# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? In the excerpt from Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton, the main character Adam struggles with his diagnosis of Schizophrenia. Someone can understand an experience of another by being there at one point. In the story its talking about how the boy has a disorder and he got made fun of a lot. So someone could have also been made fun of before. Say if someone was stressed about a test and there is another person who is a year older who has been. their before and can understand what the person is feeling. In the story it also said how he goes to a new school so he might be nervous. I know that one time I was scared because I was new to a school. If someone can feel what you feel it usually means that they felt the same thing before and they have been in the same situation that someone else might have been in.

# data[].attributes.body
How can people from different backgrounds understand another's experience? In the story Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton, Adam is a Schizophrenic junior in High School and only his Mother and his Step-dad knows of his condition. When writing to his therapist about his experiences, Adam states, "It’s hard starting as a junior in a new school. It’s significantly more difficult to make friends when people know you see things you shouldn’t be able to see" (Walton 3). Adam hides his condition from others because he is worried what others would think of him when they found out. No one can understand Adam's experience without getting to know him as a person. When confronting others, he worries that they would fear him without even getting to know him. Being empathetic for people is all about making connections. You also need to know that you can never fully understand how someone is feeling. Connecting with others gives us some way to make them feel better about their insecurities as well. We need to work together to understand the things we can't understand.

# data[].attributes.body
How can people from different backgrounds understand another's experience? In the excerpt from "Words on Bathroom Walls", by Julia Walton, Adam feels misunderstood by those around him because he sees things other people don't see. His experience, as someone with Schizophrenia, is different from his classmates at school. It causes others to look at him differently. After being called to the princible for something uncontrollable, Adam's mom says on the phone, “'Mrs. Brizeno said you looked up in the chemistry lab, started screaming, and fell to the floor.'”(Walton 2). Adam gets in trouble for something that isn't his fault. People, such as his mom and doctors, try to understand Adam and his illness, but it is difficult. Adam's step dad has a hard time with Adam's illness and becomes almost afraid of Adam. People from different backgrounds can understand another's experience by treating them the way you would treat anyone else. People can learn about what others are going through to help better understand them. Also, many people go through similar experiences, so they can relate to those around them.

# data[].attributes.body
How do our beliefs about life shape how we view death? In the story "The School" by Donald Barthelme, the school in Eddy's life was depressing because everything seemed to have died, literally and figuratively. Eddy had many unpleasant  experiences in the school, like when kids had "two heart attacks and two suicides, one drowning, and four killed together in a car accident." (Barthelme 2), which has an impact on his viewpoint on life. Eddy's school is filled with misfortune and bad luck, from trees and animals rotting and dying, and even other humans experiencing the same fate. Death can be viewed in many different ways. People who experience life in an unsatisfying way, might want death to arrive quicker, because they feel that there is no meaning to life. People who had happy and positive experiences growing up, might not want life to end, because of how enjoyable it is. In our society, some deaths are caused because of conditions like depression, which is the main source of suicides. Stress and depression can also lead to diseases, and health problems. In order for our society to evolve and become a comfortable place for everyone, understanding people who live in a bad community, or are feeling stressed or depressed, and helping them is what's needed.

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? It is impossible for someone to truly understand someone else's experience. But a perfect understanding is not required. Empathy is not stealing someone's brain and putting in your head. Empathy is trying to understand, even if you can never 100% understand. Adam's step day isn't perfect, and he'll never really understand Adam, ut he an still empathize. "The good thing is that he actually does love my mom. And since my mom loves me, he makes an effort. " Adam see's that his step dad tries. He may not be perfect, but he tries. Empathy is often treated as a perfect understanding of someone else, when in actuality, it is "the thought that counts".

# data[].attributes.body
Through Adam backstory, Walton illustrates how people from different backgrounds can come together and understand each other. Adam is writing to somebody who has beaten schizophrenia and is talking about his experiences trying to beat it. While talking about his stepfather Adam says "things are different." This shows how before Paul (Step-father) knew about his illness things were fine and happy but now that the illness has been introduced his (step-father is afraid of him). Adam is not ready for the change in his relationships and doesn't like how his illness isn't helping but in fact causing them to fade away. Illness causes the same effect in real life. People are torn away from their families, friends, and others who mean most to them because they got a piece of paper diagnosing them with an illness. This can cause people to feel alone going through the struggle of trying to recover. Which can destroy someone's confidence and hope of ever getting better

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another?  In life, although people can make attempts to feel empathy towards people which can be successful to an extent, people often will make certain assumptions about things which they don't know enough about. In "Words on Bathroom Walls", by Julia Walton, Adam feels like his condition isn't understood by society around him, as people think of him strangely when they find out about his condition. Adam is reflecting on when his mother found out about his condition. "Nobody wants to be crazy, but now that I know what’s happening to me, now that I understand what’s going on in my head, I don’t want to think about what it means to know you’re crazy. To know that your family knows you’re crazy." Adam understands that he has a problem, but he hates to be seen as crazy. He doesn't want to be looked at differently or accepted any less because of something he can't control. To think that his family who he loved saw him any differently, it bothers him. In society, it is important to not immediately make assumptions of people and to give them a fair chance. Just because they are different, doesn't mean they don't deserve to be understood. This is why building a culture of empathy in society is very important.

