An Introduction to Conduct Disorders

Abstract

There are many images of the “juvenile delinquent” portrayed in fictional literature. There is Mark Twain’s lovable and mischievous Tom Sawyer whose rebelliousness and lack of respect for authority caused great concern to his family and friends but whose obvious charm and intelligence made him an endearing figure. Tom always seemed to push the limits of what was socially acceptable but it always was done in a spirit of playfulness rather than being driven by base motives, like greed or a need for dominance and power. There is also Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, a tragic hero. Oliver is portrayed as basically a good child who was never provided with the advantages of a caring and stable home life. It is hard to blame poor Oliver for being led astray by his antisocial companions, given the hardships that he had to endure throughout his childhood. In contrast, there are the brief glimpses we have of the childhood of Hannibal Lecter from the novels of Thomas Harris. One is alternatively fascinated and horrified by the depths of cruelty displayed by Hannibal without a shred of guilt over his deeds and with a callous disregard for the suffering of his victims. He is portrayed as the “human monster” that now comes to haunt our dreams because, as adults, we can no longer be scared by ghosts and bogey men.