Premium Essay

Girl Interrupted Quotes

Submitted By
Words 458
Pages 2
Girl Interrupted is a novel by Susanna Kaysen in which the author shares stories of her time in a mental institution. The author of Girl Interrupted approaches human health in 3 different ways. She uses personal experiences, extensively researched information about each of the mental illnesses mentioned in the novel and the theme of ‘mental illnesses vs. tradition’ to inform the audience about mental illnesses. As the majority of the stories in the book are Susanna’s own personal experiences, they are very detailed, but appear to be bias as they are about her and are her side of the story.

Susanna uses her own personal experiences to approach human health in a way that is very unique. By including detailed stories in her novel, the audience is persuaded into supporting however Susanna felt or what she believed in the situation, even if she was morally wrong, utterly influencing the audience’s opinion of mental illnesses. The amount of stories and personal experiences discussed in the novel opens up the younger audience to release that many young people today suffer from mental illnesses. She also connected this theme with the quote “Scar tissue has no character. It's not like skin. It doesn't show age or illness or pallor or tan. It has no pores, no hair, no wrinkles. It's like a slipcover. It shields and disguises what's beneath. That's why we grow it; we have something to hide.” (p. 6). The author used this quote to link her themes discussed in the book and to allow the readers to begin to think about their own personal scars. …show more content…
Explanations are provided for each illness and the illnesses that are included in the novel are, because either Susanna herself or one of her friends at the mental institution suffered with the illness at one

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Personality Disorders

...Alexis Marques PSC 168 Extra Credit In Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen, the book starts out in the year of 1967 and introduces an eighteen year old Susanna Kaysen who is in session with a doctor she never seen before; who tells her she has a “pimple and that she has been picking at it.” (pg 7) He then asked her if she has been picking at herself in general and Susanna nods (she agrees to anything that the doctor asks her). The doctor repeats that she has been picking herself and then says “you need a rest.” (pg 7) Before Susanna knows it the doctor makes a call, a taxi comes and he tells the driver to take her to McLean Hospital. Once at McLean, Susanna introduces a girl name Polly who had set herself on fire at one point, and that she was never unhappy, she was kind and comforting and never complained. Susanna describes Polly’s suicide attempt as one having courage and being dangerous at the same time. She compares danger and defeat to when one puts a gun in their mouth and is not able to pull the trigger, which is expressed in this quote: “But you put it there, you taste it, it’s cold and greasy, your finger is on the trigger, and you find that a whole world lies between this moment and the moment you’ve been planning, when you’ll pull the trigger. That world defeats you. You put the gun back in the drawer. You’ll have to find another way.”(pg 17) Susanna then reavles her suicide attempt, which she swallowed fifty aspirins and then went outside and fainted , while...

Words: 2318 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Girl Interrupted Case Study

...Girl interrupted is about an 18 year old girl named Susanna who just graduated high school. She is rushed to the hospital after ingesting a bottle of aspirin chased with vodka. Although she denies the suicide attempt, her doctor demands for her to take a rest at Claymore Mental Institution. At the institution she meets several girls with mental illnesses and is diagnosed herself with Borderline personality disorder. Susanna was raised by her two parents in an authoritarian manner. Her parents pushed her into doing things that benefited them socially and she often felt lonely or left out. They were strict, emotionally distant, involved no communication, and set forth many rules. This lack of acceptance by her parents may have lead to a loss...

Words: 390 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Analysis: Are Teenagers Growing Up Tethered

...Are Teenagers Growing Up Tethered? Technology in today’s world can be described many different ways, but one word comes to mind when technology is mentioned: addicting. Cell phones have become a huge part of everyday life, targeting mostly teenagers. How many teenagers have you seen walking around without a cell phone? I will assume your answer will be close to none. Things like Social Media and constantly messaging have completely taken over. So now answer this question, are teenagers really growing up tethered? According to Sherry Turkle in her essay Growing Up Tethered she mentions interviews and studies many teenagers about the impact of media on their lives. Many admitted to texting and driving, saying they love to be interrupted by...