# data[].attributes.headline
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another?  A person can truly understand the experience of another by feeling as if they were in that individuals shoes or if they have felt it themselves. For example if you have ever felt sad and depressed about a death and your friend has felt the same way, so you two could communicate with each other about said feelings on the subject at hand. From the excerpt of the story "Words on Bathroom Walls" By Julia Walton, you can tell that Adam isn't normal and he hasn't found anyone to relate to him. Although his condition can infer with the was he thinks about things, he must find it difficult to find ways to talk to other people. I feel empathetic from the quote "I don't always say the  things I mean to say when I talk to someone. It's impossible to swallow words after letting them out, so it's better for me to not speak at all if I can help it. You'll just have to deal with that." I can relate to this quote because I often stutter when I speak and it's often embarrassing having to correct yourself after speaking to something different. It's not something really huge, but I feel empathetic for Adam that he can't openly speak about the way that he feels because he feels as if some people don't understand him because of his schizophrenia. 

# data[].attributes.subject
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another?  A person can truly understand the experience of another by feeling as if they were in that individuals shoes or if they have felt it themselves. For example if you have ever felt sad and depressed about a death and your friend has felt the same way, so you two could communicate with each other about said feelings on the subject at hand. From the excerpt of the story "Words on Bathroom Walls" By Julia Walton, you can tell that Adam isn't normal and he hasn't found anyone to relate to him. Although his condition can infer with the was he thinks about things, he must find it difficult to find ways to talk to other people. I feel empathetic from the quote "I don't always say the  things I mean to say when I talk to someone. It's impossible to swallow words after letting them out, so it's better for me to not speak at all if I can help it. You'll just have to deal with that." I can relate to this quote because I often stutter when I speak and it's often embarrassing having to correct yourself after speaking to something different. It's not something really huge, but I feel empathetic for Adam that he can't openly speak about the way that he feels because he feels as if some people don't understand him because of his schizophrenia. 

# data[].attributes.body
Choice 2:

People from different backgrounds understands other people's experiences in a certain way. In the excerpt from Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton, Adam's experiences with Schizophrenic is viewed differently by other people because they most likely aren't diagnosed with Schizophrenic. After Adam's mom hung up the phone call from the principal explaining to the mom what Adam "saw" in school that day, his mom asked what happened. Adam states, ""Bats,” I said, looking down at my shoes. “Huge black bats”". His mom started crying because she didn't understand Adam's experiences because she has a different background.

# data[].attributes.body
Choice 2: how can people from different backgrounds understand another experience?

No  matter your background, people are able to understand one another's experiences. This is because, as humans, we all go through similar events in our life. We all experience heartbreak, loss, and challenges. We all emotional, and lash out. We all regret our choices and actions at one point or another. In the instance of this text, he is overwhelmed with knowing he will have to live with the condition of schizophrenia, and what it will mean for his life. He is angry, as he was dealt a raw deal, which is why he is cursing so much. We can empathize and understand him, as i'm sure we have all felt angry about something, weather it be very small, or life changing like Adam. For example, maybe a grandparent died unexpectedly, or a vacation you have been planning is cancelled. Though these experiences are not the same, those who experienced it would be able to relate, as they all experienced sadness, or anger in some way.

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? In the book "Words on Bathroom Walls" by Julia Walton, there is a character named Adam who is Schizophrenic. Adam struggles with this and moves schools because of it. He also struggles with making friends. " It’s significantly more difficult to make friends when people know you see things you shouldn’t be able to see." This shows how the way Adam sees it people don't understand him or his illness, but can they? No one can probably completely understand the experience of another, especially when it's very different from anything you've ever experienced. But with empathy one can understand and feel empathetic for others. So can someone truly understand the experience of another? Most likely not, but with empathy and sympathy one can see to an extent.

