pains" are the extreme inter personal negativity, paranoia (e.g. knowing he is going to die from cancer because of a canker sore), and the descent into delusional behavior (e.g. speaking with his dead brother).?
An analysis of community-based actions in poor, problem-infested neighborhoods in the U.S., in particular the problems of drug trafficking in the neighborhood of Allerton Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
Abstract This paper focuses on the problems of drug trafficking in the poverty-stricken neighborhood of Allerton Avenue in the Bronx, New York and how drug trafficking is a very common issue in most poverty-ridden neighborhoods in the United States. It evaluates the lack of education and incentives of the youths in these areas who seek refuge in the delusional world of drugs and how drug-curtailing efforts by the police and other law-enforcement agencies are not successful. It discusses how the solution seems to be community involvement through citizen-driven programs which give citizens a chance to participate directly in those government actions, which aim at providing relief to poverty-stricken people of a particular neighborhood.
From the Paper "Recruiting the right community members for the task force may often become a major problem, as people do not want to become part of an active campaign. Therefore the more discreet and low profile a campaign is, the better are the chances of its success. People join action committees when they are certain others would not be able to find out. This is because oft-times news of such an action committee may leak out which alerts the drug-dealers and they stay on the lookout for those who support such committeesillegal activities in poverty-stricken areas. We have seen that usually in more affluent areas, there are social networks that regularly arrange social events for the community. This is done both for recreational as well as educational purposes. People in the community gather at one place and get a chance to discuss various problems. It is here that they can come up with effective solutions to eliminate neighborhood problems."
Abstract By analyzing "King Henry IV", "The Tragedy of King Richard III" and "The Tragedy of King Richard II", the paper shows that the underlying message in Shakespeare's history plays seems to be that kings who are extreme in their execution of power provide a representation of a weak and vulnerable monarchy, whereas kings who apply a modicum of moderation to their exercise of power provide a representation of a strong and indestructible monarchy. The paper shows that King Henry IV is the epitome of a successful ruler, in the simple fact that he manages to remain alive at the end of the play and do what is best for the country and its people by continuing to fight the rebel armies until they have lost the ongoing battle with the monarch. This in and of itself suggests that he is able to find a delicate balance between being overly powerful and yielding to others under pressure. The paper shows, on the other hand, that King Richard II is unable to exert any power whatsoever, partly due to his fear of confrontation and partly due to his overwhelmingly pathological view of himself as being a Christ figure. It shows that Richard III is, as well, equally unsuccessful as a ruler because he exerts too much power as a result of a delusional likeness with Richard II's antithesis, Satan.
From the Paper "Likewise, Richard III also holds himself in very delusional esteem, though it is expressed in a different manner than with Richard II. Like Richard II, Richard III believes he is worthy of the throne despite being, by definition, an illegitimate ruler. However, this misleading conviction triggers murderous ?[p]lots [he has] laid? (I.i.32), including the murder of his brother Clarence, the murder of King Edward's sons (including the heir to the throne, the Prince of Wales), and an incestuous scheme to marry the late King's daughter, Elizabeth, in order to seem more fitting to be king. Undoubtedly, he believes wholeheartedly that he has been rejected and/or cheated by God, and that he is deserving of the kingship. His belief system allows his mental health to shatter in such a manner that leads way to an excessive use of force and power in order to obtain the things he so desires. His own delusional belief system leads the reader to deem it likely that Richard III is as much a Satan figure as Richard II is a Christ figure. The extreme self-views held by each of these kings guide them to act in highly radical manners that are not at all conducive to governing a successful monarchy."
Abstract In this tale, we are met by Pip, first a young boy taken under the wing of a felon who places him with a delusional old maid, then a snobbish young man with expectations of being a member of the aristocracy and finally as a humbled man who has learned the lesson of humility. Childhood is a time in which what we are and do then determines in great part who we will become. Dickens, clearly, employs a significant amount of his own past and dreams for this novel. The themes of good and evil, of right and wrong, of sadness and happiness are all played right along side of each other in a demonstration that life rarely follows a straight and narrow path, that it is important to experience a fall from grace, or to lose one's great expectations, in order to fully own one's life. The hard-working humble man that Pip becomes by the end of the book would have been an insufferable immature boor had a change not taken place. For children, disappointment is indeed a bitter teacher. But, it is a necessary one as well. For it is in later childhood and adolescence that we can begin to fully understand that life will not always go our way. Unfortunately, there are many with lives that protect them from such knowledge. For them, perhaps, connecting with Pip is impossible. For the rest of us, however, we can truly understand what it is to have great expectations and to see them disappear, only to find that we are indeed the better for it. The exploration of childhood, and the symbolic nature of young development, is absolutely essential to this book. We are able to watch as Pip's infantile dreams of greatness, riches and power turn him into a monster, for no one actually gets what they want simply because they want it. Only the fact that he is a child redeems him.
Abstract This paper briefly discusses how Shakespeare uses his character's actions and deeds to portray the message of foolery. It focuses on the character of Malvolio and how he especially represents this aspect. Malvolio's character represents a type of self-delusional foolery that we can laugh at and learn from.
