Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

C Word in the Hallways Analysis

Good Essays
567 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
C Word in the Hallways Analysis
In the article "The C Word in the Hallways", Anna Quindlen claims that teenage killings can be prevented by drawing attention to mental health. Quindlen supports her claim by giving examples of individual cases in great detail, and stating information relating to the issue of mental health. The author's purpose is to persuade readers so that they should treat mental illness instead of dismissing it as a "character flaw". She speaks in a serious but derisive tone to address parents, schools and healthcare providers.

Quindlen begins her article by affirming that mental health is not considered important. She exaggerates by calling it "a plague on all our houses...laying waste" . It is not a contagious disease or infection but rather an issue being ignored and allowed to germinate. She makes this comparison in order to emphasize that mental illness is not take serious at all. It is not seen as important as a physical ailment. If people cared for the solution to mental illness, 'this vaccine' "would save lives". If it were a cut, one wouldn't let it become infected but that is what they are doing with mental illness. This reveals the unbalanced view many may have regarding physical and mental illnesses. In the article Anna Quindlen moves on to argue that these kids are victims of a failing mental health system. She incorporates different accounts where this proved true such as with Sam Manzie and Kip Kinkels. "Excuses, excuses." This repetition to show the attitude that many have toward such cases. It also draws attention away from the severity of the crimes and adds a mocking tone toward those who'd focus on those details. No progress is made because no one wants to solve the problem. Both young people had previously been evaluated but it was to weak to prevent the events that occurred. She employs this sarcasm to reveal the kid to be the true victim. The victim of neglect and of apathy from the mental health system.

Quindlen further acknowledges that no one wants to use the C word. "Parents are afraid" and don't want to take the responsibility or blame of causing such an environment. An environment " that tells teenagers their demons are a disgrace". This alliteration draws attention to the parents role in taking care of the matter. They are to scared to admit what needs to be done but would rather let such behavior persist. Then the words "demon" and "disgrace" elevate the situation. Demon denotes an outside force having a bad influence and because of this they are a disgrace. It's easier for parents not to address the issue rather than to face it. This way they can go on blaming it on "demons". But it's not just with parents. This is the attitude that schools and health and insurance providers also hold. If this continues, they will also continue to have to 'identify the bodies'.

The problem starts in the home but as kids grow up it it not confined. It continues to school until finally reaching healthcare providers. By then it may be too late. all these parties have a share in contributing to the problem even if nono one wants to accept that. Quindlen was effective stating the problem and addressing the roles of each party. If everyone saw mental health condition as something serious then, only then, can a solution can they prevent horrific events.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Mental Illness

    • 1279 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In the wake of horrific crimes like Sandy Hooks shootings, and the Aurora movie theater shooting and the countless others that have plagued the Nation America is scared and heart broken. the government and the country are frantically trying to find answer and solutions in issues like guns to prevent these unspeakable acts of violence. But even though all these men have had the weapons to achieve their acts, they have had one more characteristic that's sometimes overlooked in common, their unstable minds and serious mental illness. Mental illness with its brutal stigma and awful history seems to be overlooked in the public's eyes when looking at real problems And i believe that mental illness is important in the prevention of these crimes and also to rebuild those are riddled with the repercussions of the disease. by making treatments and mental illness research a top priority in helping those with mental illnesses and fixing the system we previously have we could be on the real road to recovery.…

    • 1279 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    (Insel) Shockingly, of the 450 million people worldwide who suffer from mental health conditions, 60 percent do not receive any form of care. Much is not the cost of care, but the loss of income due to unemployment, expenses for social supports, and a range of indirect costs due to a chronic disability that began early in life. The World Health Organization has reported that mental illnesses are the leading causes of disability adjusted life years worldwide, accounting for 37% of healthy years lost from non-communicable diseases. Depression alone accounts for one third of this disability. People who have negative views of mental health are less likely to help lift the burden of mental illness. By bringing awareness to mental illness society will be more apt to donate to better care for mentally ill individuals so funds can be put toward beneficial aspects instead of helping individuals simply survive. Creating parity between mental and physical illness allows for research, training, treatment and prevention that will lead to money saved and citizens helped. The discrepancy between the cost of mental health disorders as compared to the funding of research is startling, and is believed to be caused by the stigma associated with…

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Teen Suicide

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Untreated depression and other mental disorders are a key component to teen suicides. Depression, especially, can be triggered by several events in a teenager’s life such as problems at home, breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and dealing with sexual identity (Will). Maureen Underwood, a social worker who has written suicide prevention school curricula and who works with the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, states these “triggering events could push someone off the edge” (Harpaz). Unlike adults, who have the capacity and skills to overcome such obstacles, teenagers have not reached the level to do so. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, at least 90 percent of people who kill themselves have a diagnosable and treatable psychiatric illness (“AFSP: Risk Factors”). Therefore, the awareness of student’s actions and emotions by parents, teachers, and other adults are imperative.…

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Establish Credibility and goodwill: I picked the topic teen suicide because I wanted to come aware of this serious matter, and to be familiar with the signs after a dear cousin of mine committed suicide in 2009. I am qualified to inform you on this topic because I have done research and have obtained the knowledge needed to give this speech.…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At a mere 6 months after Columbine, Anna Quindlen wrote an essay about mental health. Hoping for a change in the future, she conveyed her views in a satirical manner to the reader, optimistic for alterations of the system. Anna, like many others,…

