References: Brody, Jane E. (4 May 2009). High Functioning, but Still Alcoholics. New York Times Health. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/health/05brod.html…
Alcoholism is a dreadful affliction that plagues all of those who are tempted by “the drink”. Alcohol is a cruel mistress that turns gentlemen into savages and destroys the families of those who fall for its temptations. How might someone who is an alcoholic affect one’s life and how might they deal with said alcoholic especially if that someone is their father? In Frank McCourt’s memoir Angela’s Ashes, McCourt takes the reader on heart wrenching journey through his childhood that is filled with poverty and hardships and some daresay claim that the cause of such hardships is his father’s alcoholism. McCourt’s father’s problem is what set the family down the path of poverty and being liberated from this alcoholic prison may just be what the…
Charles Bukowski, an American poet, novelist, and short story writer, once said “If something bad happens you drink in an attempt to forget; if something good happens you drink in order to celebrate; and if nothing happens you drink to make something happen.” Many people around the world struggle with alcoholism. They will find any reason just to slip a drink into their daily routines. Some people drink to forget the guilt and shame, some drink as a way of celebration, and others drink because of they are physically dependent on it. The addiction to alcohol is an illness and the people surrounding an alcoholic can be negatively impacted by their ways. The many consequences that come with the addiction can often lead negative outcomes such as death and crumbling relationships.…
In the autobiography "Under the Influence" in an Anthology of Norton Reader by Melissa A. Goldthwaite, the author Scott Russell Sanders tells his story about growing up with an alcoholic father. Sanders family go through many obstacles because of their father. His fathers drinking problems made Sanders shame and guilt because the main character felt like it was his fault that his father was drinking and wanted to save his father from his drinking habits. Sanders uses imagery and diction to tell the reader about growing up with an alcoholic father and what consequences it had in his life.…
Growing up with an alcoholic can drastically affect a child’s life. One in five Americans has lived with an alcoholic relative while growing up (“Children of Alcoholics”). I am one of those five. Yes, my father was an alcoholic while I was growing up. It is a touchy subject for me, but it is safe to say growing up with an alcoholic dad was very difficult for my family. After an emotional separation, my father realized what his life had become, and he worked to overcome his alcoholism. Many of these efforts to recover died out quickly, and my dad had to jump from organization to organization until he finally recovered through Help Incorporation. Whenever I ask my dad about why it was so…
In chapter fifteen, I enjoy how Taylor uses humour rather than cynicism to enlighten the readers of this issue. I find it comical when Maggie is, "… shocked to see all the shelves in the [refrigerator] lined with dark bottles of beer", and John explains how, "… you can't be much of an alcoholic unless you have some alcohol to drink. It's one of the rules". In my opinion, Taylor masters the use of irony to make light of alcoholism. It is ironic because alcoholics behave in a disorderly and chaotic manner; they definitely do not follow rules. However, humour is effective in highlighting Sammy's reliance on alcohol, like a ritualistic activity where he is bound by the rules of his own addiction. Through the use of the word ‘rules’, Taylor causes me to automatically think of obedience and respect. However, by associating this simple word with alcoholism, he combines irony and humour, while acknowledging the tragedy of addiction. I believe that humanity relies on structure and rules. Despite our denial, we crave boundaries because without them, we are subject to chaos and disorder. Therefore, I find it especially intriguing how Taylor thoughtfully incorporates the word ‘rules’ in association with alcohol addiction. It brushes over one of the themes in the novel, humanity’s addiction to order, and our…
When I think of an alcoholic I think of someone walking down the street in ragged clothes with a brown paper bag holding a bottle of the cheapest beer or booze on the shelf. But that’s not the case. These men were dressed in jeans and nice jackets, work boots and they appeared clean and shaved. I sympathized with the one man when he shared a story about how alcohol had changed his appearance and attitude so much that his toddler didn’t even recognize him. Many of the men that spoke talked about the amounts of alcohol they consumed everyday on a daily basis. The one guy said that he would buy a half gallon of vodka in the morning and a thirty pack of beer at night. I was floored by this. He talked about how his organs were starting to shut down and that was when he realized that he had to make a change. All of the people that spoke had one thing in common, and that was…
The memoir I read is about a young woman, Koren Zailckas, who, over the course of growing up, not only experimented with alcohol, but also went through the whole cycle of alcohol abuse. She shares her experiences in order to present that this can be the case with anyone and evolves over time, not all at once. She begins the story by talking about one of her childhood friends, Natalie, with whom presented Koren’s first sip of alcohol. She describes Natalie as one of those friends who always was the first to do things, and to encourage others to jump on board. After trying Southern Comfort at the young age of 14, she realizes that this alcohol stuff makes the inhibitions, which she struggles with so often, disappear—She loves this. She wants to drink more after this time, but Natalie goes away to a boarding school, and Koren’s source of alcohol goes right with her. She goes on to talk about her drinking experiences in high school, particularly at age 16 when she requires her stomach to be pumped after a party. She went on to college where she stayed in the party scene, joined a sorority, and continued her bad habits. She had many negative experiences including sexual encounters, fights, and problems with relationships, all while under the influence of heavy alcohol. She tries quitting a few times unsuccessfully, even moving away from the party scene. She is finally able to quit at the age of 23 after realizing how much it cost her.…
