pathology of lying-第31章
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I could see everything he did。 I don't know why I like to read such things so much。 It was the same way last winter。 I read a story with suicide in it and someway I just wanted to commit suicide myself。 I did go to the railroad tracks and stood around until the train came and then walked away。 。 。 。 。
‘‘My aunt says that I am too attractive and that I stare at the men。 Well； when she was with me a man did stare at me and I stared back at him。 I could have turned my head away； but I'm not that kind of a girl。 I'm a bad girl。 Everyone believes me so and I might just as well be。 When I was little in my mother's place I used to smoke and drink。 I dream every nightoften about men doing bad things。 I wake up and sit up to see if men are there or if they are gone。 My dreams are always just that plain。 If I read a book I can sit down and imagine all the people are right before me。 I can get it just by reading。 If anybody speaks to me I jump； and it is all gone。 When I go to the theatre or the nickel show I can come home and see the whole show over again。 I have been that way ever since I could understand things。 When I was small and people would tell me things I could imagine them right in front of me。 Even now I will be sitting still and I will imagine I see my mother taking me up in the way she used to。 When I came to see her she would rock me to sleep； and I can plainly see her lying in the coffin。 Often I think I see my mother brought home drunk。
‘‘If I have anything to recite in school I just think of it all the time。 I dream a good deal about what that boy did and about these other things。 I can sit and think of everything he did to me。 I go to bed and I lie awake and think all these things and I can't get them off my mind and then I start to dreaming about them。
‘‘There is always this troublemy mother wasn't good and I can't be good。 That's what people say； but； of course； that's not so。 I know I start talking to girls about these things when they are talking to me。 I sometimes think that things will come backthat the Chicago fire is coming back； and that slavery is coming back。
‘‘About my lying？ I don't know why I tell things like that about my aunt committing suicideit just came into my head。 Oh； I've got lots of things in my head。 I never had any chance to forget。 I can't forget at school。 School does not interest me any more。 That's why I want to go to work。 Perhaps then I should be interested in something new。
‘‘I used to tell lots of things that were not so out there at P。 Sometimes I did it as a joke and sometimes I meant it。 It is hard sometimes to tell just what is the truth； I imagine things so hard。 I can remember lots that I've read。''
Amanda in several interviews went on at great length in a very rational way； but altogether the gist of her view of her case is to be found in the above。 She told that she was a masturbator； as might be supposed。 She feels she can't help this and never felt it was so particularly bad。 Apparently it is a part of her life of imagination at night。 She insisted frequently on the vividness of her mental content； and indeed was anxious to talk about her peculiarities in this respect。 It was very apparent that she showed real understanding of the forces which had influenced her。 It should be noted that we felt sure that it is not only the strength of imagery； namely； of actually recollected material； but also of imagination which is characteristic of this girl's mental make…up。 This was noticeable； as we have shown above； in the ‘‘Aussage'' Test。 In our notes on psychological findings we stated that the girl has both strong emotions and strong convictions； together with her other qualities。 She expressed herself with considerable vehemence； and under observation we noted changes from pleasantness to extremely ugly looks when her relatives were mentioned。 It was true that she had seen immorality in other households than that of her mother； and this； of course； rendered her even more skeptical about true values in life。
It seemed clear that this bright girl had experienced so many contradictions in life that she was much mixed about it all。 We might venture to suggest that the delinquency involved in lying could seem very little compared to the actual deeds with which she had come in contact。 No idea that falsification was wrong was expressed by her。 She had used double sets of standards in behavior all through her life。 What she was urged to be and to do seemed impossible in the light of her past and its connections。 Even her apparent decency belied the reality underlying her career； she thought。 With all this and her vivid imagery it is little wonder that her magnificent powers of imagination had full sway and that she said and half believed all sorts of things which were not true。 Then； probably； habit…formation of indulging in day…dreams accentuated the falsifying tendency。
It is too early to report on further progress of this case。 For some months she has been in a school for girls where discipline and education are both emphasized。
… Mental traits： special powers of imagery Case 9。 and imagination。 Girl； age 14 years。 Early immoral experiences： much later conflict about them。 Home conditions： unstable for many years。 Heredity （？）： mother immoral； maternal grandmother alcoholic and insane。 Delinquencies： Mentality： Excessive lying。 Good general ability； Sex。 special capacities。 …
CASE 10
Summary： A boy of 14； supernormal in ability； coming from family circumstances which form a remarkable antithesis to his intellectual interests； is found to be a wonderful fabricator。 His continuous lying proves to be directly inimical to his own interests and； indeed； his own satisfactions are thwarted by the curious unreliability of his word。 The case unfortunately was not followed far； but study of it clearly shows beginnings in the early obtaining of advantages by lying； and brings out the wonderful dramatic and imaginative traits of the boy and his formation of a habit of falsification。
This case in its showing of intrinsic characteristics and incidental facts is of great interest。 Robert R。 for about a year when he was 14 years old we knew intimately； but after that on account of the removal of the family we have no further history of him。 Intellectually and in his family and home background he presented a remarkable phenomenon。 His parents were old…country peasants who just before Robert was born came to the United States。 The father had never been to school in his life and could not read or write。 Here he was a laborer； before immigration he had been a goose…herd。 The mother was said to have had a little schooling at home and could read and write a little in her native language。 In 15 years in the United States she had failed to learn to speak English。 It is needless to say that our knowledge of the forebears is almost nil。 Inquiry about mental peculiarities in the family brought negative answers。 These parents had had nine children； seven of whom had died in early infancy。 Robert was the older of the two living。 We did not learn that the other child displayed any abnormalities。 The mother helped towards the support of the family by doing coarse sewing。
About the developmental history we had the assurance that it was entirely negative as regards serious diseases。 Pregnancy and birth were said to have been normal。 For long； Robert had been very nervous and frequently slept an unusually small number of hours。 Sometimes he would go to bed very late and get up early。 Although he was a very small boy he was accustomed to drinking six or seven cups of coffee a day。 No suspicion from any source of other bad habits or of improper sex experiences。 The boy's home was clean and decent。 The father was accustomed to celebrate once a month or so by getting intoxicated； but otherwise
