You should take notes on the documentary and the short story we read for your essay. Keep these ideas in mind as you watch, read, and learn:

1. In the documentary, “Thin”, several of the girls talk about their reasons for wanting to be thin. What are some of those reasons? What are some of the dangers of being too thin and how do the girls feel about these dangers? (Be specific, especially about the psychological effects of eating disorders.)
2. In the short story, “A Hunger Artist”, the townspeople react to the hunger artist in different ways and have certain opinions about him. What are those opinions and how does the artist feel about them? Why does he feel this way?
3. Maslow talks about the psychological need to eat, and why it takes precedence over most other drives, why do you think hunger is so important?
4. According to Clark Hull, hunger should drive us to eat no matter what because it’s an intrinsic motivation (urgent and unavoidable). What are other intrinsic and extrinsic motivations and how can those override the intrinsic motivation for food when you’re hungry?

undefinedYour task is to write an essay that addresses these FOUR questions:

1. How is it possible to override your biological drive to eat, in order to achieve a longer-term goal, especially one that is clearly dangerous and can lead to death?

1. Is the desire to be thin part of the need for self-esteem? Or is it a form of self-actualization?
2. Can extrinsic motives outweigh intrinsic motives? Give an example.
3. Is there a difference between the motives of the Renfrew Crew and the Hunger Artist? Explain.

undefinedKeep the following in mind while you work on your essay:

1. Wanting to be accepted by others can be both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated!
2. Anorexia and bulimia occur mostly in young women (under 30), and almost always begins in teenage years.
3. Some psychologists believe that images of super-thin women in the media contribute to Anorexia and Bulimia

This essay should be about two pages. Don’t write a lot of nonsense to fill the page, I’d rather you not meet the word count and have AWESOME insights than meet the word count with a bunch of nonsense. You will be graded on the quality of your essay, as well as your ability to follow directions. You can use your notes and the internet to help you, but please remember to cite your sources if you’re using anything other than Thin, A Hunger Artist, and our class notes.