From the Paper "Malvolio's treatment is a direct result of his own egotism. Malvolio is so wrapped up in his own importance that he cannot see the importance of anyone or anything else around him. Shakespeare cleverly uses Malvolio's situation to prove how such an egotist can terribly misconceive his world and those around him. Malvolio's pride makes him a perfect target of a prank."
Abstract Discusses APA criteria, characteristics and at-risk populations, gender and intelligence, general characteristics, the gradual development of the disease, its onset, auditory hallucinations and delusional beliefs, and theories.
From the Paper "According to Dunn (2002), childhood schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling psychosis which the current version of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical ..."
Abstract This paper explains that both plays highlight the importance of "identity" and the consequences of not having one. The author points out that "Death of a Salesman" revolves around the disillusioned and delusional world of Willy Loman; whereas, "A Doll's House" focuses on the life of a na?ve housewife, Nora, who again has no identity of her own and lives in a world defined and dictated by her husband. The paper relates that, in both plays, the tension is built up for cataclysmic endings; only something appalling or close to a miracle could wake Willy and Nora to the reality of their situations.
From the Paper "Willy Loman, on the other hand, also suffers from identity crisis; and this stems from his inability to realize his dreams in the cruel capitalist world of America. Unlike some men who made it big in the land of opportunities, Willy remains a salesman all his life, and just the realization that he had failed was profound enough to turn his life upside down. From this point onwards, he builds his own illusionary world where everything goes according to his wishes, and his insanity negatively affects everyone in his family. His insane world is guided by wrong principles and beliefs."
Abstract Foolery comes in many shapes and many sizes as William Shakespeare reveals in his play, "Twelfth Night". Malvolio's character represents a type of self-delusional foolery that we can laugh at and learn from. Feste captures the mood of the play perfectly when he says, "Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun; it shines everywhere" (III.iii.139-40). Some foolery is positive, and some is negative and deserves to be punished. This paper examines the significance behind punishing Malvolio for his foolery through a prank.
From the Paper "It is obvious that Malvolio's nature becomes a drag for the other characters in the play. Toby responds to Malvolio's abrasive nature with biting honesty, which Malvolio is blind to, when he asks him, "Art any more than a steward" Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale? (II.iii.110-2). Shakespeare is creating a conflict between Malvolio and the other characters in the play, which prepares us for the upcoming scene in the play."
Abstract This paper first briefly recounts the actual story, written about in Rule's book, of the woman accused of shooting her three children, killing one of them and permanently injuring the other two, because of a delusional belief that the man she loved would leave his wife and marry her if she had no children. The paper then goes on to describe how Rule's background as a former police officer lends authenticity to her writing and reporting of the story.
From the Paper "The events of this crime began when Diane Downs drove up to the emergency room of the hospital in Springfield, Oregon, shouting that a bushy-haired stranger had shot her and her three children on a deserted road. Her middle child, Cheryl, was dead by the time she got there although the hospital tried to resuscitate her. The other two were saved by luck as well as solid effort; specialized medical help happened to be in the hospital or nearby at the time of the incident. Diane herself was shot in the arm, breaking it badly, and at first it did not occur to law enforcement that Diane might have actually been the shooter. The son, Danny, was too young to tell what had happened, and the oldest child, Christie, lost so much blood that it triggered a stroke that impaired her ability to speak for some time. The police could not find the gun and had little solid evidence connecting anyone to the crime."
Abstract This paper explains that Willy Loman from Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" is a salesman whose flawed thinking makes him associate success with a powerful personality instead of hard work, arousing pity and fear in the readers similar to Aristotle's tragic hero. The author points out that a prerequisite for being categorized a tragic hero includes a fall from grace; Willy Loman, a sensible, normal, loving father, who turned into a delusional character who couldn't separate reality from illusions, fits into this category. The paper relates that Willy commits suicide and becomes truly a tragic hero.
From the Paper "The difference between Aristotle's bad man and a tragic hero is that while the former tries to harm people through his wrong action and is fully aware of his sins, the latter is completely ignorant of his actions being unproductive or them having a bad impact of his life. Secondly a tragic hero doesn't intend to harm anyone through his actions which the intentions of a wicked man are just the opposite. In short while the wicked man's actions are directed against another person, a tragic hero's actions are aimed at himself and eventually result in self-destruction."
Abstract Few poems have ever been written that embody the raw emotion evoked by Sylvia Plath's "Daddy". This paper examines how, written only four months before her suicide, the poem is a final purge of emotions. It discusses how it is a delusional account of one woman's spiral into depression and lunacy and how it has remained a topic of controversy since it was first published.
From the Paper "The poem opens up with Plath's first description of her father as a black shoe, "in which the daughter has 'lived like a foot', suggesting her submissiveness and entrapment." (Rosenblatt 4). She is afraid to breathe or "achoo." The poem begins with childish language: achoo, rather than sneeze, repetition of phrases, because Plath has traveled back to a child-like state of mind. Even by titling the poem "Daddy," rather than Father, "Plath lets us know that she recognizes the outburst as childish, truer to the child's fantasy of domination and abandonment than the adult's reconstruction of the facts." (Breslin 5). "
