Martyrdom Of Andy Analysis

“Martyrdom of Andy” was written to portray the devastating consequences of group think. In this story, the author looks back upon his childhood where he and his friends were members of a special group. Andy longed so badly to be accepted and fit in that he endured their ridicule and harassment. The author seemed to go along with the group’s notions that they were superior to Andy. However, because Andy was different from them, he had to endure their cruelty if he wanted to be a part of their group. The author mentioned that Andy even seemed to enjoy the songs that were sung by the group members to make fun of him. When it was the writer’s turn to have the party at his house, he decided to have a camp out in the woods nearby his house. The group convinced the author that he …show more content…
First, collective rationalization occurred when the author seemed to explain away their actions by saying Andy seemed to enjoy the sing-song parodies, and he didn’t belong because he was poor and different from the rest of him. Second, self-censorship was another example of group think that occurred in this story. Not once did any of the members challenge the group’s notion that treating Andy in this manner was acceptable. Third, illusion of unanimity occurred often throughout this story. The author obtained the courage to hit Andy and tell him he wasn’t wanted, and the group got silent, which indicated their support. Fourth, the songs that were sung and the attitudes of the group implied that excessive stereotyping took place. Because he was poor, he wasn’t good enough to be a member of their group. Fifth, illusion of morality took place because the group never once considered the impact their actions would have on Andy until they had gone too far. The group held the mentality that this was somehow acceptable and okay. Thus, we learn from this story the tragic consequences that can occur when group think spins out of