A Study on Mental Health Portrayal in Contemporary Creative Writing
Open Access
Author:
Garman, Anna
Area of Honors:
English
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Charlotte Amalie Holmes, Thesis Supervisor Carla J. Mulford, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
Mental Health Creative Writing Contemporary Literature Mental Illness
Abstract:
This project explores the different portrayals of those with mental illnesses in contemporary creative writing within the realm of fiction. These creative pieces offer examples of the multitude of portrayals that are found in modern literature. Some portrayals offer critiques of the uninformed and assumptive manner in which mentally ill persons are represented, while others attempt to give a more realistic understanding of the true intentions, thought processes, and effects that mental illnesses can have on the lives of those who have them, as well as on the lives of those around them. This project is a blend of fact and fiction, proving that the line between the two when it comes to characters dealing with a mental illness is unacceptably blurred.
