Third+Period-+Question+1

=** Group Members: Neel Patel, Elizabeth Marshall, Rachel Horton, Christian Lombardi **= =**QUESTION #1**= **To what extent does the average adolescent reveal his or her true emotions and thoughts to the people around him or her?**

__Elizabeth Marshall__  The average adolescent is at a precarious time in their life. Part of the "growing up" process that most teenagers experience is how to deal with their emotions. Most of the time this refers to teenagers learning how to conceal their emotions and thoughts from others, adults and fellow adolescents alike. In addition, teenagers learn how to compartmentalize their emotions so they don’t spill into other parts of their life. Thus adolescents learn the art of keeping secrets and deceit. Whether healthy or not, it is a way for teenagers to exhibit independence. If an adolescent is the only one who knows the truth, then they are in the driver's seat and can direct where to next. However, teenagers, despite learning how to conceal and deceive, often use adolescence as a period of greater expression. We teenagers become more forthright with our thoughts and opinions on things, and hierarchy is more or less ignored. Recall how often you remember a teenager arguing with not just students but teachers on issues they feel passionate about. The major problem in answering this question, however, is the use of the word "average". Adolescence is a period of change between childhood and adulthood, and as people are unique so is their pattern of progression. To attempt to construct an "average" teenage model is next to impossible, because we all mature at different times and in different ways. So for every teenager that fits the above statement, another will take decades to progress to such a point. Some never even get there.

__Rachel Horton__ The transition from childhood to adulthood emotionally creates a difficult challenge. As a child becomes an adolescent, a natural reaction is to become more independent, and to have a desire for freedom. And as a young teenager, breaking away from a comfort zone is crucial, but this can create issues. Adolescents are undergoing many chemical changes and aren't going to always understand their new level of emotions fully. Guidance is especially needed during this time in a teens life, but an issue is the teenager being open to receiving this guidance. Many adolescents in the beginning of teenage years feel the need to do everything on their own, because often, the desire to mirror adulthood is overwhelming therefore the help of others tends to be shunned. Though as adolescents age, the welcoming of guidance is more prone, but the extent to which the guidance goes is limited. Many teenagers seem to find someone who understands what they're going through. Usually this tends to be a parent or peer who an adolescent feels they can confide in.

As teens, people do tend to reveal things about themselves. They openly talk of problems that they have, as well as question how they are seen. Adolescents generally seek identity and try to find their place in the world around them. They reveal more to themselves, though, than to the people around them. Renowned psychologist, Erik Erikson, theorized the social development of humans from birth until death. His stages of psychosocial development put an emphasis on the adolescent years. He named this the period of “identity vs. role confusion.” Teens try to understand how they appear to others, and they place stress on this idea (identity). They want to settle in and become comfortable in what they do. Along with this, teens at this age ponder what they would do for the rest of their lives, as well as how they would fit into society (role confusion). These struggles in the adolescent stage of humans show that teenagers reveal much about themselves because they are trying to find who they are. They are searching for how they will become a part of society. While it doesn’t seem like teens vent or flood all of their emotions during this stage, they certainly expose their ideas. Adolescence is the time where people begin to gain the identities that they will have for the rest of their lives. Because of this, they reveal a considerable deal about themselves.
 * Neel Patel**

I would generally agree with Neel, saying that teens indeed do reveal a lot about themselves. It's more just their nature. Sometimes they can reveal things that they really don't want to, but do anyways because they want to be accepted, and some folks may even lie and say things that aren't true just to be accepted in their surroundings. Some teenagers are so insecure they they will say anything to be accepted in their group of friends or just by the people they see everyday. Their drive to be accepted will drive them into the ground, and nothing good will come out of it. I think that in general, folks just need to act like themselves, thats the best way to be accepted in society. Their is a group for everyone if they look hard enough.
 * //Patrick Montgomery// (to Neel)**

Andriy Rusyn (Response to Neel) I have to disagree with you Neel, because although I do admit that adolescents struggle to define an identity, I disagree that this leads to openness. Adolescents struggle with identity, but this struggle is not defined by an outpouring of emotion and feeling. In many cases, teens internalize this crisis, choosing instead to fall back to the character they have developed throughout their lives. As a person is faced with a challenge, they often start by trying to hold on to familiar concepts and ideas. Teens want to settle in, but what if the personality they have developed disagrees with the identity they discover in adolescence? I believe that in these cases a teen is much more likely to continue living life as a charade. Their interactions with others become so instinctual that they have a hard time breaking free from them, and instead of revealing their emotions, many only hide them deeper and deeper. Although some may reveal their true emotions at this time, I think many teenagers only further isolate themselves as they struggle to find an identity they want to maintain for the rest of their life.

