Factors That Could Lead Someone to Turn to Violence Ever wonder what could push someone to use violence in their life? Peter Houghton is the main character in Jodi Picoult’s novel “Nineteen Minutes.” In this novel, the teenager went on a killing spree in his high school, Sterling High. We have also seen scenarios like this one play out in real life. One example of this is Eric Harris, a student at Columbine High School in Colorado. On April 20th, 1999 Eric brought guns into his school and went on a shooting rampage with the help of his partner Dylan Klebold. This massacre resulted in the death of 12 students, one teacher, and both of the perpetrators who later on committed suicide (History.com Staff). Adam Lanza is also a school shooter who
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Peter, Eric and Adam all faced rough times at home which were factors of why they turned out to use violence. Peter was always compared to his older brother because he was the ideal perfect child and Peter was not. Peter’s brother Joey was killed in a car accident and his parents always hint that they wished it was Peter and not Joey who passed away that day. Peter didn’t turn out as his parents expected, for example “…she’d expected that this second forway into motherhood would produce a child like her first-Joey, a golden boy who would make passersby turn their heads, stop her as she pushed the stroller to tell her what a beautiful baby she had.”(Picoult 27). Eric and Adam both had divorced parents so that played a big role in their lifes. It is said that “Harris moved around several times as a child”(“Eric Harris”). It is tough to have to bounce around from house to house to accommodate parents due to separation. It’s very hard when youre older and your parents get divorced because that’s when you really understand the reality of it. In Adam’s case, he was 16 when his parents got divorced (Christine Pelisek). People noticed how hard the divorce hit him and they said things such as, “The kids seemed really depressed…”, describing how upset Adam …show more content…
When people don’t have others to talk to and express their emotions with, they keep it all wrapped up inside of them. When they get to a certain point, they just explode and go off and in Peter, Eric, and Adam’s case, they turned to violence as the solution when they hit their limit. Peter really only had one friend during his childhood and he even said to Peter "...don't talk to me ever again, all right?"(Picoult 211). Peter didn’t really socialize with others he was always isolated and he kept to himself. All of the boys had trouble fitting in at school; none of them were really able to connect with their peers. Adam Lanzas classmates remember him as "...a quiet,shy kid who had trouble connecting with others. ‘I knew him as the kid who walked around with a breifcase,' said Brandon Logel, who went to Newtown High School with Lanza. 'He had a hard time socializing with people. He couldn't really connect with other kids.'"(Christistine Pelsik). Eric was a soccer player and he wore “preppy” clothes, but he still had a ver difficult time socialilizing and fitting in at school(“Eric Harris”). It’s difficult to go to school with the same kids everyday when nobody notices you, talks to you, or cares enough to acknowledge you. All of the boys faced this kind of social isolation and separation when they were in high
Peter, Eric and Adam all faced rough times at home which were factors of why they turned out to use violence. Peter was always compared to his older brother because he was the ideal perfect child and Peter was not. Peter’s brother Joey was killed in a car accident and his parents always hint that they wished it was Peter and not Joey who passed away that day. Peter didn’t turn out as his parents expected, for example “…she’d expected that this second forway into motherhood would produce a child like her first-Joey, a golden boy who would make passersby turn their heads, stop her as she pushed the stroller to tell her what a beautiful baby she had.”(Picoult 27). Eric and Adam both had divorced parents so that played a big role in their lifes. It is said that “Harris moved around several times as a child”(“Eric Harris”). It is tough to have to bounce around from house to house to accommodate parents due to separation. It’s very hard when youre older and your parents get divorced because that’s when you really understand the reality of it. In Adam’s case, he was 16 when his parents got divorced (Christine Pelisek). People noticed how hard the divorce hit him and they said things such as, “The kids seemed really depressed…”, describing how upset Adam …show more content…
When people don’t have others to talk to and express their emotions with, they keep it all wrapped up inside of them. When they get to a certain point, they just explode and go off and in Peter, Eric, and Adam’s case, they turned to violence as the solution when they hit their limit. Peter really only had one friend during his childhood and he even said to Peter "...don't talk to me ever again, all right?"(Picoult 211). Peter didn’t really socialize with others he was always isolated and he kept to himself. All of the boys had trouble fitting in at school; none of them were really able to connect with their peers. Adam Lanzas classmates remember him as "...a quiet,shy kid who had trouble connecting with others. ‘I knew him as the kid who walked around with a breifcase,' said Brandon Logel, who went to Newtown High School with Lanza. 'He had a hard time socializing with people. He couldn't really connect with other kids.'"(Christistine Pelsik). Eric was a soccer player and he wore “preppy” clothes, but he still had a ver difficult time socialilizing and fitting in at school(“Eric Harris”). It’s difficult to go to school with the same kids everyday when nobody notices you, talks to you, or cares enough to acknowledge you. All of the boys faced this kind of social isolation and separation when they were in high