A Fictional Character as a Case

1) A Fictional Character as a Case
The general goal of this paper is for you to learn to apply concepts from the field of child
maltreatment to a particular case. This is not a book report, in which you review what
happened or how much you like/dislike a book. Rather, it is your job to examine critically
what is reported in the book in terms of the child abuse research you study during the
semester. Please organize your paper according to the a-f instructions below. Give your
paper an interesting title!
Step 1: Read one full novel on child abuse from the list below (please obtain permission
if youd like to substitute another). Most of these novels are available from your local
library, the UMass library, or online, used, for just a few dollars. They are all great books
and will help you connect in a visceral way with the predicaments of abused children.
Please get the book and begin reading it immediately, to get an overall sense of the
account. Most likely you will want to reread the book as you learn more about the field
of child maltreatment and begin to apply concepts you have learned to this particular
story. Some of these books are short, others are longer. If this matters to you, keep it in
mind as you make your book choice.
Step 2: Use the readings and presentations from the course to complete the sections
of the paper discussed below.
a) Identify the child: sex, ages covered in the book, cultural group, socioeconomic
status, family constellation (i.e. who is in the family), and living circumstances. If
the book discusses more than one abused/neglected child, focus on one.
b) Characteristics of maltreatment: Identify the types of maltreatment described in
the book (neglect, physical, sexual, psychological). Give specific examples.
c) Causes/risk factors for the type of maltreatment you are reading about; Discuss
the particular family and community risk factors that played a role in the
maltreatment of the child who is at the center of the novel. (For example,
isolation due to.).
d) Dynamics of the type of maltreatment you are reading about; how such
maltreatment typically progresses, and what the nature of the interaction is
between the child and the abusive or neglectful adult(s). In what ways does the
case in the book conform to what youve read about neglect, for instance? In
what ways does it differ?
e) Effects; What signs of maltreatment does the child/adult in the book show? In
what ways are these typical or not? Be specific.
f) Opportunities for intervention: What kinds of interventions are portrayed, if any?
What kinds of interventions might have been helpful here? If the child did not
receive the necessary interventions, why not? Were there opportunities for
helping people to become involved that were never taken or opportunities for
helping people to become involved earlier than they did? Discuss why those
opportunities were lost. Were there mandated reporters who failed to report? If
so, why do you think they did not do this? If helpers eventually became involved,
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discuss what factors seem to have been present that made those helpers available
and made them act.
g) Resilience: Discuss the strengths shown by the books main character that helped
him/her survive. Be specific.
h) Accuracy: In general, do you think this book accurately portrays the type(s) of
abuse discussed? Back up your assertions in the courses readings &
presentations.
i) Reference list. Give the full book citation according to APA style. Also properly
cite all the materials you used to back up your assertions as you wrote this paper
(articles, books, and presentations).
The paper should include appropriate references to the journal articles, books,
presentations that you draw on for your assertions. When identifying the types of
maltreatment, please provide a description of each, with appropriate citations from the
literature and/or textbook. You do NOT need to provide a reference every time you cite
the novel, as long as it is clear that you are citing the novel.
Step 3: Self-evaluation: Read over your paper. Use a paragraph to reflect on how well
you have performed the requirements of the paper. Suggest a) a grade for your paper and
b) a final grade for the class. You must explain why you have chosen each grade; your
instructor will seriously consider your comments!
**The book is “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison**
I’ve attached course material to be used as sources and to write the paper.

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