preview

Genie

Decent Essays
Open Document
In a small town near Los Angeles, a child which would become known as Genie was born to a seemingly normal family; however, there is always more than what meets the eye. Genie was born with a slight hip deformity, which resulted in her having to undergo extensive treatment as a baby. Her father believed that any physical deformity meant that his child were “defective,” and he believed that Genie was mentally retarded, resulting in his neglect towards his daughter. The man’s poor judgement and neglect of his child would be present throughout Genie’s entire upbringing. A small, dark room with a single curtained window would be all Genie would know from her birth to her teens. A single chair and a plastic toilet is all that filled her living…show more content…
While out, a Social Service agent noticed Genie. She questioned Genie’s mother and convinced them to go with her to a hospital. The hospital found that Genie was extremely malnourished, and knew under 20 words. Among the few words were mother, door, and bunny. She also knew very few phrases, some being “stop it,” and “no more.” This specifically attracted the attention of linguists and psychologists around the country, and later, the world. She constantly spat, had two sets of teeth, could not cry, could not focus beyond 12 feet, and had no sense of temperature. Her physical form was that of a rabbit, hunched over with her arms bend and hands completely limp. She could not jump, or perform any act that required extended limbs. After attracting the attention of thousands, Genie was eventually taken in by a handful of child psychologists and linguists. They came to the conclusion that, due to her constant neglect which inhibited proper development, Genie was most likely autistic. In only a matter of a few years, the psychologists and linguists had successfully taught Genie hundreds of words. Genie was a remarkable scientific and psychological breakthrough, but most importantly and most forgotten, she was a
Get Access
Related
Get Access