Journal #2

My argument is that bibliotherapy, especially with regards to fiction, is a valid form of therapy and can be beneficial for adolescents and young adults.

ACT

            The act is the use of books in therapy. Focusing specifically on adolescents and young adults, the guided reading of fictional works can prove to be beneficial.  Counselors/ psychiatrists would be able to use their discretion to “prescribe” books to the adolescent/young adult, paying close attention to the issues that he/she is facing and the connection that he/she may have with the characters, plots, or themes that the work of fiction may present. However, bibliotherapy is not something that could only be used by counselors or psychiatrists, libraries could also do their best to make displays of books that might appeal to adolescents/young adults and can provide advice and help for those who are (perhaps silently) seeking it.

 SCENE

           The scene for this argument could be any place. The most common would probably be a counseling center, but it could also be at home, school, the library, or any place where the individuals choose to read these books. Also, the scene for these individuals could be very different, depending on their difficulties – they could be suffering from a broken home, bullying at school, or any kind of abuse. The scene, therefore, becomes anywhere these individuals want it to be – possibly a place where they seek sanctuary from the real world in order to immerse themselves in another.

 AGENT
            The agents can be a variety of people – from the adolescents/young adults, to their parents, to the counselors (psychiatrists and research psychologists), teachers, librarians, and also the government (for funding, support, endorsement). Each of these people would play a crucial role in bibliotherapy, although none is perhaps as important as the individuals themselves. Even if the psychiatrists/counselors recommend certain books, it is up to the adolescents/young adults to actually read them and seek a deeper meaning than perhaps what is at “surface level.” It is ultimately these individuals who must make the connections such as relating to the characters, placing themselves in the situations that the books may present, and ultimately recognizing that the characters’ solutions may be similar to their own.

AGENCY
            The agencies could be the counseling centers, government, schools, libraries, the books…anything that contributes to the expansion or endorsement of bibliotherapy. An agency could also be an advertisement for a counseling center – the use of a different way to break through or aid people through literature – or simply someone recommending a particular counselor/psychiatrist because he/she uses bibliotherapy as a method.

PURPOSE

            Ultimately, the goal of bibliotherapy is to help these individuals cope with whatever hardships they are facing. By presenting a work of fiction to a adolescents/ young adults, the purpose would be that these individuals are able to overcome whatever issues they is facing by being able to recognize a similarity between themselves and the characters, struggles, themes, or situations in the book. These chosen books would also serve to help these individuals perhaps find a means of a solution to their problems or struggles and be able to heal or come to terms with what they are facing.

Summary #1 (Gaudium Et Spes)

The Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, was published in 1965 under Pope Paul VI. The preface and introduction to Gaudium establish the basis upon which the document is founded. The preface expresses the desire of the Church to actively communicate with the modern world and focuses specifically on the humankind. As the world was rapidly changing, Gaudium urges a renewal in human society, testifying to the “Godlike seed” which is present in every person. This document proclaims that their only goal is to carry out Christ’s work – to witness to the truth, to withhold judgment, and to serve.

Gaudium emphasizes that the Church has always been obligated to recognize the “signs” of the times and translate its meaning through Jesus’ teachings. Eager to take part in the new changes, the Church reaffirms that she is able and willing to answer humankind’s questions about this life and the next. Gaudium also brings attention to the inequalities still present in such a modern world – hunger and poverty, illiteracy, and new forms of social and psychological “slavery”. Despite the advances – from biological to the social sciences – humankind is giving more thought to the regulation of the population and its growth. Due to this change in attitude, values can be called into question, especially the values of the youth, who often choose to rebel against the ways of their parents or educators. This often comes into play with religion, as during this time it was not an unheard of occurrence for a person to completely abandon God or religion.

Gaudium also cites social inequalities, between men and women as well as races and other kinds of social orders, as a severe imbalance in society. This imbalance only aggravates distrust and conflicts, as humankind are both the cause of this imbalance and also become the victims to it. And yet, there is a change in society because people believe that certain benefits can and should be extended to everyone. At the root of this desire, Gaudium argues, is a deeper yearning that cannot be satisfied by trivial pursuits of material gain. The Church, which continues to remain the same, earnestly wishes to share the knowledge that she has with humankind in order to help them find solutions to the issues that the modern world faces.  

Journal #1

In September 2011, I was eleven years old. Looking back, I can (attempt to, at least) understand the politics behind declaring a war on terrorism. But then, in the moment, the only thing that I remember was being scared and very, very confused.

New York City was far away, but not far enough to erase my fears. At eleven, rationality eluded me and I saw more planes coming into my hometown (population about 2,800). I saw people I knew being killed. Smith talks about how George W. Bush’s approval rating skyrocketed to 90% after his speeches, which is “the highest percentage enjoyed by any president in history.” (9) I understood the initial response to retaliate. I felt it myself, even at my age and with the little facts I was able to grasp.

After the 9/11 attacks, I saw unity. I saw the President of the United States convincingly outline the problem that needed solved, all the while assuring the public of their safety. His rhetoric was effective, both at convincing the public that unity was needed and also that the issue was really that simple.

Even though it was not that simple, I did not see it. I did not understand politics then, and I dislike them even now. But the fact remains that, whatever George W. Bush’s politics were/are, the rhetoric he used persuaded a very large majority of Americans that there was an issue of special urgency that needed to be dealt with. The words he used – unifying the American people by saying “we are a country awakened by danger” and creating concern with “these terrorists kill not merely to end lives but to disrupt and end a way of life” (10) – were persuasive. These words were persuasive because they appealed to the people of the United States, particularly on an emotional level.

While others may have recognized ulterior motives (Smith discusses Bush’s political popularity, for one), I did not. All I saw was my nation attacked. I saw the numbers flashed on television screens, the massive amounts of rubble, smoke billowing ominously over the New York City skyline for weeks afterward. I heard Bush’s words and I saw American flags being raised, a rediscovered sense of pride in my country. Bumper stickers with the words “United We Stand” appeared suddenly; there was an understood agreement that saying “God Bless America” was no longer as controversial.

I was convinced. I believed. How could I not? His words tugged at something deeply ingrained in a majority of Americans: patriotism. The need to defend what was ours.