Helter Skelter Book Report

The yr was 1969, and in advance(prenominal) marvellous seven bulk were brut in onlyy bump off words deal Pig, Healter Skelter and Rise were assemble printed in blood at the hatred scenes. Eventu whollyy it is disc in all in all e genuinelywhereed that the perpetrators of these horrific crimes atomic number 18 cult particles vitality on the allow ondoor(a)skirts of ordering, direct by a man named Charles Manson. simply who is Charles Manson? Charles Manson is a monster, certainly, but as a monster he exserts us a unique look into the human mind. This semester we let learned ab out(p) the much(prenominal) than a(prenominal) diametric types of mass who whitethorn eng plot in individual crops of social force out.Charles Manson however, provides us the fount study of a man whose career rotated around social hysteria in all its manifestations. on that point was aught this man wouldnt do to fleet his goals he would set on, instruction execut ion, manipulate, and lie all in the name of his somebodyal ambitions. In Vincent Bugliosis criminal record, Helter Skelter The True Story of the Manson Murders, the lecturer is provided a thorough explanation of how Manson positive his immoral lifestyle though the digest is on the famous murders he assisted to commit as the leader of The Family and the process used to bunko him. later on on a brief gabfest al well-nigh the leger as a whole and its writing style and content, Mansons connections to the subject of social furiousness bequeath be examined. These connections include the subjects of child neglect, cross, municipal might, and spiritual handle. This hold offers a abundant amount of detail regarding how the Manson Family murders were committed, how the investigation proceeded and how the running game a murderst Manson was won.To ingest this history to life, Bugliosi organized his book into chapters ranging from unitary month to flipper month increment s which serve to place the reader coer in the summer of 69 right hand later the Tate murders were committed, and outcome him or her all the appearance to the conclusion of the trial and its aftermath. era this level of detail and careful nerve is actually better at inform the reader of the details of Mansons crimes and how he got convicted, I believe that most serious is the analysis of Mansons life in regards to interpersonal violence.Therefore, I leave focus whizzness on the summary of Mansons life provided in the book, as well(p) as his methods for building and harbourling his Family. Since this book was written by a attorney (Mr. Bugliosi was the prosecuting attorney in the Manson topic), one major power think that Helter Skelter capacity be rather boring i. e. totally fact dictated and concerned with the technical formulas of the Manson trial as Mr. Bugliosi experienced them. This book is certainly in truth concerned with the facts, and Bugliosi even pro vides the measure that many events took place. The law investigation is oddly definitive in this regard.For example, about 130 that afternoon Lieutenant Burdick interviewed a puppy handle lady who had been booked nether the name Leslie Sankston, (p. 121). This prognosis of the book dismiss be fleshy to get by at times, as in that respect is a large send packing of characters including suspects, law enforcement officials, witnesses and other ancillary characters whose actions and influences on the case are laid out in careful detail. It can be baffling to keep track of who provided what licence or which Manson family member was or wasnt involved in the groups actions (to make out matters worse many of the Family nonplus quadruplicate aliases and nicknames).However, despite some real overload, Bugliosi does add some comments which add smack and help the reader to chthonicstand what the murders meant for mess living around Los Angeles at the time. For example, Bu gliosi talks quite about how the general popular and the media react to the murders, including details much(prenominal) as, one Beverly Hills sporting goods store sold two hundred firearms prior to the murders, they averaged three or quaternity a day, (p. 73).This color commentary lifts the readers head out of the orbit of the murder investigation to remind them that exterior of all this tragedy people were living their ordinary lives, and were obviously scared and flighty about the violence they saw occurrent in their city. A nonher interesting facial expression of the story is the fact that while this book is in a way a history book looking at the past, Bugliosi actually experienced this history and provides his make emotional reactions to what happened.For example, when Bugliosi read Mansons record to deduce who he was about to rent he commented, I was surprised, in perusing Mansons record, to find no keep up history of violence, (p. 203). plot of ground the read er skill disagree with Bugliosi (it receivems that instances of armed robbery, homo familiar activityual rape and wife beating could be librateed a sustained history), these personal reactions to what is loss on show the reader that Bugliosi is non only an author or a historian, but a character in this story who experienced all the flakiness revolving around Charles Manson source hand.Therefore, while Helter Skelter might be considered very fact-driven it certainly has a heart, and Mr. Bugliosi does an excellent job describing not only exactly how the investigation went, but likewise how it felt for some of the people involved. Anyone arouse in interpersonal violence, the 60s or Charles Manson go awaying certainly convey learnt a capital deal after finishing this book. As Ive said previously, the life of Charles Manson revolved around interpersonal violence. From an early age Manson was the victim of child neglect his breed (Kathleen Maddox) would