Precious Book Report

Clariecce Precious Jones, who simply goes by as Precious, is from Harlem, New York. She is the only child of Mary Johnson and Carl Jones. Precious lives in poverty, and suffers from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from her parents. She also has two children by her father, and contacted HIV. Her first child has Down syndrome and lives with her grandmother, and her second child lives with her. Recently, Precious left her mother’s house, and is currently staying in a halfway until she is able to find permanent housing.

When a person is abusing a child, he/she does not think about the effects. When people are mistreating a child, they will be in the moment and not thinking of what they are doing. If an individual chronically abuses his/her child, he is not thinking about the effects the abuse has on his child. There are various long and short term effects of child abuse. Unfortunately, these short-term effects of child abuse are not the most frightening; most abused children do not have lasting physical effects. Other than some bruises and social withdrawal, short term effects are not clear. If asked about bruises, children will make up a lie to protect their abuser (Friedman). The effects of being abused as a child continue into adulthood and create the long term effects. The disturbing part is that abused children will most likely grow up to be troubled adolescents and adults who may even abuse their own children.

Claireece who identify herself as Precious is a 16-year-old African American female who is the only child of her parents. Precious was raised in a dysfunctional family that is built on violence, aggression and abuse. Precious suffers from emotional, psychological, sexual and physical abuse from her family and is forced to take the parental responsibilities at home. Precious was sexually molested by her father at age three (3) as a result of incest, she conceived two children and

Abuse can come in many different forms such as verbal, physical, and sexual. Each of these can affect a person differently, and sadly even become hereditary. A factor that causes abuse to be so lethal is that the majority of the time it is directed towards children. At a young age, the brain is extremely impressionable and that is why something like verbal abuse can cause so much damage. “Parents who tell their children that they are dumb, bad, etc., raise children who think they are dumb or bad and act as

Being abused can also leave the child feeling worthless and with low self-esteem, this can then lead to the child feeling depressed which can possibly lead to self-harming.

Physical abuse plays a huge role in this film. I am so thankful that sexual abuse has never played a role in my life. The toll it took on this young girl is so heartbreaking. I could not bear having to be afraid to come home every day wondering if my father is there waiting to hurt me. A father is someone who every little girl and young lady should be excited to see when coming home. With everything she has had to experience because of that disgusting man, she also learns that she has caught aids from him. I’m not sure what's worse, the fact that precious is a 16-year-old young girl who is sexually abused by her father and winds up with AIDS and pregnant, or the fact that for the rest of life, she will have to keep such a secret from her daughter.

You Cannot Spell Harlem, Without Harm In Push by Sapphire, Sapphire demonstrates how broken the government systems are for the minority community in Harlem. Sapphire accomplishes this by showing that there is an abusive relationship present among several characters on the poverty line and the government systems in Harlem, which are set in place to help the less fortune. All of the characters are struggling whether it be financially or academically. Through Mary Jones, Claireece “Precious” Jones, and Rhonda Patrice Johnston, Sapphire shows that these main characters have an abusive relationship with governmental systems.

In 1987, by the age of 16, Claireece Precious Jones had already endured inconceivable adversities in her young life. “Precious,” as she was called, lived with her dysfunctional, abusive, unemployed mother, Mary, in the New York City ghetto of Harlem. Mary and Precious resided in a Section 8 tenement where they survived on welfare. After being repetitively sexually abused by her own biological father, Carl, Precious became pregnant with her second child at 16 years old. Precious’ grandmother cared for her first child, Mongo, although Mary forced the family to pretend that the child lived with her and Precious so that she could receive additional funds from the government. After Precious’ pregnancy was discovered, she was forced out of the public school where she had been able to hide her illiteracy, and began attending an alternative school called “Each One Teach One.” It was at the alternative school that Precious encountered her first supportive community, as she built friendships with the other females in her GED class, as well as with her teacher, Blu Rain.

When a child experiences emotional abuse, the wounds run skin deep. Kids who suffer repeated trauma feel lonely, scared, worthless and unloved, which is exactly the opposite of how children should feel. Abused children often become broken, hollow and bitter, with mental consequences that last long after the physical wounds have healed. The emotional stress it puts on children is tremendous.

Preciouses being a woman has, had a major impact in her life. Precious, was raped by her father multiple times and she, does get pregnant by him. Even though Preciouses abuse started when she was just a small child no one cared nor took the time to see what was happening in her life, like most rape

Child abuse should not happen. Any kid should never go through this. People have noticed that if the child that was abused does not seek help and counselling they could turn out the same way. their beatings could become more brutal. They could get addicted to the same things their parents did. As the child grows older they will have scars. Not only physically but, mentally. The child could possibly be immune to the beating and as they grow older the could fall into a abusive relationship and think its okay. Therefore the parents that abused should be in jail maybe even prison for life.

In my opinion, I think that parents that abused their children should serve time in prison for their behavior. I don’t think that any child deserves to be abused in any way shape or form. A child be abused can have long term effects on an individual. Also, I think that the child should be taken into social services to prevent the abuse from continuing. Child abuse usually starts with the parents. The reason is because many parents that abuse their children have been victims of abuse as well. In my opinion, I think that both physical and psychological abuse are terrible. Both types of abuse can cause long and short term effects on a child’s life. These long term affects can range from depression to low self-esteem. In addition, some consequences

Based on my limited knowledge of pedology, I believe that both physical and mental abuse impede proper growth and development in children. For example, hitting children, in any way shape or form, leaves lasting physiological trauma and is not conducive to healthy mental growth. The same can be said for insulting, isolating and generally verbally abusing children. Undeniably, children both deserve and need love and respect to achieve maturation in a healthy way.

The motion picture ‘Precious’ gives us a powerful experience, mainly because the story line has a thin hopefulness in the dark-clouded life of Precious, Precious is resilient, even though her tragic life influences her personality greatly.

Precious has dealt with a lot of abuse, and continues to struggle with the effects of that abuse throughout the story. Her father and mother both sexually abused her. She was impregnated by her father at twelve years old, and again at sixteen years old. She is sixteen while in ninth grade because of being held back. While giving birth to her first baby a nurse tells her to “Push”. She remembers this and uses “Push” as a way to get through her struggles and to not give up when the going gets tough. She continuously has to “Push” through her problems and the things holding her back. When she wants to give up, she remembers to tell herself to “Push” and it keeps her fighting.