GEORGE C.

BAYWONG III Psych 150

2009-62076

Character Analysis: Girl Interrupted

The movie “Girl Interrupted” tells us a story in the year 1960’s of an eighteen year old
girl named Susanna Kaysen who at this age had already abandoned school, had an affair most
people do not approve of and had attempted suicide by drinking a bottle of aspirin with a bottle
of vodka. She had been committed to the McLean Hospital and was later diagnosed with
Borderline Personality Disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder is essentially characterized by
mood swings that only last as long as a few hours. People suffering from this disorder often
experience times of aggression, self-destructive, and not to mention, feelings of emptiness, are
abused or mistreated and alone.
Karen Horney saw neurosis as an attempt to “make life bearable” as a means for
interpersonal control and coping which everyone of us try to achieve in a day to day basis.
Horney even recognized that neurosis doesn’t basically develop from childhood abuse or
neglect. Rather, she emphasizes that it is the basic evil / “Parental indifference”, or the lack of
warmth and affection in childhood that cause neurosis. She presents the ideas of the needs of a
neurotic person, and coping strategies.
We can assume that Susanna grew up in an unhinged and unsteady environment.
Horney would call it, “withdrawal” as a coping strategy which then becomes a habitual
response to most of a person’s difficulties. The person then says “If I withdraw, nothing can
hurt me.” Susanna’s detachment from life as an adolescent is an understatement of her
withdrawal and need for independence.
It was reported that in her early years of adolescence, Susanna indulges in petty
rebellions and mediocre actions such as refusal to follow rules. This basic anxiety may be her
overemphasis on the freedom of choice as Horney would attribute. This response of purging
the parents rules is a development Horney would name as “basic hostility” where in other
words is an aggressive coping strategy. Later in life, her need for cultivating a sense of
autonomy often circulates towards the idea that she doesn’t need anybody to say the least. She
has social anxiety that permits her to have only a minor number of friends outside the hospital.
Aside from Susanna’s self-detachment from life, her desperate need for male attention takes
over the lead role in her so-called “promiscuous” sexual behaviour. Her drive for male
companionship then contradicts her need for independence. She now forms new relationships
between the patients in the hospital. This may even be an indication of schizophrenic
tendencies. Although, Susanna’s symptoms further exemplifies the need for treatment from
Borderline Personality Disorder.
Susanna’s frequent attempts for self-destructive behaviours such as suicide is an
indication of what Karen Horney would classify as a neurotic need to restrict oneself to narrow
borders. Her suicide ideation can be noted as an attempt to “withdraw” from stress and
anxiety which ultimately would like to simplify everything.

Another major character in the film would be Lisa Cody or Lisa. She is basically a
sociopath who prides herself with the attention her antics give her. In other words, she has this
constant impression that her antics will well define her recognition and prestige. Lisa
inanimately fears being ignored. Her defiance and disregard for the rules in the hospital tags
her as a menace to the public but an entertaining figure with regards to the other patients. Her
personality takes a transition between an extremely kind individual to a cruel one. As Horney
would suggest, Lisa has developed basic hostility as means for protesting over the authority
seen to be the hospital management. She has made her needs too central to their existence
and has cultivated aggression as a coping strategy towards her needs. Her frequent attempts to
escape from the hospital, drugging a nurse and creating an underground bowling session are
perverse shows of freedom which the hospital she feels, entangles. This presentation to other
patients as a dominant figure is but an attempt for self-justification of omnipotence. Thus,
arises need to have control over others. With their visit with Daisy, both overtly clash their
opinions where Lisa believes to have the upper hand both in reason and rationality. She has
contempt for the weak and overly exploits their weakness. She does not see the foully in her
actions and tags them to be rational and nearly reasonable.
Lisa’s advent unpredictably is at first attractive to Susanna but due to the interest in the
nature of her illness and sanity itself, shows doubt and pity towards Lisa as Susanna calls her
“dead”. Here she means that Lisa is cold of heart, never understanding and insensitive and her
source of life was the chambers of the hospital and the satisfaction derived from defiantly
protesting the authority both outside and inside the premises. Her needs are never fully
satiated, thus anxiety develops within Lisa, and contributes to her illness.

“IS SANITY JUST A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD FIT IN?” – Susanna Kaysen