__Natalie Barroso (__in response to Rachel's comment) I agree with Rachel in that teenagers need a lot of guidance during these hard years. More challenging and difficult situations are being thrown at them, and they need to learn how to deal as they prepare themselves for the real world. However, as Rachel said, teenagers are not likely to welcome this guidance as they could think that needing guidance shows weakness and dependence on adults when they were trying to do just the opposite. I think it's important for them to realize that in order to become strong and independent, they must learn how to deal with situations in a mature manner, which they have not yet needed to do until this point. They might also feel embarrassed or shameful for needing to ask for help from others, especially when adults set such high expectations that they are unable to meet. A feeling of failure is common, and therefore they turn to their peers for guidance. Unfortunately, the peers lack experience and might not have to best solutions. However, it is nice to know that someone out there understands you, therefore the peers provide more comfort and support than guidance. I think that many teens reveal their true emotions to their peers earlier than they do to adults. Once a teen hits rock bottom, they will then consider asking for guidance from adults. It is sad to think that teenagers have to reach that level before than can open up to say their parents or maybe a teacher, but that's just the way the teenage mind works. Sometimes rock bottom can be prevented from knowing that they are not alone in that someone else (the peer) understands what their going through, but this does not always happen.

__Lucía Moreno Lama__ (in response to Elizabeth's comment) I agree in what she says about how difficult it is to think about an average when each individual (especially teenagers) grow and mature in a different way and in a different time. ¿When do we realize we are adolescents? I think it is the moment when your inocent child emotions are questioned or critized by your peers. With that I mean that adolescence is a period hard to define in which each of us experiment the power of learn "adult" things before others it is the time when most childs start wanting to know more than others. Teens that are at school or searching for a job still depend on their parents in many aspects however there is a new desire, the desire of having your own culture ( habits, lifestyle, fashion and different values) usually refusing to get that guidance which Rachel and Natalie talked about. While teenagers are trying to build their own identity they are facing psycophisical changes and social pressure. The adolescent life becomes then a constant competition not with the indivitual himself but his peers. Most of teenagers don't have any idea of what is going on in their heads, too much questioning what they are feeling and losing it genuineness, ends up messing those real "genuine" emotions.

Bradli Crump (In response to Liz's answer) I can appreciate the idea that adolescence is the time period when teenagers unintentionally begin to wildly lose, and then gradually regain control of their emotions. Liz's statement regarding an 'average' teenager is also extremely true. Everyone is different, even if at times only slightly, but no two people will ever suddenly become adults at once. In relation to Holden's coming of age story, he seems to be quite open with his feelings, but he just doesn't know exactly what they are. In this way, we can call him hypocritical, because we see that he can be vocal, but at the same time will do things contrary to his beliefs. Example: he says he hates phonies, and says the way he wears his hat looks phony, but will wear it anyway. One one level, its a little annoying, but on the other, it seems to be just a part of the story. Reading it, it almost seems like a long, adolescent case of verbal vomit.

Melina Smith (in response to Elizabeth’s comment) I agree that adolescence is a stage in which teens develop the ability to distinguish which emotions to conceal and which to reveal, a habit that leads to a successful adulthood. Often, teens feel a need to conceal their emotions because they feel vulnerable, but it is this vulnerability that inevitably causes them to reveal their emotions. Teens may not realize that they are revealing their emotions despite efforts to conceal them. In fact, the way in which an individual chooses to conceal their emotions may actually reveal the emotions they are hiding. Building off what you said about adolescence being a period of greater expression, I think it is important that teens use adolescence as a time to express emotions. Not only is it a stage in which individuals’ experience intense emotions (rapid mood swings) that should not be constantly pent up, but also it is one of the last opportunities in life to freely express emotions. Adults are often required by societal standards to be somewhat detached and closed off, as a way of demonstrating independence. The freedom adolescence provides should be used to its fullest capacity.