leave him with nei ghbors, for an hour, then disappear for long time or weeks, (p. 91). bit there is no evidence provided that Manson was actually debauchd during these old age away from his mother, the lack of any slopped parental figures to care for him must bring been traumatizing for Manson. Kathleen was sixteen when Charles was born, and was known to drink and patchy, very much bringing home men with the like proclivities. She was overly a very forgetful model for her son when it came to following the law. along with her brother Luther, Kathleen was sentenced to five age in prison for armed robbery when Charles was between four and five long time old.Manson neer met his father who is said to have died in 1954. Considering his upbringing, it is not surprising that the boy had strike ad excepting goodly, and that his struggle to be noticed and gain attention would be at the sum of money of his world. When Manson was twelve his mother sent him away to the Gibault School for Boys, de scribed as a caretaking institution, (p. 191) because she could no longer to care for him. From this portend on Charles Manson would be in and out of institutions (including prison).When the investigations for the Tate-LaBianca murders were taking place Manson was thirty-two years old and had spent over seventeen of those years in some form of institution. During the time Manson was incarcerated nature examinations were conducted and various descriptions deter of the possibility of violence. Manson was described as being, sharp antisocial, (p. 193) having, a tendency toward moodiness, (p. 192) and as, hiding his loneliness, resentment, and aggression behind a facade of apparent(prenominal) ingratiation, (p. 00).These examinations and their conclusions bequeath be very grave when considering what could have been done to stop Manson and what we as a society can do to determine no one like him is ever allowed to terrorize others again. The acts of interpersonal violence Manson c ommitted during his time in and out of institutions are numerous. When Manson was seventeen he go to Natural Bridge Camp and a month before his release interview he, took a razor blade and held it against other boys throat while he sodomized him, (p. 194).However, this did not stop Manson from being released and he promptly married a waitress and got her pregnant (he was 19). A year later however, he was in trouble with the law for stealing cars (and driving them crosswise state lines a federal offense) and admitted to the judge-requested shrink that he beat his wife, at times, (p. 196). After three years in jail, Manson was released with five years parole (the year was 1958). In 1959, Mansons parole officer was inform by a parent that Manson had conned his fille (Jo Anne) and one of her friends (Beth), telling them he was in the night club, radio and television business.Manson convince Jo Anne to invest her savings in his bastard company, got her pregnant (there was no ment ion if the sex was consensual), and drugged and dishonour Beth as well (p. 199). For violating his probation as well as these vernal internal crimes he was accused of committing Manson was sentenced to 10 years in prison (although he was paroled on March 21, 1967). It was after this reaching in prison that Manson began to bring his Family unneurotic and it was with them that he truly began to explore his relish for violence through the use of spiritual abuse.The Manson Family at first glance whitethorn not seem diametric from many of the communes that had puzzle unneurotic in the 60s, representing a intrust for sexual liberation and a more natural way of living. However, the Family was not simply a commune, but a cult whose idea of a more natural way of life include violence, submission and eventually concord over the world as the, pure, white schoolmaster race, (p. 330). To members of the family Charles Manson was Jesus Christ or God, and these were the aliases that Cha rlie Manson provided the police when he was charged for the car thieving ring (p. 80).Manson unceasingly had a desire for attention and to feel noticed and cardinal, and it was through his creation of his own religious belief that he could ultimately get what he always wanted. Unfortunately for his acolytes, Mansons appetite for violence and abuse only escalated once he had a multitude of willing victims under his experience. It may seem odd that people would want to core such an inglorious group, but Manson had various way of life to suck people to his Family. To convince men to join him Manson would use the sexual favors of the girls already under his control.For example, when trying to attract a biker from the smashing Satans gang to join him, Manson is quoted as saying, run short up here, you can have all the girls you want, all the girls, (p. 131). To get girls to join Manson would involve for the help of some of the more agree fitted men in the Family to, go run through to the Sunset Strip, where the teenyboppers hung out, or drive the highways notice for girls who were hitchhiking, (p. 317) in the hope that they would be able to lure some of the girls back to the bed cover the Family was living on.Once these new recruits were introduced to the Family, Manson had a variety of techniques he would use to control them. Manson was said to have possessed an dexterity to capitalize on, a persons hang-ups and/or desires, (p. 316). He told plain girls they were beautiful, told girls with pop music issues to imagine that he was their father, and girls looking for a leader that he was Jesus Christ. To ensure that the girls were completely submissive Manson would convince them that, women are only as good as their men, and that they were a reflection of their men, (p. 02).This is obviously lofty for a cult leader because Manson pictured him ego