Dibs: In search of self

Dib's family had a big impact on how he reacted to them and those around him.

It is stated repeatedly that he was a very emotionally deprived child.

While Dibs was talking to "Ms.A" in the playroom, he lead on to that he was being locked in his room and that his Papa calls him a stupid kid on a regular basis. He grew up without fatherly or motherly love.

Without the love and care from his parents at an early age he grew up stuck in the "trust versus mistrust" phase of development

The tests that he was put through to deem himself capable of learning were only making it worse or Dibs. Neither parent at the time took consideration of how he felt about this.

Dibs was very "uncontrollable" do to the fact he could not trust people. He had no friends at school because very few wanted to be around him. He tensed up whenever someone was prying for his feelings.

Pre-therapy Dibs grew up without the sense of "I can." it was always "Can you help me do this?". Since he was stuck in stage one he did not know how to be self-reliant which is shown in the earlier parts of the book.

Dibs hated his home more than anything. Even though he did not participate in school he would rather stay there than go home, only to be locked in. He hated his father and did not want to be around his mother or sister.

Dibs' parents had not wanted children and saw his birth as having ruined the mother's career. In other words, they saw him as a threat and not as a person.

Their second child was on purpose and was treated like most kids are treated which is why she was the "perfect child".

While Dibs was in therapy he learned a lot about his individuality. When his parents were ready to admit he was not mentally challenged, he changed his personality by a surprising amount.

This point is clear on page 163 or the first page of chapter 17.

Dibs' mom to Ms.A: "Dibs has changed so much. He isn't the same child. I've never before seen him express such free feelings as he did yesterday..."

Dibs tells us that he is happier at home and that he is no longer locked in. Nor does his dad yell at him.

Thanks to his therapist and his parents, Dibs is now a happily growing boy with accepting parents.

(Page 209)

One way that Dibs' parents affected him is that even before they could admit that he was capable, they at the least tried to help him.

One thing they did which I personally liked, is that his mother signed him up for a regular school while saying he was mentally retarded, because she knew it was not true.

As Dibs begins to change, his reputation at school begins to change also. He is more talkative to other student and goes home when it is time to go home "Because that is how it is."

Dibs' mother, even though she was not sure if it was working, taught him to read at an extremely early age. This set Dibs up to be ahead of the crowd. His parents simply did not recognize this.

As a review, when Dibs relieved the love he needed to grow, he did. It was not his fault that he was the way he was.

Reference Page:

The information from this prezi came from the book. None of the information was found in any other source (that we were aware of).

After Dibs' therapy Ms.A and his family became neighbors and more importantly, good friends. Ms.A meets Dibs' parents at his house and we (the readers) find out that not only did he become independent, he also became a child.

Dibs: In search of self

By Study Team 9.

"The effects of the actions of Dibs’ parents on his condition"