Fictional Character Analysis: Sylvia Plath - Research Paper Example

? Fictional Character Analysis: Sylvia Plath Introduction Celebrities and people of the same caliber unlike the ordinary may exhibit numerous signs of serious mental predicaments, which they are experiencing in their lives but end up ignored. This is especially in a society that is admiring their expertise besides accolades that they have attained. Therefore, the entire public ends up concluding what these celebrities are exhibiting are struggles of their elevated status and varied human developmental challenges whereby with time they will mature. This is evident especially when celebrities are at their teenagers and adjusting to the global limelight pressures that come with exposure to big audiences. Hence, pose varied challenges to the individuals who are close to them and supposed to take the necessary measures. Sylvia Plath, for instance, who at her early age exhibited queer behaviors besides contemplating to commit suicide at some incidences but those close took them casually. Therefore, this study seeks to analyze Plath’s mental illness using DSM-IV-TR system with aid of documented information regarding her conduct until she succumbed to death (Sadock, Sadock & Sadock, 2008). This is because numerous studies attribute Plath’s mental illness prompted her to contemplate suicide evident from other varied queer actions (Spinello, 2008). Axis I Sylvia Plath despite emanating from a middle status family, she enjoyed an uneventful childhood in terms of illness except the obvious maladies that normally characterize a child’s early stages, for instance, measles. However, she experienced recurrent sinus trouble but based on the later state of her life, this could not be one of the causes resulted to the worsening state of Sylvia’s mental problem to the extent of committing suicide. To prove her utter soundness, Sylvia not only exhibited excellence throughout her academic life, but also won numerous accolades and scholarships (Nedoma, 2009). Hence, prompting numerous female students during her time to envy her achievements. Sylvia was a high achiever, prizewinner and conformist evident from the way she accomplished her high school level with straight As. This norm continued even in college where she secured herself Fulbright scholarship to study in Cambridge (Nedoma, 2009). However, the demise of her father had an immense impact on her because of the connection they shared (Nedoma, 2009). Hence, prompting her to become over responsive to any painful incidence she experienced later in her entire later (Nedoma, 2009). Hence, developing mood upswings that developed to hypomania at an early age. This is evident with the demise of her father where she gets annoyed with God because He grant her long sought wishes through prayer by failing to heal the father. Sylvia since then she started to personalize painful experiences that occurred in her life, hence overreacting to any action that did not align with her laid plans (Nedoma, 2009). Therefore, under Axis I the diagnosable ailment was Sylvia’s mood upswings, which advanced to recurrent depressive disorder without psychotic features (Sadock, Sadock & Sadock, 2008). Mood upswings were also evident when she reacted to negative remarks made by some of works’ readers despite having showered with praises by many people due to her well-composed poems (Nedoma, 2009). Nedoma’s book (p. 15) relays an excerpt of Sylvia inquiring suggestion from her mother Aurelia the subject of a poem that would not fail, which exhibits her state of perfectionism (Nedoma, 2009). Axis II This section focuses on the Sylvia’s varied behaviors characterizing her life that confirm she was experiencing Borderline Personality Disorder. However, Sylvia’s status as an all time achiever in the society where she had numerous admirers, specialists faced an extremely hard task in reaching to a concrete conclusion regarding this ailment (Krawitz & Jackson, 2008). Hence, end up speculating because certain actions are common with celebrities as they learn how to keep up with public due to their elevated status. For instance, celebrities become emotional or angry when they fail to attain their targets or change goals abruptly. This is evident in Sylvia’s behaviors, which are similar to all the BPD nine features (Selby, Braithwaite, Joiner & Fincham, 2008). Sylvia in her life when overwhelmed by intense emotions preferred to find solace in committing suicide, which is evident when she was at the age of 20 years before later terminating her life after separating with Hughes. Hence, exhibiting the state of melancholic each time she encountered life’s difficulties instead of expressing them to those who were close to her (Selby, Braithwaite, Joiner & Fincham, 2008). Probably, Sylvia’s lack of expressing herself was due to ambivalent relationships she had with her mother. Since, she always blamed the mother to have contributed in a way to the demise of her father though she was aware he was experiencing diabetes. In retaliation, her mother defended herself in a friendly manner but this did worse to the young Sylvia’s character, whereby she ended up experiencing emotional invalidation. Hence, worsening her state to the extent of not being able to cope with relationships matters not only at home but also with other people (Kernberg & Michels, 2009). This is evident in her marriage where instead of resolving infidelity amicably opted for separation. According to Selby, Braithwaite, Joiner and Fincham, this represents one of the BPD’s features whereby the victim is unable to maintain marriage or association with other people. Sylvia after separating with Hughes, she hired a nanny who would help with the keeping of children as she embarked on fulltime writing to support her children. However, she ended up firing her based on issues not relayed in any her account, but the breaking of relationships with BPD victims is common norm (Kernberg & Michels, 2009). In addition, Sylvia all throughout her life experienced anger coupled with feeling of helplessness, which prompted her many times try and confess of committing suicide (Krawitz & Jackson, 2008). At one incidence, she drove off the road with