Course Conclusions

One theme that stuck out to me during this semester was the detrimental psychological effects of some dictatorships. Starting with the novel "The President" we were introduced to the homeless characters of Zany and the beggars at the steps of the cathedral. These characters are beaten, ridiculed, and murdered by authoritative figures working for the "President." I was struck by how affected the lower classes were by the oppressive regimes of some of the dictators we read. In "The President" the harm is manifested into deep psychological damage. Zany wanders around the streets talking to himself. Power does not just mean physical influence but psychological control as well. This theme reminded me of times in history such as the Chinese Cultural Revolution when complete populations of young people were brainwashed into betraying their families and harming their friends for a political cause. Also in "The Feast of the Goat" the damage done to the character Urania lasts for decades. It takes her years to have the courage to return to her homeland which she associates with so much pain. As a student that is concentrating in psychology, the idea that a political influence can cause psychological damage was new to me, something that would be interesting to look at from a historical perspective.