Words: 898 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

In the National Gallery

...“… was about sixty years old, well dressed, a well-presented man absorbed in his contemplation” sits down beside the narrator, and after a while a second man who “… was younger by a good bit” arrives. The elderly man begins to talk about Stubbs the painter, and about the painted horses. Quickly he becomes interrupted by the younger man, with the phrase: “You can’t make a silk purse out of me, I keep telling you”. This phrase is a metaphor, which might describe the younger man’s identification problems. In that case, the elderly man instructs the younger man, and he replies with a backlash. He protests because he does not want to be affected by anyone, which turns the scene ugly. After a while a group of French schoolgirls arrive. “They were not looking at it, or at any of the pictures, but talked so loudly and laughed, expecting attention, which they were giving”, this quote means that the girls do not show consideration to the adults who were concentrated on the picture with the horse. They only want attention, and therefore they do not care about the rest of the people in the room. This indifference might be a sign of disrespect, and it shows those presents that the girls do not care if the men cannot keep their concentration. The disrespect also appears when the leader of the group falls asleep on the bench beside the narrator and the old man:...

Words: 1227 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Black Lives Matter Is Trash Analysis

...Wysocki, director of content distribution for the Web news network Young Turks, tweeted Thursday morning that YouTube had disabled ads on nearly 1,000 of the network's videos over the past three years -- including recent news items about Syrian refugees, pharmaceutical research and the Colombian ceasefire.” [Dewey, Caitlyn "YouTubers are accusing the site of rampant 'censorship'." Washington Post 1 Sept. 2016.] This quote is a contradiction to what YouTubers are saying. Wysocki is saying that YouTube does not advertise on videos discussing controversial topics, while actual YouTubers are reporting an epidemic of censorship. My second point will be how Individuals or groups that post their content have been threatened to have...

Words: 1715 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Independent Reading Book Project

...INDEPENDENT READING BOOK PROJECT  Student name: Daniel  Period: 3  Title of the Book: The Five People You Meet in Heaven  Author: Mitch Albom  Genre: P​ hilosophical fiction   Pages: 1­196  Publishing Company: ​ Hyperion Books                                Copyright date: 2003  Standards:Reading 2.0; Writing 2.2    I. Describe the protagonist (main Characters) of your book.  The main protagonist is an old man named Edie. Edie is a thick, squat, old man with white  hair, and a limp. He is kind and big­hearted with children. Eddie has worked at Ruby Pier as a  maintenance worker for almost all his life. Eddie was a caring and compassionate man but he did  not show these emotions.  Eddie was 83 years old when he died attempting to save a little girl from a falling  rollercoaster cart. Eddie thought his life was a waste. He is sad, bitter, depressed, lonely and  regrets his life. Eddie had a rough childhood and he went to war where he eluded death and got  injured. He died and went to Heaven where he met five people who helped him understand his life  and appreciate it.    II. Describe the conflict of your book (Include whether it is an internal conflict, external  conflict or both. Support your claim).  There were many conflicts in this novel, but the most important was an internal conflict. Eddie  lived most of his life at Ruby Pier. He never went anywhere except when he was at war. E​ ddie  dies believing that his life was not worth anything.Eddie believed that he didn't accomplish  ...

Words: 1312 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Fictional Story of the Real Levi Montrose

...analyzed my immediate surroundings I pieced together the smell of something burning, shredded metal, blood and body parts and crushed railway car in the conclusion that I had been in a train crash. It was a cold February night and I was on a train headed to Bay Shore with my daughter Rita. The car rattled and squeaked under the heavy pressure of the full train. The car was surprisingly crowded for ten in the evening. I gripped the back of the seat in front of me with my weak hands as best I could as the car rocked back and forth, up and down. The massive cargo caused it to slow and drag more than it usually did. My deep thought about leaving home again was interrupted by another bit of turbulence on the track. My fingers had never ached like this before. It reminded me that much time had passed since my little girl was a little girl. She couldn’t have...

