Genie
GENIE
It is hard for most of us to even imagine being locked in a bedroom for thirteen years—strapped to a potty chair and being physically abused. Unfortunately, social isolation, such as this, does affect many innocent children. Studies have proven that social isolation can have devastating effects on a child’s life. A feral child, referred to as Genie, spent nearly the first thirteen years of her life locked in a bedroom strapped to a potty chair. She was a victim of one of the most severe cases of social isolation in U.S. History. Genie wasn’t allowed to speak, as her father would beat her if she would make any noise. On November 4, 1970, she was rescued by authorities and taken to Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Hospital staff hoped it wasn’t too late to nurture her back to normality. Genie had inhuman characteristics, as she was nearly entirely silent and had developed a “bunny walk”. Scientists questioned whether these characteristics were due to the isolation or whether she had been born with them. According to the book—Society in Focus by William E. Thompson and Joseph V. Hickey, heredity and environment both play a vital position in human development (2011 p. 86). Genie’s case closely relates to another situation involving social isolation in the late 1700’s. Victor of Aveyron (also known as the “Wild Boy of Aveyron”) was also a feral child who lived majority of his childhood naked and alone in the woods. There are a few similarities as well as differences regarding Genie and Victor. Both children were kindly accepted into society and were given a great amount of sympathy. Researchers and scientists became possibly too engaged in “studying” both cases. One difference is the fact that while Genie learned to talk at a low capability, Victor never really acquired a language. Also, scientists didn’t have the knowledge and development techniques to use on Victor as they did with Genie.
Genie’s case, as well as Victor’s, proves that
It is hard for most of us to even imagine being locked in a bedroom for thirteen years—strapped to a potty chair and being physically abused. Unfortunately, social isolation, such as this, does affect many innocent children. Studies have proven that social isolation can have devastating effects on a child’s life. A feral child, referred to as Genie, spent nearly the first thirteen years of her life locked in a bedroom strapped to a potty chair. She was a victim of one of the most severe cases of social isolation in U.S. History. Genie wasn’t allowed to speak, as her father would beat her if she would make any noise. On November 4, 1970, she was rescued by authorities and taken to Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Hospital staff hoped it wasn’t too late to nurture her back to normality. Genie had inhuman characteristics, as she was nearly entirely silent and had developed a “bunny walk”. Scientists questioned whether these characteristics were due to the isolation or whether she had been born with them. According to the book—Society in Focus by William E. Thompson and Joseph V. Hickey, heredity and environment both play a vital position in human development (2011 p. 86). Genie’s case closely relates to another situation involving social isolation in the late 1700’s. Victor of Aveyron (also known as the “Wild Boy of Aveyron”) was also a feral child who lived majority of his childhood naked and alone in the woods. There are a few similarities as well as differences regarding Genie and Victor. Both children were kindly accepted into society and were given a great amount of sympathy. Researchers and scientists became possibly too engaged in “studying” both cases. One difference is the fact that while Genie learned to talk at a low capability, Victor never really acquired a language. Also, scientists didn’t have the knowledge and development techniques to use on Victor as they did with Genie.
Genie’s case, as well as Victor’s, proves that