Essay on The Fifth Child - 537 Words

The Fifth Child nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The word quot;monsterquot; has many definitions. Some define it as a creature having a frightening or strange appearance. It is also defined as one that inspires horror or disgust. Ben certainly fits into all of these categories. He was different right from pregnancy. He looks extremely frightening, almost like a Neanderthal. Ben is an outcast even in an institution for quot;natures mistakes.quot; From the moment Harriet became pregnant it was apparent to her that something was obviously wrong. She loved having children and had planned on a total of eight or perhaps even ten. However, something was different this time. Early in the pregnancy, she began feeling ill. She had been keeping†¦show more content†¦48) Ben was eleven pounds at birth. None of the other children were more than seven. He was heavy-shouldered and hunched over. His forehead sloped from his eyebrows to his crown. Even his hair pattern was erratic. His hands were thick and heavy and contained pads of muscle. His piercing eyes were greeny-yellow in nature and focused on Harriet from the moment he was born. quot;Hes like a troll, or a goblin or something.quot; said Harriet. (p. 49) Ben actually resembled a Neanderthal! Although Harriet was apprehensive, David, as well as the entire family, decided it was best if they put Ben into an institution. A small black van came one morning to take Ben away. This institution was not a place that prepared children to become part of society. It was a horrific place that kept all their patients completely drugged and starved them until they eventually died. There were all types of quot;mistakesquot; here. Numerous cots engrossed the hallways containing children whose appearances were hideous at best. One child lacked the back of his skull, exposing his brain. Another was literally split in two. Amongst these terrible tragedies, Ben still managed to stick out. He was so incredibly strong that he warranted his own room, more sedatives than any other child had ever received, and had to remain in a strait jacket 24 hours a day. quot;Hes so strong—Ive never seen anything like it.quot; Said the girl at the institution. (p. 83) As you can see, Ben is no ordinaryShow MoreRelatedThe Fifth Child1351 Words   |  6 Pages The intricate complexity and astonishingly realistic descriptions of space in Doris Lessing’s The Fifth Child masterfully illuminates society’s dire inability to cope with it’s imperfection. Society demands immaculate perfection, a world free of defect, and the lust to live in a flawless utopia drives the identification and elimination of crude invalids. These desolate individuals are feared and deemed to be barbarous degenerates who must be placed beyond the boarders of functioning society to assureRead MoreThe Fifth Child By Doris Lessing2001 Words   |  9 PagesHow can a society both create and deny a monster? 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