We're watching Secrets of the Wild Child in class right now. The story of Genie (as well as those of Anna and Isabelle) are all heartbreaking examples of what happens when socialization goes wrong....or doesn't go at all. Taking a look at the video below of footage of Genie, stop back and think of the uphill struggle Genie has had in her life to try and fit into mainstream society (as far as I know, she's living in a nursing home-type facility in California and is in her 50s....she has never been able to catch up to her peers in terms of speech, behaviors and motor skills).
What was the main difference between all 3 of these girls? Isabelle had her mom. Even though she was not able to communicate with her daughter, the non-verbals of nurturing motherly behavior did a lot to point Isabelle in the right direction and she was able to "make it" in society, whereas those without that contact never made it, and in Anna's case, she died. If you're thinking that these 3 girls are isolated cases, think again. If you go to the website www.feralchildren.com you'll see many other examples of children who have found themselves in Genie, Anna, or Isabelle's shoes.
No comments:
Post a Comment