11 Why Do People Keep Interrupting This Girl???

Introduction

In Cohen’s 4th thesis, he explains that people who do not fit into a specific group/culture are seen to have “monstrous” qualities, even when that’s not true, causing those to face detriment and disadvantages. Some examples include religious groups, activists, and women— and it’s no secret that women have been prejudiced against throughout history.

I’ve decided to focus my chapter on mentally ill women being seen as monsters, specifically in the book Girl, Interrupted. This memoir, written by Susanna Kaysen, depicts the experiences of a woman in a psychiatric hospital. Her entries describe the traits of other women in said hospital. Its central theme describes how the medical industry uses control and manipulation, especially in lesser discovered areas (at the time), such as mental health. In my chapter, Iplan to break down Kaysen’s character, and the effects of Borderline Personality Disorder on her, as well as others.

The Real Monster

In the memoir, Girl, Interrupted, writer Susanna Kaysen documents her experience at McLean Hospital, for treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The National Institute of Mental Health states that individuals with BPD, “may experience intense mood swings and feel uncertainty about how they see themselves” (NIMH), and that “their feelings for others can change quickly, and swing from extreme closeness to extreme dislike” (NIMH).

“Every Window on Alcatraz has a View of San Francisco”

In Girl, Interrupted, Susanna Kaysen writes that mental illnesses and disorders are often perceived inaccurately by the public, and even by medical professionals. The beauty of this memoir lies in how Kaysen uses personal archives to accompany her documented experiences. In combination with the vivid imagery and detail, Kaysen softens these flawed claims. However, many argue that Girl, Interrupted fails to follow a cohesive, smooth plot, as the book tends to “jump around”, and lacks a timeline. Additionally, the book does not answer a key question that arises among readers: Does Kaysen ever get truly cured? Although many argue that mental health resources and awareness have greatly increased through time, women with mental disorders are still widely misunderstood as “monsters”. In my chapter, I plan to break down Kaysen’s character, and the effects of Borderline Personality Disorder on her, as well as others.This new insight will describe several mental illnesses through the characters in Girl, Interrupted, and reduce the harsh stigma surrounding the disorders.

Jefferey Cohen’s fourth thesis in Monster Theory claims that “The Monster Dwells at the Gates of Difference”. He explains that people who do not fit into a specific group/culture are seen to have “monstrous” qualities, even when that’s not true. The monster is different from the people who deemed it a monster, yet often, the monster dwells among those beings. In the case of Girl, Interrupted, the women at McLean Hospital are mainly different from everyone else in physical, emotional, and sexual manners. In Girl, Interrupted, Susanna Kaysen expresses that “Every window on Alcatraz has a view of San Francisco”. This phrase supports Kaysen’s argument that the mentally ill can fall into this “parallel universe”. When one travels into this universe, they are subject to a new life and routine to follow, like a prison. However, they are painfully conscious of the reality outside this prison, and aware that life goes on in the world they left behind. In another scene, Kaysen writes “Once, these thoughts must have had a meaning. They must have meant what they said. But repetition has blunted them. They have become a background music, a Muzak medley of self-hatred themes”. In this example, Kaysen explains the thought processes she experiences, and how they differ from how “normal” people think. She expresses that it’s challenging to be at ease with her thoughts, especially since Kaysen’s thoughts often reflect her self-hatred so often, that it seems to become background music at this point. Furthermore, Kaysen alludes to Muzak to categorize her thoughts since Muzak specifically is played in factories and restaurants to increase productivity among its workers. This may mean that Kaysen’s BPD makes her feel like nothing more to a factory worker, serving her self-hating thoughts.

