WRT 105 course, “Feeling Good: Empathy and Ethics” mainly focused on many aspects of how empathy affected society and the way of living for human beings. One of the occasions were discussing empathy that was portrayed in the movie, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In the movie, the main character’s daughter Scout shows empathy of a child and how adults have affected her throughout the time her lifetime. The novel-based film also described how child abuse affected the lack of empathy in Mayella Ewell, someone who claimed victimization from a black male and how that male, as a person from a background solely depended upon others’ segregation and discrimination, but a decently loving family could empathize with another person (Mayella). The man, Robinson, and Mayella both went through mentally challenging experiences, but one could empathize “better” than the other. The film also portrayed how ethics of different time periods and regions could affect decisions of the people no matter what the truth was presented.
A topic that could be generally derived from the film’s idea of empathy, in particular, is related to what every character has in common: trauma and complexes from their surroundings and home environments. Considering the fact that most human beings go through an event that creates a complex in their brains, or in critical situations, trauma, a curiosity in how they respond to their surroundings differs in individuals in a population- based on how they were raised or their cultures/ traditions: Why does childhood trauma lead to social and emotional effect in how they treat others, as adults?
From what is observed from daily lives of people, it seems that people who have gone through traumatic experiences cope with hardship in two different ways. In theory, one group of people take a positive route and uses empathy to help others in need as a part of their coping mechanism while the other group focuses on the negative side, which leads them to isolate themselves from society or leads them to believe that others deserve to go through the same things they go through as well, which is also the use of empathy. Through research, definite neurobiological reasons of why humans react a certain way to childhood trauma such as child abuse or disaster will be found to support the argument that humans act a certain way because of different chemical products that can affect the frontal lobes of the brain, which is responsible for decision making and emotion generation.

Possible Resources::

Aprawong, T. Em, Meeske, Kathleen A., Milam, Joel E., Oland, Alyssa, and Ruccione, Kathleen. “Post-Traumatic Growth Among An Ethnically Diverse Sample of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors.” Psycho-Oncology, vol.22, Issue 10, Oct. 2013, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pon.3286/abstract. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

Blue, Laura. “Childhood Trauma Leaves Legacy of Brain Changes.” Time, 16 Jan. 2013, http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/16/childhood-trauma-leaves-legacy-of-brain-changes/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

Brock, D., Cassell, W A., Dubey, B L, Maureen, C., and Tyrone, C. “SIS Symbols of PTSD and the Need for Empathy in Therapy.” Psychology and Mental Health, vol. , Issue 1, Jan. 2015, https://search.proquest.com/docview/1677218250?pq-origsite=summon. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

Dziobek, Isabel, Heekeren, Hauke R., Preibler, Sandra, and Roepke, Stefan. “Social Cognition in Borderline Personality Disorder” Frontiers in Neuroscience, 195, 4 Jan. 2014, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

Klein, Ehud, Palgi, Sharon, and Sharmay-Tsoory, Simone. “The Role of Oxytocin in Empathy in PTSD.” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, vol. 9, Issue 1, Jan. 2017, https://search.proquest.com/docview/1792775903?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=13567. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

Knox, Jean. “’Feeling for’ and ‘Feeling With’: Developmental and Neuroscientific Perspectives on Intersubjectivity and Empathy.” PubMed MEDLINE, vol. 58, Issue 4, Sep. 2013, http://rochester.summon.serialssolutions.com/search?s.q=Neuroscience+trauma&submit=+&spellcheck=true&keep_r=true#!/search/document?ho=t&fvf=IsScholarly,true,f&l=en&q=Neuroscience%20trauma%20empathy&id=FETCHMERGED-LOGICAL-c1579-49d0846c6071ef67f8bea499e55ab9f56099b6361c96dfec32f1bfa839d273952. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

LeDoux, Joseph, and Yehuda, Rachel. “Response Variation Following Trauma: A Translational Neuroscience Approach to Understanding PTSD.” Neuron Cell Press, vol. 56, Issue 1, Oct. 2007, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627307007040. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

Smith, Adam Jeremy. “What is the Relationship Between Stress and Empathy?.” Greater Good Magazine, 13 Aug. 2015, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_is_the_relationship_between_stress_and_empathy. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

Szalavitz, Maia. “How Disasters and Trauma Can Affect Children’s Empathy.” Time, 22 Jan. 2013, http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/22/how-disasters-and-trauma-can-affect-childrens-empathy/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2017.

