Viola Davis Case Study

Viola Davis was born on August 11, 1965. She was the second oldest of six children all belonging to Mary Alice (mother) and Dan Davis (father). Davis was born on her grandparents’ farm which was known as the former Singleton Planation. Her father, with completing only a fifth grade education, was a race horse groomer; while her mother only completing an eighth grade education, was a maid, factory worker, homemaker and a civil rights activist. Once Davis was two months old, the family moved to Central Falls, Rhode Island.
Once in Central Falls, Viola and her family lived in a rent-free apartment building, this was only due to the fact that the apartment was in the process of being demolished which was ideal for the family already on many forms …show more content…
Facing hunger was a predominant issue that Viola Davis and her family always seemed to face yet never conquer. This is where her psychological issues may have stemmed from, such as needs and inferiority. Her family would live paycheck to paycheck, buying groceries with each pay only for the food to disappear before the week was up. Viola Davis explains in her Glamour interview that as a child when there was food, it was best that she ate what she could cause it might not be anything left. At times, Davis would plan and manipulate people and situations so that she could receive food. Doing things such as making friends in the neighborhood so that her friends’ parents would give her unwanted leftovers, or joining a summer program for the free Kool-Aid and doughnuts. She even went as far as digging in the cafeteria dumpster while in school. Viola says “I was always so hungry and ashamed; I couldn 't tap into my potential. I couldn 't get at the business of being me" (Hayasaki, …show more content…
Her first moment was when she won a skit with her siblings that led her to win a softball set in which she used the bat to hit and kill rats in her home. This moment helped her to become aware of how her skills could better her conditions. The second was the moment when she began to wonder and question who she was. This moment helped her realize that she can begin to better herself through her actions. Finally, the third moment was when she looked back at her life and begins to appreciate her life for what it is. This moment was a small moment of actualization for her, where her needs for the moment were completely met. During her childhood, most of her basic need where not met. Because of the rodents her safety needs were not met, and due to the unstable financial condition she faced hunger frequently. So as a child most of her actions with people and society was for fulfilling those basic deficit needs, which was accomplished when she got the plastic bat that helped to satisfy her need for safety. Due to The Hierarchy of Needs, once each set of needs are met, Davis would have a moment of changed perception where she would challenge the next