In the book The bright forever by Lee Martins, the character Henry Dee clearly fits the psychological profile of a pedophile. He is obsessively fixated with Katie, continue to deny that there is more to his attraction to the minor than the fatherly love he proclaims for her. Henry is also interested in things that will easily interest the child. Take for instance his love for the purple martins, he clearly understands that Katie would love the birds. To get closer to Katie, he chooses to share same infantile adoration for the birds. In terms of career, most pedophiles go for careers in which accessing children in private is possible. Henry is the private math tutor of Katie. This allows him to have the minor in isolation, a thing that pedophiles yearn for. Regarding his piecemeal hints into the whereabouts of the minor, another psychological orientation of the pedophiles in Henry is revealed. Most pedophiles are not necessarily sex offenders. They may feel deeply connected to a child and sometimes spending their time around such children is recourse enough. This epitomizes Henry Dee. Equally, pedophiles never pick their victims randomly. The victim is usually a subject of interest for a period of time. This is apparent in Dee’s interest in Katie which he traces back to some time before the minor finally disappears from the scene. (Okami & Goldberg 72)
Pedophiles often go for careers in which access to children below the age of twelve is easy. These careers include teaching, pastoral care, child care facilities management. Mr. Henry De is a private math tutor for Katie. This creates for him absolute privacy and opportunity to feed his sexual fantasies on the child.
When Mr. Dee comments that he leads a secret life, he is clearly referring to his unpleasant fixation with minors. He would never reveal what is secretive about his life, for fear of being suspected in the disappearance of Katie. While presenting a more balanced, mature and caring adult public life, Mr. Dee is perpetually involved in the inner fight with his private obsession with minors. Equally captivating is Mr. Dee’s inability to effectively engage in adult social activities. He however prefers children friends. This double life of Mr. Henry Dee is typical of all pedophiles and child offenders. They never admit their attraction to children and they often substitute their failure in adult social activities to affection with children. This is because children do not expose them to the same level of engagement, characteristic of adult populations.( Baron 410)
Most criminals often justify their actions prior to and after committing crime. Robbers would for instance justify their actions based on the concept of unequal distribution of resources where some members of the society command more resources than their counterparts. Their actions are therefore meant to equally redistribute the resources in the society. Psychologists have leveled the choice theory to this behavior of the criminals. Choice theory posits that every criminal engages in crime as a personal choice, and not having been pushed to it by extraneous forces. (Peters 390)
In relation to the actions of Mr. Henry Dee, the choice theory is justified in the sense that Mr. Dee have the option of stifling his unhealthy sexual attraction to children. This, he does not do. He instead chooses to fuel his fantasies around the minor leading to the abduction of Katie.
Works Cited
Peters, Joseph JChildren who are victims of sexual assault and the psychology of
offenders. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 30(3), 398-421. Retrieved on 26th March, 2012 from http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&uid=1977-08467-001
Paul Okami & Amy Goldberg. Personality correlates of pedophilia. Journal of Sex
Research, 29(3), 56-103 Retrieved on 26th March, 2012 from http://www.ipce.info/ipceweb/Library/99015_research.htm
Stephen W. Baron. Self-Control, Social Consequences, and Criminal Behavior: Street Youth and
the General Theory of Crime. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency,
40(4),
403-425 Retrieved on 26th March, 2012 from http://www.google.co.ke/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CGgQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ucm.es%2Finfo%2Fpsisalud%2Fcarmelo%2FPUBLICACIONES_pdf%2F2004-Stressful%2520life%2520events%2520%28Homeless%29.pdf&ei=BNxwT7yKL-rB0QXBj7WNAg&usg=AFQjCNECtdtFQVcOsSy-LU4-FOBIe499Qg
