Sociological Concepts of Shutter Island

Shutter Island is about a World War II veteran, Andrew Laeddis who believes he is a United States marshal. He believe he has been sent to Ashecliffe mental hospital in Shutter Island, Boston to investigate a missing patient. Along the way Andrew faces several hardships but those that are most pressing lie in the areas of deviance, illness, and intelligence.
Andrew Laeddis is actually at Ashecliffe because he killed his wife after she drowned their three children in the lake behind their house. He knew she was mentally ill but did not find her appropriate help, therefore making him feel responsible for the death of his children. He created the alter ego of U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels because he could not stand to be Andrew Laeddis knowing what he had done to contribute to his children’s death. Although it was not his own deviance that left him in Ashecliffe, it was his wives that did. No matter the circumstances, murder goes against social norms and most often entails some form of punishment. All of the people around him while at Ashecliffe were deviants, mostly murders and became a part of who he was as Teddy Daniels.
Perhaps, Andrew Laeddis did not seek help for his wife Dolores because of the negative stigma that goes along with mental illness. She believed there was a bug in her brain, Andrew was aware of this and his ignorance may have ultimately lead to the death of his three children.
Andrew created an alternate universe for himself where he did not have to feel guilt. He said he would rather “die a good man, than live as a monster.” Although it was ultimately mental illness, his knowledge helped him cope with the trauma he had faced. His doctors were able to create a role play that helped him realize the truth. Shortly after, he relapsed, likely because reality was too difficult for him to deal with.
Many social issues are addressed in Shutter Island. Humans often face the issues of deviance, illness, and knowledge. Andrew Laeddis’ story was able to bring all of these issues to a whole new level.