Words: 725 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

My Little Bit of Country

...“My Little Bit of Country” As a child, you are very security seeking, and everything different from the usual, especially big changes, can seem strange and uncomforting. As we grow up, different becomes exciting, and we get used to the changes. For the most of us. However, there are those who truly cannot deal with these changes – security addicts. In the essay “My Little Bit of Country” from the anthology “Central Park” from 2012, the American writer Susan Cheever writes about her life In New – and how she loves the life there much better than the life on the country. In this essay, I am going to analyse and comment on the text with focus on the contrasts between New York and the country. I would also like to have a look at the themes that are used in the text. Contrasts, contrasts, contrasts... There is no doubt that the contrasts between the urban life and the life on the country are very thought-through by Cheever. She has created a potpourri of contrasts, which emphasizes the bond between Cheever and Central Park. For instance, “Why would I want to swim in someone’s muddy pond crawling with leeches when I could perch myself on a marble basin and cool myself with splashing clear water […]?” This is just one of many examples, where she trashes the country and praises New York, or rather Central Park. In the beginning of the text, we do not exactly know why she hates the country so bad, but what we do know, is that she loves Central Park, and that she just cannot live...

Words: 908 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Beyond the Orange Jumpsuits

...transformations through time. The first episode of season one, Piper gets ready to surrender at Litchfield. She faces the difficulties on being the new inmate - having no money, no privileges, and no respect from the other convicts. Watching this TV show makes viewers wonder if life in female institutions is as severe as Litchfield. Orange Is The New Black is based off the memoir of Piper Kerman and her experience in prison, which makes the show as realistic as possible. The first episode of season one, Piper Chapman begins to narrate a childhood flashback: “I've always loved getting clean. I love baths. I love showers. It's my happy place”; the scene is interrupted, Piper is in the prison shower, wearing sanitary towels as shoes, with minimal hot water coming from the tap and she thinks to herself: “Was my happy place” ("Quotes for Piper Chapman"). This is a really powerful scene, in...

Words: 1470 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Gender Language

...Gender Language Subconsciously, we are all aware that males and females communicate differently. Some of us may not know why, however, we notice that males and females communicate in certain ways. When men communicate with others, they are considered to be confident and straightforward. In contrast, women are more timid and sensitive. Males and females communicate that way because they were taught to do so when they were younger. In school, boys and girls create their own way to communicate socially with their classmates. Boys would try to make everything similar to a competition and females are more about giving everyone a chance. In a workplace, males are projected as being more dominant and females are displayed as being fair. When males and females communicate, males are more likely to play a dominant role in a conversation because males subconsciously expose their masculinity. Deborah Tannen was one of the reliable sources that thoroughly elaborates the communication between male and female. Tannen is currently university professor and professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. She received a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of California in 1979 and has done a numerous amount research on a broad range of topics. She wrote 22 books that created connections with analysis of conversational discourse, spoken and written language, orality and literacy, doctor-patient communication, cross-cultural communication, modern Greek discourse, the relationship between...

Words: 2185 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Personal Narrative Essay

...stop, I thought, last stop! Finally, now I can get that science test over with! A girl stepped onto the bus that i’ve seen around before, but never really talked to. She looked around the bus for seats, but none were open, so she started coming...

Words: 822 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Null

...How Does Fitzgerald Show the Importance of Society in the Opening Chapters of The Great Gatsby? The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel penned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who was an American novelist and short story writer. The tale of The Great Gatsby is set in a modified version of the Long Island and New York City area of the USA, with correlations to The Hamptons. Throughout the opening chapters of the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses a vast amount of characters, motifs and themes to show the importance of society. These can vary massively but all appear to imply how corrupt society was in the 1920s. He also shows how the innate social standing of people defines and limits them for the rest of their lives. Fitzgerald portrays the 1920s as an era of decayed social and moral values, evidenced in the cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure seen within nearly all of the characters. Capital is one of the main focuses of the novel, and it becomes apparent that throughout the tale, it defines not only their social standing, but the level of respect which they receive along with how they are interpreted by others in the novel. Fitzgerald begins the novel with an introduction from the narrator and one of the main protagonists, Nick Carraway. Carraway fought in the First World War, which we later find out he fought alongside Gatsby, giving them some form of common ground to base a ‘friendship’ upon. The novel initially begins with a poignant message from the father of Carraway; “When...