as the father of the Family and their savior. Since their man was so good, these girls felt that they w ere good, and that Manson would lead them to salvation and love. This commixture of persuade and domination produced in the girls, a little girl quality as if they had been, retarded at a certain stage in their childhood, (p. 184-185). Even when considering murder and death the girls would maintain a positive, commodious mood, as if nothing could faze them.Manson did not skilful use words to bring about total obedience however. superstar bakers dozen-year-old girl was not considered submissive abundant for Manson so he, punched her in the mouth kicked her across a room hit her over the head with a chair leg, (p. 277). This was not immaculately typical of Manson though as his favorite weapons of control consisted of using or withholding sex (especially with the male Family members), as well as drug-aided manipulation. LSD is a hallucinogenic drug which can make the one taking it more sensitive to outside influence.Manson used this property to, initiate his philosophies, ex ploit weaknesses and fears, and extract promises and agreements from his chase, (p. 318) while they were swingy on LSD (which he provided of course). Mansons religion that he would con his chase into believing was based on a mixture of Scientology, passages from the Bible, Buddhism and records by the Beatles. plot of land it is difficult to decipher exactly how this philosophy all fit together, one important member that aided in the control of the Family was fear. concord to Manson, fear was the same thing as awareness, (p. 319) and the goal (as in many religions or philosophies) is to gain more awareness, or to come into the Now, which is a term interpreted from Scientologists and basically means to truly live in the moment. Manson told Family members that they should always be horror-stricken, and he would inquisition out his chase sterling(prenominal) fears so that he could use these fears, like a magic buttonhe could weigh at will to control that person, (p. 319).Th is aspect of the Manson cult is so important to understand because it explains why Manson had such a punishing following. Even though many of his Family members were afraid of him, Manson told them that they wanted to be afraid so they took it as a good thing. some other important aspect of Mansons beliefs that is very important for understanding the murders he would later commit was his interpretation of a chapter in the Bible from Revelations. Revelations tells of the four horsemen of the manifestation who were foretold to set about on earth to bring about a war where a thirdly of mankind would perish.Manson believed that these four horsemen were the Beatles rock group, and hence the apocalypse was disaster soon if not immediately. Manson believed there was going to be a race war (blacks vs. whites) in which the whites would be wiped out (the third of mankind that will perish) and the only way to escape it was to embrace out in the desert where he could later return with h is Family where they would rule over the remaining blacks as the master race. The murders that Manson and his followers committed were meant to spark this race war, and take up Mansons plan into action.Although this sounds quite unbelievable, the gang of LCD, naivete (some of the Family members were fed these theories since they were thirteen), and the time percentage point allowed Manson to assemble quite a level-headed group. While it is estimated that there may have been over a hundred Family members at various times, the interior circle remained at around 20-30 people (p. 186). The Family was Mansons greatest creation. While previously Manson could only abuse one or two people at a time, he fix a way to simultaneously abuse dozens of people all without the companionship of society as a whole.A lot of research has been done in the field of interpersonal violence since the time of the Manson murders. There are more received theories explaining why people commit acts of in terpersonal violence and there are more tested methods of how to recognize people or situations that may become abusive. It is clear just how far things have progressed when the ease of which Charles Manson is labeled as the monster he is and the multiple warning signs that appear when looking at his life and personality.Many of Mansons personality traits play off with those suggested by Rosenbaum, Pagelow and/or Anderson, including violence in family of origin, (although there is no definitive information about physical abuse, Manson was overlook and rejected by his mother) low self esteem, (Manson had a drive to be recognise by others) traditionalist, authoritarian personalities, exigency for power or control (the way Manson ran his Family is clear evidence of this) as well as moody, (mentioned in institutional personality checks of Manson) and psychopathology, (Wallace, Roberson, p. 22 Table 9. 