Analysis Of ' Under The Influence ' Essay

Scott Russell Sanders’ “Under the Influence” is about a family growing up with alcoholism, mental and physical abuse. When Sanders was very young, he didn’t recognize that his father was an alcoholic, but as he grew older, he saw the bloodshot eyes, hiding alcohol, the deceptions, and the dual personalities of an alcoholic. “My father drank. He drank as a gut-punched boxer gasps for breath, as a starving dog gobbles food—compulsively, secretly, in pain and trembling.” (215). Sanders story starts at the end, where his father dies from alcoholism. The turmoil and fear this family suffered because of their father’s alcoholism, is a story a lot of families are familiar with.

After reading "Under the Influence " by Scott Russell Sanders I was able to write about certain criteria's in task three which was to identify the exact purpose/intent/objective of the essay. Also, I was able to identify what the essay should have accomplished in the reader after it has been read. Other things that I was able to identify, and state were the main idea (thesis, claim, premise) of the essay. The final thing that I was able to identify, and state were ideas related to the thesis idea, either stated, explicitly or suggested, that would help develop and support the thesis and the purpose of the essay.

Generally people associate raves(Underground Techno parties) with designer drugs like Ecstasy(MDMA), Speed(amphetamine) and other acids like LSD. These drugs are called the Techno Drugs for that reason and most of the time have uplifting and sensatory effects. To understand more clearly the relationship between the raves and these drugs, we first have to understand the philosophy behind the Techno era, and a little about the music. “Techno, can lift the spirit and become a new world of freedom and peace"(D'Vox Magazine The first electronic music Magazine). Most raves are covered with propaganda about freedom, peace, spirituality and the like. It is no surprise why teens use these specific drugs at raves. "The effects of E,

Alcoholism does not only affect a person’s physical, mental, and emotional state, but it also changes the lives of people close to the drinker forever. It ruins relationships and trust that took years to build up, and may never be able to be restored. In Jeannette Walls’s memoir, The Glass Castle, she tells the story of her childhood in which her father was an alcoholic. Jeannette’s father, Rex Walls, was brilliant and charismatic when he was sober, but when he drank, he was destructive and dishonest.

When Victor was a child his parents would drink a lot and would neglect him because they dealt with their pain by drinking. They drank because they were drinking away the problems caused by the generational trauma they and the generation before them had to endure. For example, during the New Year's party, everyone got drunk, even Victor's parents, left Victor by himself. Victor’s father and mother drank more

Having a father who treats coming home drunk as a hobby, can only cause a childhood stained with tears and trauma,which is exactly what Rex Walls caused for his children. Deprived of well-deserved euphoric memories, whenever they're asked to reflect on their younger years memories of countless disappointments will flood their minds. Rex Walls’s alcoholism disqualified him from being an actual father figure, instead he would be described as an unreliable, irresponsible, and reckless man. He constantly forgot that his actions had consequences and that he had children, who needed him the most at their young ages, to raise. Alcohol was the root of all this; it was the catalyst for the Walls children's disturbing childhood. Overall, alcoholism is an addiction that should be avoided out of all the negative repercussions it can cause. There is no doubt that Rex Walls was a very intelligent man with great potential to be successful and properly support his family. But he loosened his grip on the wheel of self-control, and let alcohol take over, the vehicle was lead off the road and wasn't able to find itself

Sanders couldn’t bear for anyone to know, “the secret bores under the skin, gets in the blood, into the bone, and stays there”. Pg62 They grew up near a military reservation in Ohio where they stored an arsenal of bombs. Sanders that that when they were children the felt like they were living in a mine field, where “a heedless footfall could trigger an explosion, when father was drinking, the house, too, became a mine field. The more he drank, the more obsessed mother became with stopping him”. Pg. 63 When you are in a home with an alcoholic you are walking on eggshells, you have no idea what is going to set them. One day Sanders father got sick and almost died. The doctors told him that if he did not stop drinking that he would die. Once his father heard those words he stopped drinking. Over the next fifteen years his father was sober, he was pleasant to be around. He was funny, loving, he became an active member of the family

In the story Under the Influence by Joyce Maynard there are three main characters so far Ava, Helen, and Swift. The story begins with Helen, who is the main character, she is lost at the beginning of the story and she has a son name Ollie who she is separated from and an ex husband. Ava is Hellens friend who she meets at work and becomes her close friend and advisor. Swift is Ava’s husband who is described as a romantic husband.

Achieving sobriety is the ultimate goal for all patients recovering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol. However, the road to long-term sobriety can be long and challenging. That’s why it’s important to understand the benefits of getting sober. When roadblocks appear on the road to recovery, it can be helpful to remember what you’re gaining by giving up alcohol and/or drugs.

David Sedaris’ emotions, as a child, were greatly harmed by his mother’s alcohol use. Children, more than anyone are subject to their emotions. Children can be laughing one minute, and crying hysterically the next. The fragility of children’s emotions are augmented when they have an alcoholic parent. For starters, children born to alcoholic parents are much more likely to develop attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and child psychopathology (Reich,

Abraham has a problem with alcohol. He started drinking his father’s whiskey when he was 12 and had difficulties attending school. Abraham’s family all like to have a drink and at family parties they tend drink to excess. Abraham says that drinking makes him feel like a “big man”, without a drink Abraham is quiet and unhappy. Abraham is unemployed and he spends most of his benefits money on cheap alcohol.

Alcoholism is perhaps the most common form of drug abuse in North America today. Scientists report that the reason alcohol is so popular to people is because it is pleasant, relaxing, and is considered a "social beverage." But what individuals often do not take in to consideration is the fact that alcohol dulls the brain and confuses physical reactions. This can lead to numerous injuries, accidents, and death. Alcohol affects every part of an alcoholic's life: their body, their mind and their family life. The body has a natural chemical that gives a feeling of a "natural high". It happens in the presence of a life-endangering situation. This chemical is adrenaline, which is meant to prepare the body for defense in

He states that he has recently been laid off and his wife is having difficulty with his drinking lately. At the present time, he works as a day laborer for Labor Ready, from 7a.m until 7p.m, after being laid off as a machinist. His wife works as a housekeeper and takes care of the household. Mr. Olivares works a lot of overtime and states that his drinking is his reward for the long hours and taking care of his family. He stated that his father drank and his parents argued about money, but there was no violence in his home as a child. We conducted an interview to assess his family history and the family history of his wife.

“Mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy?” a child asks as he witnesses his father stumbling across the living room screaming while the mother nags him about coming home drunk again. “Is Daddy going to come watch me play?” the same child asks about his first baseball game while his father is at the bar mid-day. “I haven’t ever been close to my own father” he tells his girlfriend when asked about his family. “I don’t expect my father to come to my graduation, if he does, he’ll be wasted” he half-jokingly says to his friends as they talk about how excited they are about finally getting out of high school. During his first week of college, when asked if he was enjoying the stay away from home, he explains to his newfound friends that it’s far better than being home with his “deadbeat father.” While there are many children who experience this, the impacts of an alcohol abusing parent is often overlooked and assumed that it only impacts the child in their early years.

As he grows up, the truth comes out and he realizes that his father being an alcoholic is not his fault. Sanders understands the his Dad’s problem was not his problem to deal with. It was something that had taken over his father long before he could ever stop or take blame. He learns from this. He learns that this is not the way to live someone’s life, so he promises himself that he will not be like his father. He makes sure that he will never suffer the fate that killed his father.