Emily Chan
Imagine a human child growing up in the wilderness and being raised by animals. What comes to mind are probably the stories of Mowgli and Tarzan, which highlight the connection between man and animals. These fictional takes are heartwarming and inspire people to treat nature with respect.
However, there are real and haunting cases of feral children that have been documented all around the world. Feral children are kids who have been deprived of human contact from an early age.
They have had little to no experience with human interaction or language. Such tales expose the dark side of human society, prompting us to consider the impact of socialization on human development.
One case that stands out in particular is that of Genie Wiley. She spent nearly her entire childhood locked in a bedroom. For over a decade, she was living in isolation and endured horrible abuse.
During that time, she was often tied to a potty chair without any clothes on, unable to move except for her hands and feet. If she made any noise, her father would beat her. The only sort of communication she received was when her father growled or barked at her.
Genie’s plight was discovered in 1970 when she walked into a county welfare office in Los Angeles. She appeared to be around six or seven, even though she was 13 years old. She had been accompanying her mother, who had entered the wrong office while seeking services for blind people.
Social workers observed that the girl could not talk. She also could barely chew or swallow and struggled to focus her eyes and fully straighten her limbs.
After conducting an investigation into her home life, they discovered one of the worst cases of child abuse they had ever seen. Both of Genie’s parents were charged with abuse, but the day before he was supposed to appear in court, Genie’s father took his own life. He left behind a note that stated, “The world will never understand.”
The scientific community was very interested in Genie’s case, as it was important for gaining more information about human language, learning, and development. They wanted to see if Genie had the ability to learn language despite having grown up without any social training. Researchers referred to the girl as Genie to protect her privacy and identity.
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