The document provides background on the memoir "Boy with Loaded Gun" by Lewis Nordans, which describes his difficult childhood including an alcoholic stepfather and the deaths of family members. It then discusses several topics related to themes in the memoir, including bipolar disorder, stepfamilies and parental relationships, the effects of parental death and abandonment on children, and how alcoholism in the family can negatively impact children. It concludes with references used in the discussion.

1. BOY WITH LOADED GUN: A
MEMOIR
By: Kim Taylor

3. BACKGROUND
The book Boy with Loaded Gun: A Memoir is about Lewis Nordans life.
However, some stuff is made up and exaggerated. The boy’s name in the
book is buddy. When he was a young boy his father died and he always
wondered why he could not remember him. However, a part of him felt that
there was a reason that he did not remember him. His mother was not
around that much after his father died. His mother remarried eventually and
his step father was an alcoholic. He could tell that the alcoholism hurt his
mother but accepted his step father as his real father. However, he was
indifferent about his father. He liked him sometimes but then wanted to
shoot and kill him. When his step father passed he felt nothing. His mother
believed that he was a nervous and odd child. Later on in life he married his
first wife Elizabeth and they had 3 children together. One of the children
died not long after birth then when the other one Robin was in college he
committed suicide. He was an alcoholic for about 20 years and right before
Robin died he sobered up. He cheated on Elizabeth and would then turn
around and hate himself for it over and over. Throughout his years he has
experienced traumatic events such as killing someone in a car accident and
many deaths. He is obsessed with sex. He started writing at age 35. Later on
he met Annie and married her who he also cheated on but is still with.

4. BIPOLAR DISORDER
oBipolar Disorder (BP) is a familial illness that usually onsets during
adolescence.
oBP is difficult to diagnose
oA serious mental disorder that can cause severe lifelong functional
impairment.
oBipolar Disorder is most of the time accompanied by another disorder.
oBP is when you are acting one way then you instantly switch to another way.
oCauses behavioral problems
oFor children, this can manifest as preoccupation with viewing or drawing
naked people, provocative, touching of the breasts, gentile area, or buttocks
of other, intense and inappropriate kissing or sexually explicit dancing.
oChild displays behavior problems, rebels against parents, and has frequent
temper outbursts.
oAdolescent experiences substance abuse, fluctuations in their moods, and
depressive episodes.

5. SECOND MARRIAGES AND
CHILDREN
Low amounts of arguing between the parent and stepparent will help keep a good relation ship
between the stepparent and his/her stepchild.
The US has the highest rate for remarriage in the world.
The presence of a stepparent can effect the child's school performance and behavioral issues.
The Family Systems Theory suggests that a family is merely a collection of individuals. However, they
are defined by roles, rules, and connections between family members.
This means that there must be stability in step families.
Biological father relationships are important to the child in a step family as well.
The biological father influences the attitude the child has towards the stepfather.
If the child has had a bad experience with the biological father can cause mistrust to all men.
Ex partners also can have negative affects on the child especially cohabiting stepfamilies.
Cohabiting stepfamilies are when the parent and stepparent are together and not married.
Cohabiting stepfamilies cause poor psychological health, behavioral problems, and poor school
performance.

6. PARENTAL DEATH AND CHILD
ABANDONMENT
The death of a parent can negatively affect a child’s social, mental,
and health well-being.
The death of a parent will also affect he child's future including long
and short term decisions.
The decisions include possibility of teenage marriage, working as a
teenager, joining the military, and higher education stability.
The parental death can cause child abandonment especially if the
child was close to the parent who passed.

7. ALCOHOLISM IN THE FAMILY
Children who had an alcoholic parent are at risk for becoming an
alcoholic as well.
Alcoholism in the family can negatively affect the child's belonging,
depression , and being strong after something bad happens.
Alcoholism negatively affects the child in general.
Can cause lack of attachment in children.
Alcoholism causes aggression.
Parental Alcoholism can tear a family apart.
Parental Alcoholism can cause emotional problems.
Parental Alcoholism can cause trauma to the child.

8. REFERENCES
Altinbas, K., & Evren, C. (2013). Pharmacotherapy options in comorbid bipolar disorder
and alcohol-substance use disorders. Klinik Psikofarmakoloji Bulteni, 23(4), 378-389.
Jensen, T. M., & Shafer, K. (2013). Stepfamily functioning and closeness: children's views
on second marriages and stepfather relationships. Social Work, 58(2), 127-136.
Nagata, T., Yamada, H., Teo, A. R., & Yoshimura, C. (2013). Using the mood disorder
questionnaire and bipolar spectrum diagnostic scale to detect bipolar disorder and
borderline personality disorder among eating disorder patients. BMC Psychiatry,13(1), 1-
8.
Li, J., Vestergaard, M., Cnattingius, S., Gissler, M., Bech, B., Obel, C., & Olsen, J. (2014).
Mortality after Parental Death in Childhood: A Nationwide Cohort Study from Three Nordic
Countries. Plos Medicine, 11(7), 1-13.
Lea, G., Shin- Yi, C., Jin- Tan, L., & Jin- Long, L. (2013). Parental Loss and Children's Well-
Being. Journal of Human Resources, 48(4), 1035-1071. Lee, H., & Williams, R. A. (2013).
Effects of Parental Alcoholism, Sense of Belonging, and Resilience on Depressive
Symptoms: A Path Model. Substance Use & Misuse, 48(3), 265-273.
Lee, H., & Williams, R. A. (2013). Effects of Parental Alcoholism, Sense of Belonging, and
Resilience on Depressive Symptoms: A Path Model. Substance Use & Misuse, 48(3), 265-
273.