Reading+Reflections



Based on how the main character christopher talks and describes things I believe he has some sort of mental disability. He means well in the things he does like how he picked up Wellington after discovering him dead and holding him. The only problem is that Christopher is misunderstood by everyone else and it seems that the people around him think he is dangerous and a little crazy. I feel bad that he doesnt seem to have many friends except for Siobhan. She tries to help him fit in more by explaining simple things like the meaning of facial expressions but its sad to see Christopher struggle to be "normal".

Christopher's father really seems to have a handful with raising a disabled child as a single parent. I know from experience that it is exhausting physically and mentally to care for people with a mental disability. It is admirable that Christopher's father has cared for him so well since the death of his mother. He has been raised to be a respectful, smart boy and he cares very much for others. I'm not sure if i would be able to raise a child like Christopher, especially on my own.

I can relate to how christopher felt after he found out his mother wasnt really dead. My own mother did almost the same thing Christopher's mother did and no one told me where she had gone, they said she was just on a vacation. I felt just like Christopher when i found out she was coming back, I was sick and in shock. Its heartbreaking to know that family members lied to you, even if it was done for your own good its still a hard thing to accept. I am happy that Christopher decided to go live with his mother and hopefully they will be able to reconnect.

It is interesting how Christopher uses his own unique logic to figure out what to do when hes in a difficult situation. When he cubes numbers to make himself feel calmer, or tunes in between two radio station just to hear white noise. At first i thought that he was odd for doing these things but Christopher explains many things that average people do which are "weird". I was surprised to see that he made it all the way to his mother's flat by using his own sense of judgement. Christopher acts like a child most of the time but it seems to be human nature to be able to get where one wants to go.

I feel bad for Christopher's father because he didn't mean to hurt Christopher and now his son won't talk to him. I can understand why Christopher would be so upset with his father for lying because it is hurtful when someone you trust lies. It seems that he would be better off living with his father because I don't think his mother has the patience to care for Christopher. It probably would of been a better idea for Christopher's father not to tell him that he killed Wellington. I think Christopher will begin speaking to his father again because as a child i often got angry and upset with my parents but i always began talking to them again.

I cant imagine what it would be like to live with a disease or disability that affects your life every single day. Whether its mental or physical living with something that makes you "different" is a tough thin to live with. The Possessed shows how hard it is to do everyday things when tourretts takes over you brain. Throughout school ive studied tourrettes in depth and met people with the condition. I have never heard of a person imitating other peoples facial expressions and i found it really interesting.

After class discussion about mental and physical disabilities I've realized that being different gives people the label of "disabled" or "sick". There seems to be medicine for everything and almost everyone has a disease. Even if they are socially awkward or too hyper or too sad that doesn't necessarily make them sick. If no one is being hurt by this difference then why should they be medicated, which would alter their personality and change who they are. Not all things need to be medicated and just because someone is different than the average person doesn't make them disabled or incapable of living a happy life.

I've heard of ebola before but i never knew what exactly the disease did to one's body. Its scary to see how Charles Monet went from being a healthy man to dying in a week. Its interesting to see how diseases can be spread so easily through planes because of the circulated air and traveling between countries. The way he began bleeding out is horrifying, he threw up blood and then his intestines exploded, it must be excruciating. Monet deteriorated so fast and now I can see just how deadly ebola is.

Since the Hot Zone took place in the 1980s i find it really surprising that doctors didnt know about this disease. When Monet goes to the hospital the doctors and nurses didnt know what was wrong with him and they didnt where any protection against his bodily fluids. Today all health care professionals are trained to avoid contact with any potentially infectious fluid so I found it odd that Doctors 30 years ago didnt know this. Although that hospital was in Africa which is a less developed country than the United States they still should known basic safety.