Abnormal Psychology: Antwone Fisher
The Antwone Fisher is a movie that offers a narrative of one of the characters struggling with his past. The movie features the name of the main character, Antwone Fisher. He serves as a Navy petty officer and exhibits challenges getting over his past. The killing of his father before his birth and abandonment by her mother are seen as having adverse impacts on his life. Moreover, Antwone Fisher is Brough up in an abusive environment by Ms. Tate and Reverend Tate. After having an argument with Ms. Tate, the foster parents push Antwone Fisher to the streets. The event subjects him to a life of homelessness and problems. Nonetheless, he later joins the navy. While in the ship, Antwone Fisher engages in a confrontation with other crew members.
Consequently, he is sent to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Davenport. However, the first session with the doctor does not start as he fails to talk about his condition. After some period, the two develop close ties and working relationships, and Antwone Fisher opens up about his condition. The first scene of the movie presents the main character reflecting on his early years as a boy. He is standing in solitude in a ban (Searight et al. 2014). A man takes his hand and leads him inside the ban where there is a table of food. Before starting to eat, gunshots and the sounds of a cow disrupt him. The part is of great importance in understanding the issues facing the character. While sitting at the table, he is sounded by all his ancestors. The part signifies that Antwone Fisher yearns to have a sense of belonging and acceptance. On the other hand, taking the lead position in the table points that he wish to feel proud of his family.
However, the lack of familial upbringing creates a feeling of shame. There are many recollections that offer the views a glimpse of Antwone Fisher’s life. After waking up, he progresses to the bathroom where he washes his face. While wiping his face, a Caucasian asks Antwone Fisher “is there something on your face?” While the question is not offensive, Antwone Fisher becomes violent and punches and chocks the shipmate. The incidence is one of the indications that the main character has mental problems. It is central to understand the factors that drive the anger and its link to different mental conditions.
During some of the visits to Dr. Davenport, Antwone Fisher recounts some of the past abuses and neglection. Despite her release from prison, her mother fails to come to claim him from Mr. and Mrs. Tale. Antwone Fisher explains that the event is hard to bear and has adverse implications on his life. During the second session with the Doctor, he highlights instances where Mrs. Tale would psychologically abuse him. Mrs. Tale often made racial remarks that are derogatory to him. The events point that the main character suffers from the lack of affection from his parents and family (Searight et al. 2014). There are chances that he is suffering from dispersion due to the persistent stress. In a typical setting, children are availed with support and security from the parents. Antwone Fisher explains that his best moments as the times when Mrs. Tale would prepare pancakes.
These movements are a representation of the times that Antwone Fisher felt free from the depression and the cruel world. However, these moments are rare. In the events that led to him being kicked out of the house, he had taken the shoe that Mrs. Tale often used to beat him. During these moments, Antwone Fisher feels a sense of pride and control. It creates the impression that since his birth, he did not have control over his life. The lack of freedom and the depressing moments are the trigger factors to the mental condition. Moreover, as time progresses, the session changes into a father/ son moment. The doctor makes the discoing to cross the patient/ therapist boundary.
It is a conscious move by Dr. Davenport as it serves to give Antwone Fisher a sense of belonging. Although the therapist makes efforts to change the patent’s behavior, he is engaged in another fight whole on liberty (Searight et al. 2014). After enquiring the trigger factors of the incidences, Antwone Fisher reveals of past sexual harassment by a babysitter. The incidence points that Fisher has points that create dissonance with his only reaction being violence. Nonetheless, the trigger factors stem from his past and mental condition. His past increases the vulnerability to anger and creates a feeling of shame. It is thus critical to focus on the past events as this would allow for healing.
The abandonment by his parents, the racial discrimination and sexual abuses are some of the incidences that darken his past. He also lacks a family structure which would serve his support. Anything that reminds him of the past causes a confrontation with other people. It implies that he is ashamed of the past. Although the doctor pushes Antwone Fisher to find his parents, Fisher is of the idea that he only required the doctor. Although the doctor breaks the news that the session will not continue anymore, Fisher is not aggressive (Macfarlane, 2004). Rather than being violent, he recounts the events that led to the killing of his best friend Jesses.
After some time, Antwone Fisher is able to locate his family and wants to show his mother the man he had become (Fisher, 2003). He later retrains to the ship and informs the doctor that he had met his family members. The story is about self-determination and mental conditions that may impact on one life. In this case, Antwone Fisher suffers from depression due to the prolonged stress. During his early years, he had undergone many ordeals. The lack of a family stricture implies that he was venerable to discrimination and other harassments. After finding his family and having a sense of belonging, Antwone Fisher reduces the aggressive episodes. On the contrary, he engages in meaningful activities.
The counseling services with the doctor provide an avenue where Fisher can share envies that troubles. By recollecting the events in the past and locating his parents, he undergoes some healing. The mental condition, in this case, is triggered by environmental factors. As the environment changes and Fisher gets love and reassurance from his family, the mental condition begins to fade. The prevalence of the condition among many people is tied to the inadequacy of support services. Fisher case points that access to quality and regular counseling services can change one’s life. Mental condition subjects patients to a low quality of life and lower the productivity levels. The movie indicates that Fisher has issues getting along with other shipmates thus complicating teamwork and productivity.
Mental conditions such as depression come with many dangers. Fisher has violent episodes which put his life and those of the shipmates to danger. There is the risk of self-harm and constant conflict. However, there are many ways of resolving mental conditions and reducing the occurrence of violent episodes. Therapy is thus an ideal way of coping with the condition. It allows the affected persons to undergo gradual healing. I would still propose counseling services from a therapist. While there is medication to deal with the episodes, counseling is more effective. My argument is based on the fact that such sessions allow for the understanding of the trigger factors as opposed to the episodes. There is thus an increased chance of permanent healing and attaining an improved quality of life.
References
Fisher, Antwone Quenton, and Denzel Washington. Antwone Fisher. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2003.
Macfarlane, S. (2004). Antwone Fisher: how dangerous is ‘dr Wonderful’. Australasian Psychiatry, 12(2), 176-178.
Searight, H. R., & Saunders, D. (2014). Teaching Psychology through Popular Film: A Curriculum. International J. Soc. Sci. & Education, 4(4).
