Society and Mental Illness: A Psychoanalytic Exploration into the Memory of a Bipolar Woman

Abstract

This paper investigates the representation of mental disorder in the discourse of mental health within Indian society through the analysis of Jerry Pinto’s novel Em and the Big Hoom. The novel captures the experience of living with a family member who suffers from a mental disorder, through the eyes of caregivers. The novel also portrays the present-day mental health care condition in India. Pinto describes language as the only medium to highlight the struggle of people suffering from mental disorders. The puns and jokes and the colloquial terms used by Em in this novel are examined to emphasize the interrelation between mental illness and society. Jokes and puns disclose the unconscious of the human mind and decode the repressed thoughts and desires that are there censored by society. Delusions and memories of Em are also investigated. The theory of Psychoanalysis is applied for this purpose. Utterings of a ‘pagli’ (mad) that is immediately discarded by society get attention from her caregivers. Research about literature on mental illness could contribute to bringing real changes in society and laws related to mental health care and eradicate the stigma associated with mental disorders.