1).Although there is no single accepted checklist for traits of an abuser, Manson would be identified as an abuser using three unlike (though overlapping) scales. If these types of measurements had been available in Mansons early years, he may have been discover and possibly could have been treated when he was 19 (when he abused his first wife) instead of being released from prison after a few short years with no renewal and allowed to continue his patterns of abuse.The evasive action Manson used to control the Family are also very well documented in todays research of insinuate partner abuse. For example, three main elements in any abuse situation are fear, isolation and lack of resources (Wallace, Roberson, p. 225). Mansons religion was based on making his followers as afraid as possible, and having an cozy knowledge of each members fears so that they could be used against them when needed.While many of the Family members appeared to radiate inner contentment, there were several former members of the Family that testified in the Manson case that would talk about how afraid they were of what Manson would do to them if they disobeyed his commands. Isolation was obviously an important part of Mansons philosophy as he was very against the establishment and saw the apocalypse fast approaching therefore he took his family to the desert and for most of the time the Family was together they lived on Spahns ranch, which was an old horse opera movie set that had allen into disrepair.Once in this isolated location Manson had free hulk to manipulate and abuse his followers with no one to stop him. Lack of resources could be said to apply to all the members of the Family as they were living the hippie lifestyle with no real employment prospects. However, this is important when considering that very few of the Family members left Manson, especially his inner circle. Although Manson might have been abusive and demanding in many ways, he appeared to have a plan and an answer for lifes tough questions.With no better prospects and no real way to su ccessfully baulk for themselves, it is no surprise that many of the women especially did not leave (they were taught they were only good as their man after all what would they do with no man? ). With more knowledge about what can cause abusive situations as well as increased awareness among the general race I am hopeful that a situation like the one that developed in the California desert will not happen again, and if it does hopefully it will be quickly identified and chuck out down.Sexual assault is a communal factor in many of the different topics in interpersonal violence including rape, interior partner abuse and child abuse. There is evidence that Manson participated in all of these facets of sexual assault. Although Ive already mentioned how he has raped (Beth in 1959) and used sex as a means of control (with the effeminate Family members), he also engaged in child sexual abuse.One thirteen year old girl was sodomized by Manson as other Family members looked on as part of her initiation (p. 18). Mansons motives for sexual assault are easy to match up with the category of power rape given in Wallace and Robersons text book on family violence. Power rapes (specifically power-assertive rapists) consider rape as, an expression of his virility, mastery and dominance, (p. 342). distinctly Manson desired attention, obedience and wanted control over his victims, that being the same way he ran his Family. By controlling what others did sexually Manson was able to feel in control of them.Clearly Manson was not interested in his followers as people, but merely puppets from which he could get what he wanted. When considering the oscilloscope of the spiritual abuse that Manson perpetrated on his followers, it is important to consider his authoritarian personality and his need for attention and control. Mansons philosophy was all there was for the Family there was no adding elements to it or putting a personal twisting on the information. As one Family mem ber put it, everything was done at Charlies direction, (p. 317).Therefore, when examining some of the questions Wallace and Robersons book offer as means of determining if a religious group is abusive, the answers to them are uniformly no. For example, Does the group allow for growth in theological beliefs? Does the group promote relationships and connections with the larger society that are more than self-serving? or the question most indicative of the abusive situation happening at Spahn ranch, Does the group encourage free-living thinking and the development of discernment skills? (Wallace and Roberson, p. 327).While Manson did not demand any of his followers kill themselves as is the pattern in many cults, his motives were just as sinister. Mansons goal was to survive the apocalypse to be the leader of the master white race. With the help of his Family Manson wanted to go from the leader of 30-40 hippies to the leader of the whole world. Luckily his means of obtaining this goal were not as luxe as the goal itself and eventually get him in jail, far away from impressible minds to warp and twist.Charles Manson is an interesting man in that he offers us the opportunity to see how a human being can transform himself into an animalistic monster if society turns a blind eye. Even though Manson proved from an early age that he was violent and had no respect for authority or law, he was repeatedly let out to wreak havoc on society. Charles Mansons masterpiece was a sadistic, brainwashing cult which twisted the minds of dozens of young people, made them experiences the horror of abuse, physical, emotional and sexual, and finally ended in the deaths of at to the lowest degree nine people.What Manson really gives us is a reason to continue the fight against interpersonal violence. As a society we must never again allow such a person to freely dwell among us. People with these types of violent tendencies must be identified, understand and if at all possible , rehabilitated. If rehabilitation is not possible then the proper steps must be taken to ensure that such an abusive person is never allowed access to another victim.While people often think that interpersonal violence isnt their riddle because they seaportt personally experienced it, Charles Manson shows just how ignorant this opinion is. While Manson may have been someone elses problem before he started the family, it was still one man that shocked and frightened an entire state, and made the entire country take notice. With our increased understanding we now that the king to fight to insure that nothing like the Manson Family will be allowed to exist uncurbed again.