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Health prevention

    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages

    My first article called, Preliminary Effectiveness of Surviving the Teens Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness state, “Currently, suicide ranks as the third leading cause of death among youth ages 15-24 years.” This article talks about schools, since children are in school most of the day, using this time to talk about preventive ways to stop suicide. For this article health care prevention is defined as a way to teach students about increasing awareness and knowledge of suicide intervention, risk factors and warning signs of depression and suicide but to also teach problem solving and coping skills to our teenagers. (King, Strunk & Sorter, 2011) If we put all these together, school nurses and teachers can increase adolescent students to have better self-esteem, self-efficiency, and can increase their coping/problem solving skills and also, communication skills. We can teach the students about dealing with stressors and what good health behaviors are.…

    • 1521 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Suicide Persuasive Speech

    • 262 Words
    • 2 Pages

    What some people don’t know about suicide was that this is not a new thing with the ages of fifteen to twenty-four the rate was 49,496 in 1970. With today’s society the teen’s suicide rate has gone from 8.8 deaths per every hundred thousand people to twelve point three per every hundred thousand teens. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages fifteen to twenty-four and the sixth leading cause for ages five to fourteen.…

    • 262 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Teen Suicide

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages

    On May 21, 2013 I experienced firsthand the shock, sadness and overwhelming grief of losing a friend to suicide. Bailey Leal, seventeen years of age, star soccer player for Stoneman Douglas High School was found dead by her sister. She had hung herself in her bedroom. Studies show that most teens use suffocation to end their life and Bailey was not an exception. Bailey and I attended Middle school together and played soccer for the city of Parkland for many years. Bailey was an amazing talent on the soccer field and we were all in awe of her abilities. Bailey was an average student and had a difficult relationship with her boyfriend. Bailey’s parents were strict and had high expectations for her. Bailey had recently received her ACT test results and scored extremely high. Many felt she had cheated to obtain the score. The ACT test committee questioned her results and had requested she retake the exam. Bailey was being bullied at school. Fellow students were calling her a cheater, loser, and much worse. Sadly, Bailey took her life. I found it so hard to comprehend how a talented, beautiful girl could take her own life with so much to live for. Bullying has been cited as the primary source of many teen suicides in the…

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    A certain level of responsibility is expected from parents during a child’s stage of adolescence. As a child matures, various characteristics evolve that affect his or her view on life. These characteristics may be attributed to the child’s genetic traits, daily environment, or mental/emotional state. It is a parent’s duty to identify unstable features early on in the child’s life in order to protect others from any harm that could be caused. In this case, Carneal’s mental and emotional instability traced back to his kindergarten years. His feeling of alienation began as early as those years. As he recalls wanting to bring a gun to school for show-and-tell, Carneal stated, “Of course, I didn't have access to a gun, so it was not realistic ("School shooter Michael," 2010).” Such depraved thoughts and hermit behavior can be detected in its premature stages and treated to minimize the risk of violence.…

    • 1368 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    There have been a large number of cases throughout criminal history that relate to criminals being mentally unstable. In this essay I explore how mental health increases the risk of committing violence with a particular focus on serial killers. However, I also take a look at one of sports biggest names and how illness troubled his career. It will be argued that there is an increased risk of a mentally ill person committing violence, but this paper will show the troubled childhoods leading to the terrifying antics of these people. Finally mental health is analyzed in light of where it all begins and how having a healthy household can prevent a disaster occurring.…

    • 1797 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    McDougall, T. & Brophy, M. (2006) ‘Truth Hurts: Young People and Self Harm’ Mental Health Practice. 9 (9) pp.14–16.…

    • 4115 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ashley Smith Inhumane

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Over the years, mentally ill persons, especially the youths, have been the subject of harsh treatment by the society. Such is the case given they portrayal as criminals that need incarceration to rectify their behavior. A depiction of this kind does not reflect the sympathetic character that human beings must exhibit when dealing with the mentally ill. Mental illness is like any other type of medical conditions that requires equal and nonjudgmental treatment and care of sufferers of this fate. In illustration of how the society has failed on this account is a case study of Ashley Smith who undergoes painful experiences until her dying day. She is a young mentally ill Canadian woman whose experiences are unthinkable and inhumane given the obligation…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Everyone has heard the story of depression before. Many people in today’s society glorify or say it's a form of attention. Over 10% of Americans suffer from depression and 1% are between ages 10-18. It’s common to see this in lives of teenagers, it’s common to hear their suicide story, but not as common to understand why. But what’s hardest to understand about suicides, are why the happiest people are the ones who commit suicide. Through the story that theme is explained vividly, even the happiest of people are struggling to conquer demons within.…

    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Julie Scelfo Suicide

    • 1026 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Each year, thousands of lives are lost to the most preventable cause of death: suicide. The alarming rise in rates of suicide in young adults prompts an investigation into the root of the problem. Society’s reluctance to discuss suicide and mental illness plays a large role in the public being notoriously unaware of the pervasiveness of suicide in young people. In her essay, “Suicide on Campus and the Pressure of Perfection,” Julie Scelfo, a frequent contributor to The New York Times, analyzes the demanding lifestyles of college students and the stress factors on their lives. Scelfo strives to educate parents and students on the influences of parental control and the importance of mental health in young adults. She asserts this claim by implementing…

    • 1026 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kip Kinkel Research Paper

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Looking at the trials and tribulations of an average adolescent’s life, there are many times of stress, trouble, and hopefully growth. If there are compounding instances of setbacks and hardships, this could be very detrimental to the development of a young mind. There are never any definitive answers as to why any of these young individuals who commit terrible acts of violence did what they did. There are multiple instances throughout their upbringing that can give some insight as to what could have led to the execution of a horrendous violent outbreak.…

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays