Precious: A Case Study
Precious: A Case Study
Kristan Hughart
Wilmington University
Precious: A Case Study The move Precious (based on the novel “Push” written by Sapphire), depicts the life of a 16 year old girl named Claireece “Precious” Jones. The story is set in Harlem, NY in 1987. Precious has suffered severe abuse throughout her life by both of her parents. She has seemed to have slipped through the cracks of the system from family, the school system, child services, as well as the community as a whole. Her only saving grace is her strong will and her ability to disassociate herself and seek comfort in her own imaginary world. Precious’ abuse started as an infant when she was molested and raped by her father as her mother knowingly allowed this abuse to occur. These rapes continued until Precious was 16 years old. Precious’ home was full of domestic violence and she was verbally, physically, and emotionally abused. Not only is Precious abused by her mother but she is virtually treated as a slave as her mother is totally dependent on precious. Precious was the victim of incest, and impregnated twice by her father. Even in her community she is physically assaulted and made fun of, causing her to have low self-esteem. As if this abuse wasn’t enough, Precious ultimately contracts HIV from her infected father.
Formal and Informal Supports Formal supports usually consist of government and private agencies and organizations set up to assist people in the community with their needs. Some of the formal supports in Precious’ life include:
Teachers
Welfare worker
Nurse John
Informal supports generally consist of family, friends and associates. Precious doesn’t have many informal supports in her life. The students at her alternative school who become her friends represent the informal support in her life.
Red Flags There were many “red flags”, or warning signs that there were problems in Precious’ life that needed to be addressed or at the
Kristan Hughart
Wilmington University
Precious: A Case Study The move Precious (based on the novel “Push” written by Sapphire), depicts the life of a 16 year old girl named Claireece “Precious” Jones. The story is set in Harlem, NY in 1987. Precious has suffered severe abuse throughout her life by both of her parents. She has seemed to have slipped through the cracks of the system from family, the school system, child services, as well as the community as a whole. Her only saving grace is her strong will and her ability to disassociate herself and seek comfort in her own imaginary world. Precious’ abuse started as an infant when she was molested and raped by her father as her mother knowingly allowed this abuse to occur. These rapes continued until Precious was 16 years old. Precious’ home was full of domestic violence and she was verbally, physically, and emotionally abused. Not only is Precious abused by her mother but she is virtually treated as a slave as her mother is totally dependent on precious. Precious was the victim of incest, and impregnated twice by her father. Even in her community she is physically assaulted and made fun of, causing her to have low self-esteem. As if this abuse wasn’t enough, Precious ultimately contracts HIV from her infected father.
Formal and Informal Supports Formal supports usually consist of government and private agencies and organizations set up to assist people in the community with their needs. Some of the formal supports in Precious’ life include:
Teachers
Welfare worker
Nurse John
Informal supports generally consist of family, friends and associates. Precious doesn’t have many informal supports in her life. The students at her alternative school who become her friends represent the informal support in her life.
Red Flags There were many “red flags”, or warning signs that there were problems in Precious’ life that needed to be addressed or at the