OwenJanes

Inpsychologyclasswevediscussedanentiresemesteraboutthestagesin
humandevelopment.WhatIvetakenawayfromtheclassisanunderstandingofthe
importanceofinfantandchildhooddevelopmentandhowitimpactstheindividual
throughoutlifespan.InthebookFindingFishaboynamedAntwoneFisher
reaccountshislifethroughhiseyesandfromcasereportswrittenabouthimgrowing
upinafosterhomeandendinginhisadultlife.Antwonefacesmanyhardshipsand
adversityinhisyounglifeandtheimpactofthefostersystemandfosterfamilycanbe
analyzedfromwhatwehavelearnedinclass.Thebookincludesmanythemeswe
discussedaswellashispersonalidentitysearch,theimpactofabuse,hisselfimage
andselfesteem,andhisresiliencebeyondanegativeenvironment.
Althoughheisraisedasaninfantawayfromhismother,thecasereportswritten
bythesocialworkersdescribeanormalupbringing.Inclasswelearnedaboutacrucial
stageindevelopmentandhowimportantthemotherandbabyrelationshipis.Breast
feedingisthebestwayforababytogetpropernourishmentandbuildanimmune
system.Themotherandbabybondingtimegivesthebabyacalmingandsafetyfeeling.
AlthoughAntwonereceivedattentionasaninfantitwasnttheoneononetimethat
normallyhappensanditseemsthatfrombirthAntwoneisatadisadvantagefromthe
beginningduetothelackofhisbiologicalmother.
ThroughoutthebookAntwoneisnaturallycuriousaboutwhomhisrealparents
areandhisidentitysearchisacommontheme.Antwonesearliestmemoriesare

growingupinhisfosterhomewithMr.andMrs.Prickett,andhecomestorealizethat
theyarenothisrealparents.Heoftendaydreamsaboutwhathisparentslooklikeand
isconstantlysearchingforthemwhentheyareoutinpublic.Heimaginesthemost
beautifulpeopleandasuccessfulfatherandsoontheywouldwanttobringAntwone
backintotheirlives.Whenhepictureshisfamilyitremindsthereaderofhisinnocence
andbeautyofachildsmind.Italsobringsforwardtheideaofhowimportantachilds
motherandfatherareandanaturalcuriosityoftheworldaroundhim.Inclasswetalked
alotaboutworkingwithchildrenfromayoungagetodeveloptheirmindsandwealso
learnedaboutlearningdisabilitiesassociatedwithnonstimulatedchildren.Thereisa
partinthebookwhereAntwonedecideshedoesntwanttogotochurchanymoreand
Mrs.Prickettletshimstayhomebyhisselfforhours.Heescapesfromtheharsh
situationbylettinghisimaginationtakehimonadventuresinhissolitude.Thelackof
attentionAntwonereceivesfromhisnegligentfosterparentsisdiscoveredwhenhe
startsschoolandseemstohavedifficultylearningandsocialinteraction.
Antwonecontinuestogrowandhisselfrealizationoftheworldaroundhim
develops.Whenhemeetshismotherandlearnsabouthisfatherhisinnocencegrows
intologicandconcreteoperationalthought.Wetalkedaboutstagesinthedevelopment
ofchildrenandIthinkAntwonereachedthisstagefasterbecauseofthematuritylevel
hewasforcedinto.AtanearlyageAntwonefacesverbalabuse,sexualabuse,afamily
membersdeath,andpeopleconstantlycominginandoutofhislife.
Mrs.PricketthasthemostimpactonAntwonefromherverbalabuseandher
favoritismtootherfosterchildren.Antwoneisconstantlybeingtoldabouthowawfulofa

personheishebeginstobelieveit.Healsolearnsabouttheunfairnessoftherealityhe
livesin.Oneexampleiswhenhegetshishalloweencandytakenawayfromhimby
Mrs.Prickett.Thereisalsoapartinthebookwhereherealizesthatbeingablackkid
hasanegativeimplicationandhewisheshewasntblack.Thewayheistreatedinthe
Pricketthouseholdalsoinfluenceshisselfesteemandselfimage.Thereareseveral
referencesinthebookwhereAntwonefindshimselfandheseeshistruevoice.In
schoolhisteacherinfluenceshimandmakeshimrealizethatheissmartandcreative.
Healsodiscoversanappreciationofartandlearning.Ahugeimpactonhislifeiswhen
hestandsupforhimselftoMrs.Prickettandshekickshimoutofthehouse.Healso
learnsthathenolongerneedstofearherandstandsupagainandsticksupforhimself
infrontofhissocialworker.
Antwonesnewfoundconfidenceisimportantwhenheishavingtoliveatthe
YMCAandlaterfindshimselfhomeless.Antwoneoftenreflectsonhischildhoodand
thereaderisabletoseetheimpacthisexperienceshasonhim.Forexamplewhenhe
isbackinhishometownandworksforhisfriendsellingthephonenumbersonthedeck
ofcards.Herealizesthathecreatingsexualabuseandprostitutionofyoungchildren
andwantsnopartinitbecausehewasavictimofsexualabuse.Thebestparthappens
whenhejoinstheNavyandagainfindshimselfgoodatwhatheputshismindtoand
discovershispassionforpoetry.
Antwonecontinueshissocialidentitysearchwhenhereachesadulthoodand
wantstoreconnectwithhisfamily.Heendsuptrackingdownhisfatherssideofthe

familyfirstandfindsapartofhimthathehadbeenlongingfor.Healsofindshismother
andhandlesthesituationdifferentlythanhowfirstapproachedthesituation.
WhatIhavelearnedinclassisthathumandevelopmentcanbeanalyzed
throughstages.Eachstageinlifebuildsuponthestagebeforeitandtheyinfluence
eachother.ReadingFindingFishwashadagoodwayoflookingatthischaracters
developmentalstages.AlthoughAntwoneexperiencedasignificantlygreaterhardship
andadversitythanmanypeopledoitshowedhoweachstageofhislifeinfluencedhim
ashegrewupandallowsthereadertorelatetothatidea.Ithinkthatanimportant
concepttogatherfromthebookisthatalthoughtherearemanyinfluencescontributing
tothejourneyinlife,apersonsownwillisthemostpowerful.AlthoughAntwonegrew
upinhisnegativeenvironmenthewasresilientbecauseofhisselfempowerment.