Growing up in an alcoholic family is certainly traumatic. In these homes, children experience a daily environment of inconsistency, chaos, fear, abandonment, denial, and real or potential violence. Survival becomes a full-time job. While most of us know that alcoholism is a disease, too few recognize it as a family disease, which may emotionally, spiritually and often physically, affect, not only the alcoholic but each member of the family. Little emotional energy remains to consistently fulfill the many needs of children who become victims of the family illness. For many years, professional psychologists were barely aware of the vast pool of suffering of the family of alcoholics. They concentrated on healing the alcoholic and felt that it solved the problems of the family as well. Today they realize that the whole family suffers this sickness and all must be made well. By looking at what it is like to live in a alcoholic's home, the side effects, and how to cope with the problem there will be evidence to see how the disease negatively affects the children.…
While reading “Who Are the Real Victims of Alcoholism” in my college textbook, I could not help but thinking of my own experiences as a child growing up with an alcoholic father. This essay was written by a student named Meredith Newmon Blanco. In her essay, she makes several strong claims on how children who are raised by alcoholic parents will grow up facing many troubling obstacles. Some of her examples are physical and emotional abuse, lack of structure and discipline, and a childhood that is filled with fear. Although alcoholism is a tremendous problem in the United States, not all children grow up suffering from a variety of problems due to the fact that they were raised by alcoholic parents.…
In this writing Scott Sanders uses many sources to explain how he viewed his father when he was drunk. He takes use of dictionaries, medical encyclopedias, poems, short stories and the bible. Using these sources he was able to give readers a more vivid a deeper view into how the victims of alcoholism. He used this one story from the bible about a lunatic and a swine. Story goes Jesus crossed the ocean and when he came off his boat a lunatic in this grave yard came charging up stark naked and filthy. The lunatic was frothing from his mouth so violently that he broke the strongest chains. This madman for years avoided by society stayed in the graveyard and he day after day bruised and cut himself with stones. Jesus saw clearly he was possessed by demons. Jesus banished the demons into the swine and the pigs jumped off the cliff and Jesus “restored the man into his right mind”. Scott Sanders compares this lunatic to his father, he goes to tell how the liquor is like the demons and he is possessed by them when he is drunk but when sober he is in his “right mind”. Using different sources like the dictionary or in this case the bible helps readers think of alcoholics in different ways and gives a more vivid description on his drunken father.…
I’m a firm believer in responsible, social drinking. In fact, I would like to be able to have a drink when I’m ninety years old while I’m soaking my dentures and holding my ninety-one-year-old husband’s wrinkly hand. I’m very aware, however, that in order to do this, I will always have to drink responsibly. I will always have to be in control of my drinking and not have my drinking be in control of me. I’m also aware that there may be a time in my life when I may not be the best judge of my drinking. If you’re drinking several nights a week, you may not be the best judge either.…
Alcohol abuse is a major social problem in our country. Alcohol abuse is defined as any condition which results in continued consumption of alcoholic beverages despite health problems and negative social consequences of it's use. Alcoholism is considered by many to be a disease which needs medical treatment.…
Imagine you are at a family wedding reception where there is alcohol being served. As the night progresses you notice your Uncle Bob frequenting the bar in the corner of the room for nearly one drink after another. He is reaching his limit for liquor he can handle, and you notice him acting increasingly disoriented, obnoxious, and tipsy. The rest of your family watches him as he virtually makes a fool out of himself and comments about him fill the room. "He has always been drinking way too much since his days in the frat house at the university," states one relative. "He is just like his father," comments another. Such a story sparks a debate as to the foundation of alcoholism. Merriam-Webster 's Dictionary defines alcoholism as continued excessive or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks. What causes a person to be an alcoholic is a heated debate. Some argue that the disease is hereditary, while others advocate that alcoholism is due to a person 's environment. Alcoholism a generally environmental disease, which is fueled by a person 's genetic makeup, requires federal funding to determine the best way to prevent and cure the disease.…
For most people, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities, though the consequences of its misuse are serious and life threatening. In Scott Sander’s “Under the Influence: Paying the Price of My Father’s Booze,” Sanders pays and continues to pay for his father’s drinking problem by having feelings of guilt and anger for him after he dies. Throughout this essay, Sanders also shows alcoholism as a social problem rather than an individual problem.…