Chapter 10, The Roots of the Problem, pg 155-179 Summary and Analysis

In this chapter, Hare explains the idea of children being psychopaths. He explores the book The Bad Seed. The story is about Christine Penmark, a mother who feels extremely guilty for bringing a child psychopath into the world. Hare insists that real parents are faced with this problem. Parents stand by helplessly as they realize they have very few options for their child's treatment.

Hare does point out that many people cannot think of young children as cold, heartless psychopaths, but insists that the personality disorder becomes evident at a very early age. Research has proven that psychopathy does not suddenly occur in adulthood. These children are more aggressive, difficult, willful, and deceitful than other children. Some other characteristics of a halt in childhood development occurs in...