Individuals with mental illnesses often receive improper treatment for their condition. In the  article “Not Sick Enough, and a Struggle to Get Care”,  journalist Sarah Petrescu cites that “It’s not so much that the services aren’t there or lacking, it’s that there are not enough spaces” (Petrescu). Mental well being is an important part of one’s health, and having adequate resources is a central and growing issue today. This notion is also supported by Dr. Pamela Keel. In their experiment published in the American Journal of Psychology, Pamela Keel and her colleagues concluded that women with anorexia nervosa received much more inpatient treatment than those with bulimia nervosa, which “may explain the seeming lack of treatment efficacy for eating disorders outside of randomized controlled studies” (Keel). The inequality of eating disorder treatment is a contributing factor to the harsh stigma of mental illness. Sandy Morrow, a woman living with BPD, states, “ I could’ve been something more if I had gotten control of this earlier…I could’ve been more I think” (Morrow). This personal experience explains the significance of receiving proper treatment, before it’s too late. Individuals with mental illnesses may feel emotions of regret and sorrow, which could be prevented with recognizing signs of the condition, and seeking help.

Misperception of mental illness has been a dynamic problem in society. According to Maria Vincent of Al Azhar College of Arts and Science, “Mental illnesses are common, yet avoided due to the social prejudice and narrow perspectives”. Although more resources are becoming available in places such as schools and workplaces (especially in the Western world), the stigma of mental health and individuals with mental health concerns are still considered taboo topics in parts of the world. In her newspaper article, Elizabeth Shearer writes, “It is believed that as much as 14 percent of the general population suffers from BPD” (Shearer). Additionally, Dr. Michael Rosenbluth, a Toronto psychiatrist interviewed by Morrow, states that “People with BPD are often bright and capable individuals..but the disorder definitely will interfere with their capacity to reach their goals and achieve their potential”. Here, Dr. Rosenbluth acknowledges that individuals with BPD can still be quite intelligent, even with the disadvantages of their disorder. This displaces some (negative) misconceptions of those with the condition.

Afterword

When women have issues pertaining to mental health, society often construes them as “monsters”, especially in the past. Although many argue that mental health resources and awareness have greatly increased through time, women with mental disorders are still widely misunderstood as “monsters”. Mental illnesses widely receive improper treatment for their condition, and are usually misperceived in their lives. In Susanna Kaysen’s Girl, Interrupted, Kaysen writes about her experiences in McLean hospital, for treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder.

Works Cited

Johnson, Alex. “A Conversation with Susanna Kaysen.” Agni (Boston, Mass.), vol. 40, no. 40, 1994, pp. 99–107. https://orbiscascade-washington.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01ALLIANCE_UW/db578 v/cdi_proquest_miscellaneous_1292070774

Kaysen, Susanna. Girl, Interrupted. Vintage Books, a Division of Random House, Inc., 1994. https://orbiscascade-washington.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01ALLIANCE_UW/1juclfo /alma99149622570001452

Keel, Pamela K., et al. “Predictors of Treatment Utilization among Women with Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa.” American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 159, no. 1, 2002, pp. 140–142., doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.159.1.140. https://orbiscascade-washington.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01ALLIANCE_UW/1kt8sij /cdi_proquest_miscellaneous_57609828

Petrescu, Sarah. “Not Sick Enough, and a Struggle to Get Care; Woman with Borderline Personality Disorder Campaigns for Expanded Treatment Options for Mental Health.” Times Colonist (Victoria), 2014. https://orbiscascade-washington.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01ALLIANCE_UW/1kt8sij /cdi_proquest_newspapers_1513289803

Shearer, Elizabeth. “BPD: A Life out of Control ; One Woman’s Story Sheds Some Light on the Devastating Reality of Borderline Personality Disorder: Ontario Edition.” Toronto Star, 2001. https://orbiscascade-washington.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01ALLIANCE_UW/db578 v/cdi_proquest_newspapers_438308833

Vincent, Maria. “Madness Reconsidered in Susanna Kaysen’s Girl Interrupted.” Shanlax International Journal of English, vol. 9, no. 2, 2021, pp. 31-34. https://duwamish.lib.washington.edu/. Accessed 13 October 2022. https://orbiscascade-washington.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01ALLIANCE_UW/1kt8sij /cdi_crossref_primary_10_34293_english_v9i2_3564