Neil Hughes Case Analysis

Neil Hughes, an essentially ordinary child from a Liverpool suburb, has a high-spirited way of life at seven. He attends a public school with fellow participant Peter, and shows normal behavior for a child of his age. At fourteen, Neil is attending a comprehensive school and has similar aspirations as his seven-year-old self, but, like an adult would, puts much thought into his speaking. At age twenty-one, Neil plummets downward and is squatting in London. He drops out of Aberdeen University following one term, and begins working unsatisfying hard labor. His depressive symptoms become overtly evident at age twenty-eight when he discusses his life as a homeless man in Scotland. Neil’s aspirations seem to have faded, as he lacks happiness and stability. At …show more content…
Finally, at age forty-two, Neil appears to be putting his life together. He is working as a part time political counselor and carries those political ambitions through age fifty-six. Neil’s incredibly unstable development was heavily influenced by his genetics and the environment he grew up in. These practically unavoidable factors, along with some defeating losses, contribute substantially to Neil’s non-normative development. Neil’s familial environment as a child consisted of two overbearing parents, both teachers, with seemingly no understanding of who Neil was. Neil discusses what is was like growing up in his household in 21 Up, when he reveals that his parents put an enormous amount of pressure on him to become a successful indoor worker. Additionally, his parents force God onto him while growing up. Essentially, his parents’ goals did not reflect his own, which caused a poor goodness of fit between them. This poorness of fit likely led to Neil’s resentment towards his parents. When a child feels as if his/her parents do not appreciate their personality or