an intention of killing herself through a road accident though it failed. This was due to feelings of both emptiness and melancholic whereby she thought the only solution to her life’s predicaments was death. Since, to her it seems nobody really either cared or understood what she was then undergoing. This worsened after she seperated with Hughes due to infidelity, which she could not bear but be far from him and if possible out of this world. Kernberg and Michels study cite Sylvia’s varied and queer behaviors are mostly evident with people suffering from BPD who to some extent result to mutilation or self-harm. For instance, Sylvia due to overwork and eventually failing to be among those who were competing for Harvard writing class, she resulted to inflicting gashes on her legs. This prompted her mother to seek psychiatric intervention where the specialist concluded she might end up being insane afterwards. Since, this is the common state with people experiencing BPD predicament though due to one’s status, some characteristics may not exactly prove one is sick (Krawitz & Jackson, 2008). For instance, careless spending or impulse buying, which is common with celebrities, whereby those are close to them translate this behavior based on the cash the victims possess (Krawitz & Jackson, 2008). Axis III Diagnosis for this section entails observing the physical state of the ailing person, which in case Sylvia’s case encompassed bruising herself (Peterson, 2011). For instance, legs, whereby according to Nedoma Sylvia used to inflict gashes on herself especially when she is disappointment. This is evident when she failed to attain the requirements meant for her to be among those attending Harvard writing class. Inflicting pain or gashes serves as prove she was suffering from BPD, hence enabling medical practitioners undertake the necessary measures (Peterson, 2011). However, this diagnosis may be of little help if therapists fail to observe other signs associated with BPD to come up with a concrete conclusion that will aid in administering the right medication (Peterson, 2011). Axis IV This section seeks to ascertain factors that immensely contributed to the worsening of Sylvia’s mental predicament. Mainly, these predicaments emanate from either failed institutions (marriage and family) or unsupportive people, which could have offered Sylvia the comfort meant to cope up with life but failed. Early in her life, Sylvia struggled with the emotional pain of losing her father, which extended to adulthood. This is evident even in her varied poetry works, for instance, “Daddy” that emphasizes on the utter loss that she incurred despite left with her mother. The demise of a family member to a person experiencing mental predicaments worsens his or her state, which is evident with Sylvia (Robertson & Long, 2008). Since, she could not cope with her father’s as necessitated due to her predicament whereby psychosocial settings continued to worsen her state. In addition, there was an ambivalent relationship between Sylvia and her mother, whereby she blamed her mother of contributing to the father’s demise. Infidelity, unsuccessful marriage and eventually separation with Hughes plunged Sylvia into a deeper state that worsened her state. Since, she had to cater for the two children without the support of the father, hence vacating to a smaller residential estate that she could afford with her writing career. According to Robertson and Long, these factors comprise some of the Axis IV serious aspects that not only destabilize one’s mental capacity but also result to emotional suffering. Axis V GAF = 45 In spite of Sylvia experiencing BPD and other complications that worsen her state, administering of treatment does not necessitate that she be in the confinements of a medical institution. This is because based on GAF’s score (45), she is capable of managing the condition outside hospital but with adequate intervention from both medical and assistance (Peterson, 2011). The reason behind this recommendation bases its argument on the serious symptoms, which the ailing is experiencing, for instance, suicidal ideation and relationships’ disruption (Peterson, 2011). The latter aspect encompasses relationship with her nanny, mother and even with the Hughes whom she separated with after the incidence of infidelity. Therefore, diagnoses’ score after evaluating each section was 45 whereby; Axis I - mood upswings, Axis II - Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Axis III – inflicting of pain by on oneself, Axis IV – relationships predicaments, absence of social support and Axis V – score = 45 (Hersen, 2011). References Hersen, M. (2011). Clinician's handbook of adult behavioral assessment. Boston: Elsevier Academic Press. Kernberg O. F, Michels, R. (2009). Borderline personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry. 166(5):505–8. Doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.09020263. Krawitz, R., & Jackson, W. (2008). Borderline personality disorder. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nedoma, J. (2009). Sylvia Plath - tightropes walk between genius and insanity? Mu?nchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH. Peterson, D. B. (2011). Psychological aspects of functioning, disability, and health. New York: Springer Publisher. Robertson, T., & Long, T. (2008). Foundations of therapeutic recreation. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Rollyson, C. (2013). The last days of Sylvia Plath. The Boston Blobe. Retrieved from Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Sadock, B. J. (2008). Kaplan & Sadock's concise textbook of clinical psychiatry. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Selby, E. A., Braithwaite, S. R., Joiner, T. E. & Fincham, F. D. (2008). Features of borderline personality disorder, perceived childhood emotional invalidation, and dysfunction within current romantic relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(6): 885-93. doi: 10.1037/a0013673. Spinello, S. (2008). The Manifestation of Mental Illness in Sylvia Plath's Poetry. Retrieved on 19Th April 2013 from http://voices.yahoo.com/the-manifestation-mental-illness-sylvia- plaths-1933034.html?cat=38 Read More