The Shark Net, by Robert Drewe

“Everybody has their own personal reality shaped by their own unique experiences”
Robert Drewe’s “The Shark Net” suggests that everybody has their own personal reality shaped by their own unique experiences. The text holds the idea that the experiences a person encounters throughout their lives plays a crucial role in shaping how they perceive the world. This is particularly evident in the character of Eric Cooke. Cooke’s abusive upbringing plays an important role in the way he perceives the world later on in life. An individual’s social environment also plays a large role in shaping someone’s reality as does how they perceive others and themselves.    
Individuals with an abusive upbringing often develop psychological problems throughout their child hood which can lead to problems later in life. Eric’s own psychological issues are thought to have played a role in the creation of Eric’s own warped perspective of the world. The results of childhood abuse are evident through Eric Cooke, as he would often be a victim of his father's alcohol addiction. He would receive beatings which would be for no apparent reason, and was often beaten by his father when he tried to protect his mother from his violent outbursts of rage. From these experiences Eric formed his own perspective. Eric felt as though society abandoned him, that nobody cared and the world was against him. This left Eric with no sense of self worth and he felt as though he needed to take revenge on society somehow. It is evident in the novel that his upbringing and his personal reality led him to resort to crime and murder  
A child’s social environment through childhood and adolescent years usually plays a huge role in shaping what sort of person a child develops into. If a child is surrounded by a supportive group of peers who encourages them to develop to their optimal potential, they become confident within themselves and are set out to become whatever they desire. On the other hand it has been shown...