nathaniel anthony ayers
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
1/14
Nathaniel
AnthonyAyers
An amazing
musician
possessing the
pinnacle of human
gift, cursed by
mental illness
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
2/14
Nathaniel ran
over to his uncle
Howard and aunt
Willas house on
East 111th because
they lived acrossthe street from a
park (150).
Nathaniel played football with neighborhood kids and
chipped golf balls with Uncle Howard If there was nothing
doing in the park, Nathaniel scooted over to the lake togaze at the steaming tankers, check out the activity on the
docks or chuck stones into the lapping surf (150-51).as the boy became the young man, he noticed that his stepsisters were suddenly showing
more interest in him. Nathaniel began impeccably grooming himself before setting foot
outside the house, and the stepsisters cooed as he worked the mirror, and them He was
cute and smart (153).
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
3/14
When his mother bought him a used
bass, Nathaniel began passing up ball
games in the street and in the schoolyard
so he could practice (156).
If he kept at it, Barnofftold him, a music scholarship to
Ohio University wasnt out of the question. Maybe,
Nathaniel told him. But he had even bigger dreams than
that. Hadnt Mr. Barnoff been to Juilliard? (159).
Halfway through his freshman year at Ohio U., he flew to
Juilliard for an audition. Next thing I knew, Barnoff says, his
voice breaking, he got a scholarship(20).
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
4/14
His clothes didnt match. His
hair was messy. He was
zealous, jumpy, provocative.
Jennifer remembers how
uncomfortable he made her
with his nervous energy andawkward conversation. It was
obvious to everyone who
knew him well that something
was different (246).
He was a very angry blackman, and very anti-white
(246).
Nathaniel took to drawing on the walls and ceiling of
their apartment (246-47).
No one seemed to realize that the promising young
student from Cleveland was losing his mind (248).
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
5/14
It began with a
distant look in
his eyes, and the
next thing
Spurlock knew,Nathaniel began
stripping off his
clothes. His
alarmed hosts
called for help,
and Nathaniel
was taken to
Bellevue
Hospitals
psychiatric
emergency
room. He was
diagnosed with
schizophrenia
and calmed with
heavy doses of
Thorazine(249).
Date of
complete
withdrawal,
Oct. 6, 1972,
says an entry
in his file.Reason:
Program too
demanding
at present(249).
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
6/14
Nathaniel
AnthonyAyers
Please meet
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
7/14
Nathaniel:Artisti
c
Talente
d Polite
Charming
Eloquent
Outgoing
Kind
Talkative
Clever
Helpful Intelligent
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
8/14
Anthony:
At his core, N. Anthony A. is sane and calm, a pleasant person who mightve
led an extraordinarily successful life if not for his unfortunate illness.
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
9/14
Ayers:Due to his mental illness, N. A. Ayers seemed an unpredictable,
unstable, and unreadable man, his true character masked by his
peculiar actions. His appearance confused many people, and those
people did not understand how he associated certain cues with such
abnormal reactions.
His mind worked in unexplainable ways, the same way
that, for example, certain people cannot combine
linear and creative thought people who can do not
understand this.
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
10/14
How would you act
toward a mentally illperson?
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
11/14
Would you treat them
As a child?
As a pet?
As an adult?
What kind of respect would they deserve?
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
12/14
These questions relate to me because I often think that adults
do not respect kids enough it seems that adults probably
struggle with how to treat mentally ill people the same way
they struggle with how to treat teens and children. What
level of respect does a mentally ill persons level of
functionality deserve?
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
13/14
The life of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers provides what
many of us need a new way of looking at how we
think.
After living on the streets for many years, Nathaniel
eventually recovered to a mostly stable situation, and
currently lives indoors in an apartment. His sister
founded the Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Foundation for
musicians with mental illnesses.
A valuable lesson.
-
7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers
14/14
Sources:
The Soloistby Steve Lopez
http://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.html
http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011
http://log.donnie.se/?tag=usa&paged=3
http://www.digitalsheetplus.com/pages.php?pageid=35 http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--
orchestra_2
http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/
http://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08
/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.html http://www.cobbsheriff.org/detention/jailhistory.htm
http://www.gndesigns.net/portfolio/insanity.php
http://lyricsdog.eu/s/cello%20double%20bass
http://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.htmlhttp://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.htmlhttp://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://log.donnie.se/?tag=usa&paged=3http://www.digitalsheetplus.com/pages.php?pageid=35http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.cobbsheriff.org/detention/jailhistory.htmhttp://www.gndesigns.net/portfolio/insanity.phphttp://lyricsdog.eu/s/cello%20double%20basshttp://lyricsdog.eu/s/cello%20double%20basshttp://www.gndesigns.net/portfolio/insanity.phphttp://www.cobbsheriff.org/detention/jailhistory.htmhttp://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.digitalsheetplus.com/pages.php?pageid=35http://log.donnie.se/?tag=usa&paged=3http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.htmlhttp://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.html