Yuka Harada (In response to Neel) I really agree with you in that adolescent stage is about identifying one’s self. Teens are generally confused which inspires them to search what can they do in a society where they can be comfortable. I think teens are not just trying to figure out who they are but also who they want to become as they grow. They are still learning about many things about life. They want to find a bright future with the right role, and so they will always search for the ideal identity. In order to do that, they must show their emotions and find their identity that would fit best to the society and the community. They must find out how others perceive them and decide if that's what they want. The teenagers have to reveal about themselves so that they can learn to be who they want to be in the future.

It’s really not if people like me tell a lot about our emotions. It depends on who you are. Like phonies spread all of their goddam ideas out there. People like me don’t really. We know what we are talking about. It’s not like we’re stupid or anything, but people who aren’t phony just don’t go around and let people always know how they’re feeling. It’s like wanting everyone to listen to you and be like you. No one needs to do that. At my age, there really isn’t any need to spread emotions. Phonies say they talk about thinks because they want to grow up. No one has a goddam idea what it means to be a kid anymore. It’s all about getting ready to be old. Kids shouldn’t have to deal with what I deal with, especially at my age. If you ask me, I don’t reveal many of my emotions. Sometimes I do, but that’s rare. If you ask someone else, he may say he does. He may say that he’s growing up, and that he needs to learn to speak what he’s thinking. Phonies want to be heard. They want to be a million years old. They want to get ahead. They don’t think about actually taking their time and being good people anymore.
 * Neel Patel**

I guess you could say that adolescents reveal their emotions to people around them too much. I think it's so phony when people do that. I think they just tell everybody everything just so they have //some//thing to say. Also I think that people can say a lot without actually saying something. Like that Ackley kid. Goddam can he say a //lot// without talking. He doesn't brush his goddam teeth. Just by that you can tell he's a slob. He does run his mouth a lot though. He tells me about that girl all the time, the one he thinks he almost got with. But some people though, don't say a lot. Man, some people just don't say a lot. Some people you just got to figure out on your own. Some people, like Jane are harder to figure out.
 * Rachel Horton**

Rachel Wilson responding to Rachel Horton as Holden: I think you really captured Holden's personality in your response. I liked how you referenced Ackley and what Holden thinks about him. Holden was always annoyed with Ackley and any other rude boys. Also the point you make about how Jane was harder to figure out, i totally agree with. I think he is really interested in Jane. Holden is criticising all of these rude people but he ends on a "good" note by saying how he cares about Jane and how he wished he knew more. I think Holden wants to open up to people but he just needs to open up to himself first. You also really captured the way that Holden talks with all the cussing and short sentances. GOOD JOB RACH!

Emmie Doherty response to ** Rachel Horton- I agree with what you have said, and it changed my opinion on how I thought Holden would answer the question. I thought he would say teens don’t share their emotions or thoughts at all, but your example with Ackley really changed my mind. Thinking back to the book, Holden was always annoyed when the other boys were constantly talking to him. This shows how some teenagers really do share their emotions and thoughts with those around them. On the other hand, Holden himself rarely shared his emotions or thoughts, which shows that it’s not all teens who do share. I also liked how your vocabulary was very similar to Holden’s, using words like phony and Ackley kid. You also sound like Holden when you keep repeating yourself. All and all, this sounds like a good Holden response to the question. ** **Elizabeth Aklilu (response to Rachel Horton)** I agree that a teenager's desire to independent may go beyond their actual capabilities, causing them to refuse help when they actually need it. It seems like more and more adolescents are trying to fight the restrictions placed on their age group. Most of the restrictions are put there for the safety of the adolescent and the people around him/her, because although we don't want to hear it, most teenagers lack good enough judgment to take on adult responsibilities without any guidance. I believe that teens for the most part //like //to with-hold their emotions and thoughts from people (especially adults), but when they are feeling very angry, vulnerable or helpless their emotions take over, and they pretty much have to spill their guts to anyone whose around (ex. Fighting with your parents in front of your friends, Crying in front of strangers etc.) because teenagers aren't as emotionally mature as adults. When they break down, it becomes painfully obvious that they do need help and all they want is for someone else to reach out to them.