Psychological Analysis
Albert Fish's genetic predisposition to mental illness, his childhood experiences of violence within St. John's Orphanage, his lack of a father figure growing up, and his marital issues combine to make him a classic case for a serial killer. The brutality that Fish endured in the orphanage started at a very young age and changed his perception of pain. After being constantly exposed to sadistic behavior, Fish began to view pain in a pleasurable way. Once Fish realized the arousal he felt from pain, he came to the conclusion that the pain of other people would be pleasurable to him as well. The experiences Fish faced in the orphanage were the beginnings of his desire for pain, not only inflicted upon himself, but
