MENTAL ILLNESS IN FAMILY MEMOIRS: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTALLY ILL PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN
Open Access
Author:
Cherry, Brandon Jay
Area of Honors:
English
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Ellen Andrews Knodt, Thesis Supervisor Dr. David E Ruth, Thesis Honors Advisor Karen Weekes, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
memoirs family writers mental illness
Abstract:
This project explores the relationship between mentally ill parents and their children in the memoir form. These family memoirs offer insights into the effects of mentally ill parents on their children. The family memoirs of three famous twentieth century writers are studied to analyze the effects of mental illness in the written form, because a wide majority of the population does not have the privilege or skills to write about events effectively. Further psychological research also demonstrates how the coping mechanisms that children of mentally ill parents employ impact their development into adult life.