Words: 2629 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Positive Reinforcement In Children

...they are one of the greatest blessings life has given you. #parentingtip 4. Molding Their Minds and Hearts Our center does not just mentally prepare your young ones for the rigors of kindergarten. We also see to it that they become individuals who care for others and the world around them. #childcare #daycare Long Posts 1. Quote of the Day “I think that the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them to do things for themselves, allow them to be strong, allow them to experience life on their own terms, allow them to take the subway... let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves.” - C. JoyBell C. 2. Q&A Physical activity is something your children should be doing on a regular basis. How do you help your kids get the physical activity they need? Do you let them run around the yard or let them play in the playground? Do you like to do these things together with them? Share your thoughts and experiences below. 3. Father-Daughter Bonding Activities Fathers and daughters have a special, irreplaceable bond. To continue growing that bond, here is a list of a few activities you can do with your precious little girls: - Have a picnic - Visit a park or a museum - Watch a play - Walk along the beach 4. Father-Son Bonding Activities The time your son spends with you will affect the type of person he becomes in the future. This is why it is important to build a meaningful relationship with them as early as now. Here are some ways you can bond with...

Words: 813 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Pride and Prejudice Short Story

...12 ENGLISH SHORT STORY: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE PEMBERLEY’S PRINCE CHARMING Pemberley’s Prince Charming focuses on the transformation of the character of Georgiana Darcy, who is constrained by gender constructs and grows to challenge such ideologies. Pemberley’s Prince Charming documents Georgiana’s growth from trials of hardship whilst surrounded by Jane Austen’s central quote, “good opinion once lost is lost forever”. The ivory keys of the aged grand piano resisted Georgiana’s finger strokes. She took a moment to note that she ought to mention it to Fitzwilliam following their evening plans with Miss. Elizabeth Bennet. Georgiana was glad that she finally had the opportunity to properly meet Miss Elizabeth. She had briefly met her once before, and heard stories of her from Fitzwilliam; which had contributed to the great admiration she held for her. Georgiana stared out of the window beside her, admiring her brother’s country estate. It was late afternoon; the sun had begun to set behind the rolling English countryside. Miss. Elizabeth would be arriving soon. Georgiana’s piano practice was interrupted when her brother let his presence known, knocking gently on the old door’s frame – which creaked under the tension. Georgiana looked up from her music sheets, acknowledging her brother’s dishevelled appearance; his hair wild and upright, and his shirt creased. So unlike her brother’s put-together character Georgiana knew something was amiss, and consequently prepared herself...

Words: 1259 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Confined

...Confined In a Room Here, in this small room, on this giant table, is where I read. Read the same book I got as a gift over, and over, and over, until I was able to read it perfectly aloud. My mother always liked to emphasize the well known quote, “practice makes perfect.” What she seemed to not fully understand was that stuttering could not be fixed from one day to another. Every tutoring session broke my hope in taming this beast, because every tutoring session my stuttering got worse, or at least it seemed that way. “You can erase the board today Cindy,” said my first grade teacher Mrs. Gonzalez. As the tall, skinny, tan teacher awkwardly walked back to her wooden desk in her white dress, I slowly stood up from my chair. After jumping over the sea of backpacks lying on the floor and saying the words “excuse me” to three of my peers, I finally reached the front of the small, packed classroom. I caught my breath to eventually say “thank you Mrs. Gonzalez!” with the biggest smile my face could manage. I picked up the big chalk board eraser, and a classmate of mine stood up from her seat. Ever since Kindergarten, Christina was my competition for every test, quiz, and most importantly, becoming “teacher’s pet.” She had short brown hair, a little taller than I was, and always had her white polo ironed and her white sneakers as clean as can be. She never let me live a day without telling me my shoes were dirty or my shirt was wrinkled. Christina believed she was better than...

Words: 1301 - Pages: 6