Key Context in DNA Flashcards
to learn AO6 - historical and social influences on a text
What are the 3 parts of Freud’s Personality Theory?
Id
Ego
Superego
What does the ID represent in Freud’s Personality Theory?
The Id represents basic instincts and what you want.
Most obviously it represents sexual and aggressive desires.
It doesn’t care about anything other than what you WANT. It just wants to be happy/satisfied.
What does the SUPEREGO represent in Freud’s Personality Theory?
The Superego is the moral part of your thoughts - it knows what is right versus what is wrong and tries to get you to make good choices. These ideas of morality are based on what society teaches you/the rules you live by.
What does the EGO represent in Freud’s Personality Theory?
The Ego is the judge that ultimately decides what you actually choose to do: it takes the demands of the ID and the moral guidance of the Superego and chooses the outcome.
What happened in the Jamie Bulger Incident?
In 1994, 2 10 year old boys kidnapped, abused and tortured a toddler, leaving him to die on the train tracks. They pretended to mourn his death and even attended his funeral and wake. The public were so horrified by the crime, they demanded the boys be tried as adults, not children.
What happened to Mariam Mustafa?
In 2018, an Egyptian girl (18) was followed onto a bus outside a busy shopping centre, by a gang of teenage girls who had been bullying her for her race. Mariam asked the driver not to let the girls chasing her on, but he did. The crowded bus watched as they kicked, beat and put her in a coma, before a man stepped in. A clear example of 1) Bystander Apathy 2) people don’t expect girls to be as violent as boys.
What is Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution?
Darwin came up with the idea that humans evolved from apes in 1858. It suggested that we have certain behaviours and instincts in common with them.
How can Darwin’s Theory of Evolution be used to explore ideas in the play?
“Chimps are evil” - Just as we don’t blame chimps for being aggressive and bullying/killing each other, many humans believe that as we evolved from apes, we too are naturally aggressive and violent.
Leah’s point is that we actually are closer in our DNA to bonobos, who have “empathy” - so if we had known we were closer to them rather than apes, we would believe ourselves to be more naturally kid and have “empathy” and love for each other.
What did John Locke say about how children are brought up?
Locke proposed the Nature vs Nurture Theory: He suggested that the way we are brought up as children (NURTURE) will determine the kind of adults we become.
How does Locke’s Nature-Nurture Theory apply to DNA?
All of the characters learn how to be relevant and powerful from the people around them - the people in the gang. They have learnt that respect and power comes from committing acts of violence and bullying others. They have separate rules to the rest of society.
Why did Kelly write the play?
There wasn’t a moral message - he was just interested in exploring the way young people often behave and why they behave this way. He wants the audience to judge for themselves how THEY should behave.
WHY do young people bully?
4 things
1) They want to have control and feel powerful over something (when they don’t have it elsewhere in their lives)
2) They want to impress their friends and look powerful or “hard”.
3) They have been bullied themselves in the past (the gang joined together because they were social misfits/vulnerable)
4) They pick on people who are different to validate themselves as being “right” and others as being “wrong”
WHAT does ex-police chief Boutcher say is preventing the police from dealing with gang violence nowadays? (2 things)
1) Financial cuts to policing means fewer police officers on the street to deal with the crimes and make good relationship with citizens.
2) Due to financial cuts in social services (such as mental health), police are required to deal with these issues rather than only doing what their job should be. (Having bad social services mean people are not being looked after and helped the way they should be)