The podcast, “The Problem with the Solution,” explains the issue of men always having had been looking for problems to solve within their communities and among themselves. From trying to solve issues that were as simple as fixing clogged up drains to mental illnesses of fellow beings, people always used each other’s knowledge and intelligence to make oneself comfortable and their surroundings, expedient. Ellen Baxter explains her journey of finding the truth in problem-solving. Baxter wanted to know the goodness of mental hospitals and how she could make the system better for the recovery of the patients. During her research, she discovered a place in Belgium, Geel. In Geel, a system of foster care is present to host “boarders,” strangers who are or were diagnosed with a mental illness throughout their lifetime. Boarders were placed in homes and they were left to do anything they wished to do, anything that their brains signaled them to do. This tradition of hosting boarders have given less stress to the host and the mental patients because the problem was not addressed and there was no form of normality to being a human.
A question, “To what extent are emotions the key catalysts to problems?” was derived from this reading. In order to support the answers to this question, two readings were found: “What is a Problem?” and “Norms for Experiencing Emotions in Different Cultures: Inter- and Intranational Differences.”
Thomas Osborne describes the possible origins of a problem in his article, “What is a Problem?”. Osborne explains Bergson’s theory of problems, which state that the problems occur the same path as science. Problems were caused by the priorities that humans made for what was visible to them in certain situations that had not occurred before. Evolution happened due to organisms being involved in the necessity to solve problems, which made humans want to fix some things that went against science and nature. According to Osborne’s summary of Bergson, local solutions to an issue was given and history had to repeat itself in order for other generations to solve similar problems. It was certain types of “humanism” because animals doubted themselves to form new ways of living. However, Canguilhem, in contrast, believed that when disorders were analyzed, there were no problems to be found. There was no disorder in general. Problems led to being philosophical, phenomena, but proved to be nothing but concepts. To him, normality was having an “open end” for solutions to adapt, an “ethical injunction, not an outlook.” A solution is an “ethical injunction” because without, freedom has a possibility to lead to corruption, thus becoming anything authority demands. Freedom was made to keep an order, which is for the people to decide from science, ethics, and morals, which are flowing the same direction. Enlightenment led to a belief in liberalism, which states that endless work of freedom should be favored instead of assimilation.
Eid and Diener explain the cultural norms of those that follow the “cultural syndrome,” which states that individuals “[share the same sets of beliefs], attitudes, norms, values, and behavior organized around a central theme and found among speakers of one language, in one time period, and in one geographic region.” An experiment was done to find the social norms and expectations that could affect a long/ short term goals of individuals and how their emotions related to each other. Independent cultures tend to focus on their self-emotions and did not react to their surroundings very well. However, interdependent cultures depended on each other to feel emotions, for example, in events. An individual does not feel the positivity of the event, it is the positive evaluation of their surroundings that allows them to feel certain emotions. The participants’ cell signals were measured and pride was the most relevant source of being in a group though it was the most undesirable component of emotion as a whole. Emotions were different based on different cultures and traditions, which meant that some were more conforming/ individual than the other. People distinguished between “undesirable” and “inappropriate.” In China, guilt was almost 1, while it varied in other regions of the world. Normality in different regions showed the importance of communication.

Works Cited:

Diener, Ed, and Eid, Michael. “Norms for Experiencing Emotions in Different Cultures: Inter- and Intranational Differences.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 81, Iss. 5, 2001, https://search.proquest.com/docview/614418486/fulltextPDF/1580EAAA36CD437FPQ/1?accountid=13567. Accessed 23 October 2017.

Osborne, Thomas. “What is a Problem?” Sage Journals, 2003, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0952695103164001. Accessed 23 October 2017.

