Too Young to Die

Savannah Fox

Movie Worksheet

February 16, 2016

1. One type of strain that Amanda experienced was with her mother. Her mother often rejected her and showed little interest in Amanda, which in turn made Amanda feel unwanted and unloved. Amanda felt even more unloved and unwanted when her mother chose her stepdad over her and would not believe Amanda when she told her that the stepdad was sexually assaulting her. Another type of strain that Amanda experienced was the child abuse from her stepdad. I believe this made her feel worthless and especially more alone when her mother would not believe her. I believe these contributed to her behavior by Amanda just wanted her mother to show her affection and to believe her. Amanda wanted more than anything for her mother to choose her over the stepdad, so that they could finally get out of that situation. The last type of strain that Amanda experienced was homelessness and through this homelessness she found Billy. Billy was the first person that never abandoned her and she believed finally showed that he really cared about her. Amanda wanted that affection and love and I believe was willing to do anything to keep it, so she fell into prostitution. Amanda wanted to feel loved, like she had worth, and affection, so it was easy for her to fall into prostitution. It was easy for her to fall into prostitution because since her mother abandoned her and she was sexually assaulted by her stepdad, she thought that this behavior was okay and that this was the way to feel worthy and loved.
2. One source of learning Amanda experienced was through her mother. She was abandoned by her mother at a very young age and because of this Amanda may feel as though no one will ever truly love her. Amanda may feel as though eventually everyone will abandon her. Another source of learning Amanda experienced was through Mike. Mike was the first person Amanda truly fell in love with and he showed her what it was like to actually have a home to come to. Mike showed her a good family life that Amanda never had as a child.
3. Since Amanda’s mom never really gave Amanda any attention, Amanda never was taught right from wrong and who not to associate with. When Amanda met Billy, I believe that Amanda truly thought that he was trying to help her get off the streets. Billy was able to give Amanda food, a place to stay, and even a job. In reality, Billy was using her for money and I believe sanctioning her for deviance. Billy always made Amanda give him half of the money she made so that she could never really get off the streets. I believe that Billy sanctioned her to murder Mike. That night, Billy gave Amanda drugs and gave Amanda the idea of kidnapping them. Billy knew that Amanda was still hurt from Mike and knew that he had Amanda wrapped around his finger. I believe he continued to remind Amanda of how badly Mike hurt her until she finally slit his throat.
4. I believe that Amanda experienced labeling because at her initial arrest, everyone in the town crowded around the cop car, chanting, “just kill her”. Everyone already believed that she was a criminal and had committed the murder. Amanda’s first reaction to this was confusion and initially saying that she had nothing to do with it. She knew that she was alone since she did not even know where her mother was. Amanda was not able to commit further delinquency at this point since she was in jail, however, I believe that if had not got caught or had gotten out she would have. I think this because Amanda is so easily manipulated that it would be easy for her to fall back into that lifestyle with Billy. She wants that affection and love, so I do not think that she would be willing to leave that behind.
5. I think it was “just” that she was tried as an adult, but I do think that her punishment was “unjust”. Amanda is still a teenager and I think should have to sit in prison and think about what she has done. Amanda was so easily influenced by Billy in this murder and was on heavy drugs that she had never been exposed to. Amanda did not have a choice when these drugs were put into her system because Billy did not ask permission if he could drug her. I do not think that Amanda was thinking rationally during the murder and that the drugs had an awful effect on her. However, if you are old enough to make the decision to still associate with those kind of people after your friends have warned you, then you are old enough to take the responsibility for the crime.