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? In "Words On Bathroom Walls" by Julia Walton, we can see that although we can sympathize with Adam we can never truly understand what her is going through unless we are a 16 year old boy with schizophrenia. When Adam is writing about  his life he says "when people know you see things you shouldn’t be able to see." (Walton 3). No one who is not schizophrenic would be able to see things that are not there. One could imagine how it must feel but there is no way to know for sure. Adam also discusses how, because he is schizophrenic he has a hard time making friends. When people are different they can be viewed with fear or distrust by others. People who are not different or are usually accepted will not know how it feels to be unaccepted or shunned. you could not know how Adam truly feels unless had the same experiences although we can be sympathetic or feel bad for him.

# data[].attributes.body
How can people from different backgrounds understand another’s experience?

In the story Adam goes through a terrible disease called Schizophrenic. This disease is very tough on Adam. However with nobody to fully understand what he is going through he has nobody to cope with. Because not many people are like him it causes him to assume everybody will bully him, and be scared of him if they figure out.    "The weirdest feeling, aside from seeing things that aren’t actually there, is sitting on the couch next to a grown man who is suddenly afraid of me. He didn’t used to be afraid. It’s hard not to take that personally" ( Julia Walton 3).  In life it is hard to be able to get past problems with nobody to help you get through it. Although if you do not understand what somebody is going through, this does not mean you cant make them feel better.  Empathy is underrated, and many people need it to persevere. Even if somebody has not been through what you have people should realize there is people that care about you, that are still trying to help you.

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another?Another person can truly understand the experience of another depending on their experiences and level of empathy. A person who has been though the same experience as another who was high levels of empathy would be better able to understand what that person is going through, compared to a person who hasn't had the same experiences and who has low levels of empathy. In "Words on Bathroom Walls" by Julia Walton, Adam struggles with Schizophrenia, and other people aren't really able to understand what he is going through. They treat him like they are scared of him, like he is some otherworldly creature that they can't understand. They can't really understand what it is like for him to see all these crazy things and have people judge him because of it even though he has absolutely no control over it. None of those people have ever had to deal with what Adam has had to, and so they can't really understand his experiences. Adam's stepdad for example, in his journal Adam says "the weirdest feeling, aside from seeing things that aren’t actually there, is sitting on the couch next to a grown man who is suddenly afraid of me". His stepdad doesn't understand what Adam's life is like and what he sees, so he is scared of Adam and his Schizophrenic sights. Someone else who has Schizophrenia would be able to connect with Adam more and understand what his life is like, though their individual experiences might differ slightly from Adams'. No one is able to truly able to understand the full depth of a person's experiences and feelings, however certain people can often get close to it.

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? In the story, “Words on Bathroom Walls” by  Julia Walton.  Walton sheds light on how others' experiences can be challenging to fully understand, and why society needs to learn how to emphasize when looking at others' situations. Adam, a young sixteen year old boy diagnosed with schizophrenia, struggles with talking about his condition. He is in fear of saying the wrong thing, taking away from his trial. His way of expressing his feeling and emotion is through journal entries. Through his expression we can learn more about the severity of his disease, and why it is so challenging for him to open up. By shifting perspectives and stepping into the “shoes” of Adam, we can truly understand the deeper meaning behind his condition. It's important that society learns to shift outlooks and see through others' eyes before making judgement or criticism.  When we learn to sympathize, we can have a better understanding of others perspectives and circumstances.

# data[].attributes.body
The extent that one person can understand another person's experience is based on their understanding of it. Adam is sitting next to his stepdad Paul watching TV. Adam is fearful that Paul is thinking about Adam is crazy. “Now that he knows about me, about the illness, things are different. He doesn’t know what to do with me anymore. We’ll still sit and watch TV, but I can almost hear him thinking when I’m in the room. The weirdest feeling, aside from seeing things that aren’t actually there, is sitting on the couch next to a grown man who is suddenly afraid of me. He didn’t used to be afraid. It’s hard not to take that personally" (Walton 3). Adam is depressed that Paul us judging him about how he is think that he is crazy because of his illness. Adam cannot control it and it isn't his fault. Paul doesn't understand what Adam is going through, but based on what he has explained, it seems to be very scary and someone who would think it is weird or crazy. The phrase "weirdest feeling" sets the tone of judgment. Adam is being judged by Paul due to his illness, yet he cannot control it and he has no choice on whether he sees them or not. They cannot understand what he is going through and how he is truly dealing with it. Society cannot truly understand a person's experiences because the person might not truly understand it themselves. The feeling may not always be able to be explained with words, and sometimes be too hard to comprehend.

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? In the text "Words on the Bathroom Walls"by Julia Walton, the main character Adam has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Adam struggles to have a social life, and often feels lonely because he is different than others. Often times one may endure a challenging situation that another has never fully experienced. While it may seem hard to have sympathy for others, one can still have sympathy for another by looking back to previous experiences that they have undergone. Even if one might not be able to understand one to the fullest extent, one can still have sympathy for others.