In the podcast, “The Problem with the Solution,” men’s ways to have tried to solve mental illnesses or any types of problems- were discussed. It is in the human nature to want to give a solution to a certain “problem” that arises. However, concerning the mental illnesses of human beings, it is not possible to create the most healthy solution for each other, for those that have a mental illness. There, a woman who saw the problem in a common solution to treat mental illness, Ellen Baxter, researched to find the solution to the solution of the original problem. She learned that in Geel, Belgium, villagers had a foster care system for mental patients, which the “cure” was to help the patients embrace their mental illnesses and habits that most people wanted to “fix.” This only seemed to have worked for non-family members because the foster families did not care to “fix” their boarders (those who were getting foster care) as much as they would have for their family members. The level of “care” and being able to accept each other’s differences was what helped the patients in Geel find a more stable mental state.
The miracle from Baxter’s experiences, the “cure” of having no solution to one’s mental illness brought a solution and a wonder to why human beings need to feel satisfied only when there is a solution to everything. When Baxter worked out a false diagnosis to live in a mental hospital, there was order, but not a solution or an answer to solve the problems of the patients. In Geel, boarders were welcome “as they were” and they felt much more balanced since they did not drown their systems with medication. This was a better “solution”- not having a solution.
As seen through the podcast and Baxter’s research and her effort to put people together in New York City despite their mental states, providing affordable housing for those who desperately need it, it is clear that mental illnesses should not be a bother to each other if the reasons are selfish to those that were not diagnosed a certain mental illness. The solution should be about making the “diagnosed” better, not to satisfy those that live around them. The “want” to satisfy those that were medically “sane” made the problem bigger and did not give the “insane” the chance to take time for themselves or for their brains and bodies to rest.
The solution to mental illnesses is to stop being “nosy” and to accept and love each other’s differences rather than judging that something is wrong. That is why the bigger issue becomes the fact that there are no solutions to anything because everything can be considered a problem in the human society.

Works Cited:

“The Problem with the Solution.” Audio blog post. Invisibilia. NPR, 1 July 2016.

Carla Brigance, the wife of a defense attorney from the film, A Time to Kill, invokes empathy towards the viewers as she tries to keep her marriage from failing. Carla’s husband, Jake Brigance was defending a black male who committed murder, an action caused by the rape of the defendant’s daughter in a very unfair and white-dominated state from the 1980’s.
Though the Brigance family was white, those that were angry that a black male was able to receive support even if he killed two white men were almost offended, which triggered the active rise of the Ku Klux Klan (ATTK, 49:00-50:25).
Hannah Brigance, the daughter of the couple, was also bullied at school, being called a “nigger lover” (ATTK, 51:20- 51:26). Without concerning the race of Hanna Brigance, the viewers were able to empathize with what Jake would have felt when he heard that his daughter was being bullied at school (and how Carla would have felt seeing Hannah “bawling” and telling Jake about the situation).

The guilt and the sadness of purity and innocence were absorbed by the viewers, especially if the viewers were parents (or could deeply empathize with parents). Her mother Carla, was very worried about her family as a whole and decided to stay at her parents’ home for a while. Her actions and hardship from their property frequently set to fire, arguments with her husband, and others getting negatively influenced by the trials; her tears and sweat appealed and were able to influence the viewers to feel real empathy for her family (ATTK, 50:48-51:30).
Carla’s emotions and facial expressions throughout the film fully showed her stress from the negative and positive effects the trial was given to her family. Real empathy was felt when Carla came back to her husband a night before the hearing took place and truly showed understanding towards him. Her anger was gone and she had love to finally put herself in Jake’s perspective, why he initially decided to take the case and why he did not try to stop the murders (ATTK, 2:06:43-2:08:25).
In the beginning of the film when the family started going through financial difficulties and hardship that others were causing them, Carla interpreted her husband as a mercenary man who took this case for his reputation. However, as she separated from her husband and had time to herself, Jake’s hard work and effort to win the case showed enough real empathy to convince Carla to come back to him with faith and trust. His responsibility in the case, even with their house burnt, led her to perceive that he was still involved in the case because he truly felt empathy for Carl Lee and his victimized daughter, Tonya. When Carla visited Jake in his office a night prior to Carl Lee’s final hearing, she manifested real empathy as she said, “you were trying to make things right, I know that now. I thought you took this case because you wanted to prove to everybody what a big-time lawyer you were, but I was wrong. You took this case because if those boys had hurt Hannah the way they hurt Tonya… You would have killed them yourself. I love you, Jake” (ATTK, 2:06:43-2:08:25).
Her statement touched the hearts of those that were viewing as well as her husband’s as he finally found someone who understood him more than he could imagine. Carla’s representation and assimilation to empathy were iconic and heartwarming. Carla is symbolic towards the guilt that many people will be able to feel if they focused on work instead of their families. The empathy from Carla leads the viewers to understand that there needs to be a good balance between work and family and that communication is important since humans, all make mistakes, especially when they are stressed.

