Anders and Solitary Confinement

[miri1984]

Ok, I admit I'm totally obsessed with Anders, (not that that was news to anyone) but NOT for the first time my obsession with something non-RL has led me into research, and I've been looking up loads of stuff on solitary confinement considering I'm planning on writing at least one whole chapter about it for my Bioware Bang fic, as well as a little snippet in my Shameboner series which will be along shortly. 

In any case I came across this interesting Radio program about solitary confinement and its effects. HERE  It's a half hour long and interesting to listen to while you cook dinner or do the vacuuming or anything. Also goes a long way towards explaining why Anders is paranoid, has trouble controlling his emotions... oh and blew up a public building to get back at his oppressors.

I live in Australia and the use of solitary is fairly heavily regulated (in that the prisoner has to be notified, and certain requirements must be met) but I understand in America it's largely left to the discretion of individual prisons and their administration. In any case, it's pretty chilling and depressing stuff, but I thought you guys might be interested.

Comments

[analect]

Wow, thanks for sharing this! Really interesting. I did a shedload of research on the US prison system a while back, so I'm relatively familiar with a lot of the stuff about the effects of solitary - and institutionalisation generally - but it does bring it home how deeply ingrained this material is in Anders' character. (There's a case for saying most mages are going to be emotional trainwrecks after a lifetime of confinement to the Circle, as well...)

Hmm. Guess I shouldn't moan about the quality of writing in DA2. Hush my mouth. Also: yay for more Shameboner!

[miri1984]

I'd be really interested to know if they actually took this into account when they were writing his character. I mean, I'm basing this on one throwaway line he says in Awakenings, but I like to think the writers are conscious of the extent some people will pick apart characters and took it into account. It certainly explains a lot.

[amhran_comhrac]

Helper has said, with regards to his romance in DA2, that she was very conscious of the parallels between it and the IRL situation of being involved with someone who is mentally ill- the passion and intensity when they're 'up,' the pain when they're 'down,' that sort of thing. It gave me the definite impressions she had done a good deal of research. Knowing that, I can't imagine they would have him even mention solitary confinement without having a reason.
With Bioware I've long since come to expect the lightest throw-away line to have the deepest consequences ages down the road. (see: Justice/Anders banters... my god.)

[ouyangdan]

Thank you so much for this!

After my stint at Bitch I was looking to write about this more. I will definitely be giving this a listen as I explore this. I am actually really glad to find at least one other person who gets my feelings on victims of abuse and what might cause them to turn to certain actions in order to achieve freedom from their oppressors.

I have a friend who is very familiar with abuses in the US prison system, and I may be able to get you in touch with them, or direct you to their blog off comm if you would like. You should have my email from the Seasonal thing if you want to contact me about it.

[miri1984]

Oh wow, I'd be very interested in the blog. I'll email you when I get a few seconds to rub together :D.

[lina]

I'm not too certain that I'd put Anders' stint in solitary confinement as the lone cause of his state, though I'm sure that it did not help. (Not that you were stating such, but.) He screams to me systematic oppression; of one both aware of his unjust situation and willing to confront it. His manner of interacting with the world reminds me much of the petitioners (or, as many style themselves, "the people who've experienced injustice") here. They address their grievances to progressively higher levels of government bureaux established specifically to deal with petitions until they get to the state level, doing anything to get attention to their case. There, they're captured, locked in "black jails" (sometimes in solitary, sometimes with other petitioners) until petitioner "retrievers" can whisk them back to their home province, and generally forced to undergo further penalty -- detention, "law study class" (brainwashing), re-education-through-labour. In some cases following their release, petitioners accept the helplessness of the situation and take the sometimes inadequate resolution offered by the officials; in others, petitioners continue to petition in perpetuum; in very few others, they take a noticeable stand -- blocking demolitions, staging protests, or going so far as to self-immolate. A frequent complaint of petitioners is that they're "crazy", and some are mentally unwell -- either a pre-existing condition or having become so due to stress or pain, driven mad by a mad system -- yet those who truly need help rarely see a doctor, either due to the cost or due to traditional cultural sigma. (And at the same time those who speak out against the government are labelled "mentally ill" and confined to psychiatric institutions -- dissidents and petitioners aren't often the same.)

[ashfae]

Has Anders actually been in solitary confinement? You mention a throwaway Awakenings line but I can't remember...

[elessie]

I think it's when you click on the tree in Amaranthine. If your Warden says "You really don't care for the Circle of Magi, do you?" then his response is "I escaped from the tower seven times. After the last time, they put me in solitary confinement for a year."

[miri1984]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVaY3KIKO0s

I think he mentions it more than once, but this is the most famous one.

[elysium_fic]

His voice sounds so WEIRD now.