# data[].attributes.body
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? Another individual is capable of understanding what someone else is going through, if they've been through a similar situation themselves. In the excerpt from "Words on Bathroom Walls", Adam Petrazelli is a 16 year old boy who is going through schizophrenic. This condition allows him to see differently than his peers. Adam goes through many challenging experiences through his time at school. He constantly gets made fun of by his peers due to the fact that he is seen as "weird." He also experiences troubles in class based on this condition, he can't control. It was when he was called to the principal for "[looking] up in the chemistry lab," and beginning to "scream" (Walton 2). This action was uncontrollable, yet he was still punished for doing it. People who are seen as abnormal can have a harder time making friends or feeling accepted by society due to immense amounts of stereotypes. However, when someone is able to comfort someone else through empathy it can cause an individual's unpleasant experience not be as much of a struggle. It can help make the outsider feel alike to their peers, and other individuals can get a better understanding through seeing a new perspective.

# data[].attributes.body
Choice 1: To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another?

In the excerpt from the story Words on Bathroom Walls,  by Julia Walton, the main character Adam Petrazelli suffers from schizophrenia, and due to his diagnosis of schizophrenia, Adam is not treated the same way by others that he once was. People who were once Adam’s friends and family began to become scared of him, and they lack any feelings of empathy towards him.  Adam cannot control his condition, and he feels that many people should show more empathy for him by putting themselves in his shoes. One person that Adam wishes would show more empathy towards him is his stepfather, Paul. At one point in the story when talking about his stepfather,  Adam explains “He doesn’t know what to do with me anymore. We’ll still sit and watch TV, but I can almost hear him thinking when I’m in the room. The weirdest feeling, aside from seeing things that aren’t actually there, is sitting on the couch next to a grown man who is suddenly afraid of me. He didn’t used to be afraid. It’s hard not to take that personally.” (Walton 3) After being diagnosed with schizophrenia, Adam’s stepfather became scared of him and stopped expressing his love for him, lacking empathy for Adam. The condition of schizophrenia is generally uncontrollable and often causes one to feel delusional.  A typical reaction to someone suffering from this condition would be empathy, even if a person is unable to comprehend what it is like to have this disease.  In today’s world, many people forget to show empathy to others. They treat someone with a condition like schizophrenia as crazy and say they need to be put into a mental facility.  It is easier to say that then to actually understand what the person with the condition is experiencing. It is important to always remember that people don’t always know what others are going through. This becomes harder to do when it is not something that someone can relate to because they have never experienced it. A little bit of empathy and understanding of one’s experiences and issues can go a long way to making a connection with that person.

# data[].attributes.body
How can people from different backgrounds understand another’s experience? In the excerpt Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton, Adam struggles with Schizophrenia. Because of his diagnosis, people think that he's crazy and he has nobody to relate to and talk to to help him. Other than his doctor. Adam states how it’s difficult for him, “It’s significantly more difficult to make friends when people know you see things you shouldn’t be able to see.” (Walton 3.)  This reveals how people don’t understand what he goes through and Adam is misunderstood. People that come from different backgrounds could relate to others without being disrespected because of the way that they are.

# data[].attributes.headline
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? Multiple times throughout the text “Words on bathroom walls” by Julia Walton it illustrates how one will never be able to truly resonate with someone’s strong emotions. In this excerpt of the text Adam reflects on his prior thoughts on how his perspective differentiate from others, “Everyone else was looking at me, not the birds that flew through the open window or the strange people who just sort of appeared in the living room. “(Walton 2). Walton's use of the word appeared emphasized on the confused tone of this passage. People can attempt to comprehend the emotions and experiences of others, but will never be able to truly comprehend the memorable moments others have experienced. Only able to show compassion but never know their true perspective. The mannerisms performed as a result of the event, are what defines the extent to which something has affected them and can be sympathized. 

# data[].attributes.subject
To what extent can one person truly understand the experience of another? Multiple times throughout the text “Words on bathroom walls” by Julia Walton it illustrates how one will never be able to truly resonate with someone’s strong emotions. In this excerpt of the text Adam reflects on his prior thoughts on how his perspective differentiate from others, “Everyone else was looking at me, not the birds that flew through the open window or the strange people who just sort of appeared in the living room. “(Walton 2). Walton's use of the word appeared emphasized on the confused tone of this passage. People can attempt to comprehend the emotions and experiences of others, but will never be able to truly comprehend the memorable moments others have experienced. Only able to show compassion but never know their true perspective. The mannerisms performed as a result of the event, are what defines the extent to which something has affected them and can be sympathized. 

# data[].attributes.body
Isabella Ogude