Works Cited:

A Time to Kill.  Joel Schumacher. Regency Enterprises, Warner Bros, 1996. Swank Motion Pictures. Web. 20 Sept 2017.

Gentlemen, let us ponder if today is a day to discuss abuse or rape, considering that “rape” is a one-time act and “abuse” is continuous. It is clear that Mayella Ewell was beaten by someone who used both hands and led with his left (TKAM 1:19:44-1:20:21). These false “rape” allegations were made to a man who could not, and will never be able to use his left hands from an accidental disability. It is clear that Mayella Ewell and her father showed anger and disgust towards Tom Robinson, as a person… Or should I address him as a black person… Rather than to fear and show hatred towards his alleged behaviors. Let us ponder how she reacts in front of her father, if she makes eye contact, if she is able to act as confident as she looks in front of Tom Robinson (TKAM 1:08:47-1:08:53, 1:11:49-1:11:53, 1:15:33-1:15:35, 1:20:23-1:20:25, 1:23:16-1:23:17, 1:26:10-1:26:17). According to what we heard from the Sherriff, there were no reports made to the medical authorities, making it hard to examine the cause and the effect of the “rape” itself (TKAM 1:09:20-1:11:48). All there is to it are the declarations of Mayella’s injuries from the Sherriff and Ewell, and Tom being near her at the moment (TKAM 1:09:20-1:11:48, 1:12:07-1:15:30, 1:15:42-1:19:44, 1:20:21-1:22:03). Based on Ewell’s previous work history and how he became cut from his work, confines his credibility to be trusted in our community.
Being raised in the societal code of segregation and superiority, if a black male commits a terrible crime against a white community, it is obvious to assume that not only a Sheriff would be involved, even from the very beginning of a case (TKAM 1:09:20-1:11:48).
Ewell’s pride in being who he is and how he deals with his fellow men and the confusion of his family should have all been accounted in initiating the case to save a great deal of time. The publicity of this case was not what the officials should have considered in the first place. At least as a rape case where Tom Robinson is the defendant (TKAM 1:12:07-1:15:30).
Mayella Ewell wanted and needed to feel empowered. She is a victim of society, who is thirsty for independence and freedom from injustice she assimilates from her own home and in the society. Assimilates, because she is absorbing everything she is understanding from her surroundings, where she grew up and how her people react to certain things, their beliefs and behaviors (TKAM 1:15:42-1:19:44, 1:20:21-1:22:03).
A young girl of 19, who deserves to be living a life of her own, is at home tending for the children who her mother did not bear, but are related to herself and her father (TKAM 1:26:03-1:26:36). Let us question the morality and societal beliefs that can be created from the petitioners.
She had never experienced “love” as we give to our children or our family members. She had never experienced the art of giving and caring for one another. No one explained to her the concept of morality and guilt. She was on her own to figure out what she had been feeling, how she had been living all her life (TKAM 1:15:42-1:19:44, 1:20:21-1:22:03). Her anger and confusion were let out to Tom Robinson, who was a great example of ethics and sympathy– who felt “sorry” for her (TKAM 1:30:36-1:31:02).
We cannot keep confusing ourselves and keep being ignorant towards what is very noticeable. While we worry about other people having inequalities or injustices, we should be worrying about what is going on in our own homes, especially in our own minds. What is slowing us down is the hatred and the “wants” and constant needs of power and the addiction towards coveting for others’ ability to stay enthusiastic and optimistic.
Can only “taking advantage” be a good phrase to prove someone guilty of such crime (TKAM 1:20:21-1:22:03)? I encourage you to think and to believe Tom Robinson (TKAM 1:32:03-1:38:53, 1:23:19-1:31:38). To believe in global citizenship and to see the truth in our own nation’s history. Let us all create a sustainable environment and improving surroundings for our future generations. End the chain of hatred and ignorance. Of where the laws of this land came from, there is equality where injustice lies and vice versa. Righteousness should be thought of, first, before “power,” which controls “justice” takes over our sincere desires. Let us separate our homes from the law.
“The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (TKAM 1:32:03-1:38:53).

Works Cited:

To Kill a Mockingbird.  Robert Mulligan. Pakula-Mulligan, Brentwood Productions Pictures, 1962. Swank Motion Pictures. Web. 13 Sept 2017.