I Am Adam Lanza's Mother Analysis

In her essay “I am Adam Lanza’s mother: A mom’s perspective on the mental illness conversation in America”, Liza Long begins by urging the American population to have a conversation regarding the connection of mental health and the mass shootings taking place in our society. She compares her self to Nancy Lanza, the mother of Adam Lanza, who perished by the hands of her son. Adam is the individual who in December of 2012, opened fire in a classroom full of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conneticut. In this piece of writing, the author shares being the mother of a mentally ill son, Michael. She points out the every day struggles associated with caring for Michael and all of the possible ways to receive the treatment he needs. In Long’s perspective, she is afraid the only way to obtain such mental treatment is to place her son in the criminal justice system.
Long gears her writing towards an audience who can relate to her experiences as a mother of a mentally ill child. She makes the connection between mental health and many of the mass shootings that have recently taken place. The author’s intention is to provide a more personal approach to a conversation that would otherwise threaten and make the general population uncomfortable. Long believes that in order for all …show more content…
Her experiences are just as valuable as the psychiatrist at the mental hospital. An audience who has a loved one suffering from mental illness can relate and agree with Long when she cries for help, when she states it can not be done alone(Par. 26). As a society let us have this conversation about mental health Long is adamant about having(Par. 33). There is nothing to loose, except funerals of innocent people. Long makes a plea for help at the end of the essay(Par. 34), it is the same plea society makes our government adequate mental health