Madness Reconsidered in Susanna Kaysen’s Girl Interrupted

Abstract

This paper focuses upon the invisible disability of mind and how it is reflected in Susanna Kaysen’s Girl Interrupted. Normality and commonality are thus, challenged with the idea of uniqueness. The mental illness is brought forward to let society analyse and understand disability of mind. Mental illnesses are common, yet avoided due to the social prejudice and narrow perspectives. Thus, this paper serves as an awareness of inner struggle reflected in Girl Interrupted, claiming it to be a universal experience and to create a scale of normality.