The Effect of Cruel Punishments in The Mental Hospital To Susanna’s Depression in Susanna Kaysen’s Girl, Interrupted!

Melissa Elaine Saputra(1*), Liem Satya Limanta(2),


(1) English Department, Faculty of Letters, Petra Christian University, Siwalankerto 121-131, Surabaya 60236, East Java
(2) English Department, Faculty of Letters, Petra Christian University, Siwalankerto 121-131, Surabaya 60236, East Java
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


This paper is basically a study of depression. Through the study on Susanna Kaysen’s Girl, Interrupted!, I intend to analyze the effects of cruel punishment in the mental hospital to Susanna Kaysen, the main character in the novel. In order to fulfill the goal of this thesis, I use psychological theory on depression to analyze the novel. Finally, I conclude that Susanna becomes more depressed after she enters the mental hospital and sees the cruel punishment in there. The cruel punishments can be classified into two groups. They are mental and physical torture. In the novel, Susanna experiences both of them that make her feel more depressed than before she enters the mental hospital. In other words, watching the cruel punishment or torture can make a healthy person becomes depressed and depressed person becomes more depressed. Therefore, a person should avoid watching anything cruel in the television, radio, newspaper, and society so that they will not get depressed or more depressed by it

Keywords


Psychology, Novel, Depression, symptoms of depression, losing interest to have friend and boyfriend, losing focus, feeling guilty worthless, helpless, and wanting to commit suicide.

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References


Kaysen, Susanna. Girl, Interrupted!. United States (USA), 1993.

National Institude of Mental Health. Depression. USA.

Brennecke, John H. Psychology and Human Experiences. 2nd ed. Macmillan (USA), 1978.

Ketter, Terence A. Handbook of Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder. USA: American Psychiatric Pub, 2009.

Maj, Mario, and Norman Sartorius. Depressive Disorder. 2nd ed. England, 2002.

“Cruel and Inhuman Treatment Causes More Mental Damage Than Physical Torture.” Science 2009. Science Online. 23 May. 2013.

“James Mangold Bio.” Tribute. 1994. March, 2013.

“Susanna Kaysen – Author of Girl, Interrupted!” Angel Fire. 1993. March, 2013.

“Girl, Interrupted! Synopsis.” Water Stones. 1997. March, 2013.

“Interesting Quotes About Memoirs.” A Reader’s Place. 1991. September, 2013.

< areadersplace.net/memoir/quotes/>




DOI: https://doi.org/10.9744/katakita.2.1.%25p

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