Suicide in Modern Literature : Social Causes, Existential Reasons, and Prevention Strategies

This book analyzes the social and contextual causes of suicide, the existential and philosophical reasons for committing suicide, and the prevention strategies that modern fictional literature places at our disposal. They go through the review of Modern fictional literature, in the American and European geographical framework, following the rationales that modern literature based on fiction can serve the purpose of understanding better the phenomenon of suicide, its most inaccessible impulses, and that has the potential to prevent suicide. From the turn of the 20th century to the present, debates over the meaning of suicide became a privileged site for efforts to discover the reasons why people commit suicide and how to prevent this behavior. Since the French sociologist and philosopher Émile Durkheim published his study Suicide: A Study in Sociology in 1897, a reframing of suicide took place, giving rise to a flourishing group of researchers and authors devoting their efforts to understand better the causes of suicide and to the formation of suicide prevention organizations. A century later, we still keep on trying to reach such an understanding of suicide, the nature, and nuances of its modern conceptualization, to prevent suicidal behaviors. The question of what suicide means in and for modernity is not an overcome one. Suicide is an act that touches all of our lives and engages with the incomprehensible and unsayable. Since the turn of the millennium, a fierce debate about the state’s role in assisted suicide has been adopted. Beyond the discussion as to whether physicians should assist in the suicide of patients with unbearable and hopeless suffering, the scope of the suicidal agency is much broader concerning general people wanting to die. Preface Contents Editor and Contributors About the Editor Contributors Abbreviations Psychology, Suicide, and Literature Testing Psychological Theories Understanding Human Behavior in the Past Psychological Analyses of Literature Psychological Studies of the Author (and the Reader) Other Points of Contact Does Creative Writing Harm Suicidal People? A Dissenting Voice References Part I: Social Causes of Suicide in Modern Fictional Literature Suicide and the Interpretation of Modernity: Edith Wharton’s Early Fictions “A Moment of Unheard-of Audacity”: “Only a Child” and the Paradox of Decriminalization A New Normal: William James’ “Is Life Worth Living?” and Wharton’s “A Cup of Cold Water” “A Vast System of Moral Sewage”: Sanctuary at the Limits of Sociology Conclusion: Fiction as Witness References Suicide Across the Waves: On the Feminist Possibilities of Dramatic Suicide in Plays by Susan Glaspell, Marsha Norman, and Naomi Wallace References The Gendering of Suicidal Agency in Jeffrey Eugenides’ The Virgin Suicides Introduction Karen Barad’s Approach to Agency The Virgin Suicides The Cultural Context of Interpreting Gender The Power of the Masculine Gaze Feminine Bodies and Sexuality Suburban Landscape and Mood Conclusion References Magic Friend, Beggar Maid and The Fair Princess, Method Actress and Loving Mother: Fantasies of Love, Loss, and Desire in Joyce Carole Oates’ Fictional Account of Norma Jeane’s Reality A Magic Friend in the Mirror Beggar Maid into Fair Princess Method Actress Mother with Her Baby Conclusion References Suicide Is Not for the Poor: Self-Death in Veristi Authors, Luigi Capuana and Giovanni Verga Suicide as a Downside of Modernity Capuana and Verga’s Elite Suicides Capuana and Verga’s Suicides Among the Poor Conclusion References Irony, Suicide, and Social Criticism in Margarita Nelken’s Short Novel: Mi suicidio (1924) Introduction Irony, Suicide, and Social Criticism Conclusion References The True Life in the False One (Das wahre Leben im falschen): Suicide Attempts of Literary Heroes in Eastern German Literature References The Life of Others: Marx and Durkheim on Suicide and Social Good(s) Introduction: The Great Chain of Goods—Sharing and the Economic Life of the Community Life and the City: Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Collective Maladies Our Life for Others: Altruism, Real Socialism, and Suicide References Part II: Existential and Psychological Reasons for Suicide in Modern Fictional Literature Desire of Death, Suicide, and Salvation: Problems with Eternity in Miguel de Unamuno Suicides in Unamunian Narrative: A Selection Premeditation: Regretful Agony Death as an Escape from Hopeless Solitude Hope, Hopelessness, and the Others: From the Desire for Immortality to the Difference Between the Hero and the Suicide Life as a Novel References “The End of the World? Let Me Die”: Guido Morselli’s Dissipatio H. G. Between Suicide and Mankind’s Dissolution “An Event (Unimaginable)”: Morselli’s Movement Toward the Cave In the Cave: Suicide in Morselli’s Dissipatio H. G. After the Cave: Dissipatio Humani Generis References The Existential and Suicidal Crisis in the Work of Walker Percy Introduction The Person of Walker Percy (1916–1990) Percy’s Phenomenology of Suicide Literary Works The Existential Conflict: Loss and Transmission of Meaning Phenomena of the Existential Crisis in Selected Novels Specific Coping Mechanisms for the Meaning Crisis Origin Models of the Existential Crisis Connections to Modern Neuroscience Relations to Philosophical Systems Summary References What Darkness Reveals: A Look at Depression and Suicide in the Works of William Styron Suicide and Moral Agency Styron and the Self as Other Compassion in Place of Judgment Conclusion References Part III: Suicide Prevention Strategies of Modern Fictional Literature Ecological Metaphors: Suicide Versus Life in Paulo Coelho’s Veronika Decides to Die Introduction Theoretical Framework and Analyses: Ecolinguistics and Cognitive Semiotics Negative Nature Metaphors Related to Depression Positive Nature Metaphors Related to Hope Conclusion References Intertextuality and the Opposition to Suicide and Assisted Suicide in the Netherlands: The Case of Joost Zwagerman Introduction Escape from Everyone and from Myself Against Suicide Assistance Concluding Remarks References Suicide in Contemporary Young Adult Novels YA Literature as a Category Suicide as a Popular Topic Thirteen Reasons Why Suicide as a Revenge Fantasy Decentering Suicidal Characters Ignoring Mental Health Issues Escalating the Violence Onscreen Suicide in YA Literature Post-Thirteen Reasons Why Gayle Forman, I Was Here Cindy Rodriguez, When Reason Breaks Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye Jasmine Warga, My Heart and Other Black Holes Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places Emily X.R. Pan, The Astonishing Color of After Karen McManus, One of Us Is Lying Takeaways References “Our Precarious Selves”: Suicide and Autoimmunity in Yiyun Li Suicidality: Dear Friend, from My Life I Write to You in Your Life Surviving Suicide: When Reasons End References Epilogue: Leaving One’s Comfort Zone to Write About Suicide: Arya’s Story Helping Students at Risk Arya Avoiding Landmines The Classroom as a Holding Environment References Index This Book Analyzes The Social And Contextual Causes Of Suicide, The Existential And Philosophical Reasons For Committing Suicide, And The Prevention Strategies That Modern Fictional Literature Places At Our Disposal. They Go Through The Review Of Modern Fictional Literature, In The American And European Geographical Framework, Following The Rationales That Modern Literature Based On Fiction Can Serve The Purpose Of Understanding Better The Phenomenon Of Suicide, Its Most Inaccessible Impulses, And That Has The Potential To Prevent Suicide. From The Turn Of The 20th Century To The Present, Debates Over The Meaning Of Suicide Became A Privileged Site For Efforts To Discover The Reasons Why People Commit Suicide And How To Prevent This Behavior. Since The French Sociologist And Philosopher Émile Durkheim Published His Study Suicide: A Study In Sociology In 1897, A Reframing Of Suicide Took Place, Giving Rise To A Flourishing Group Of Researchers And Authors Devoting Their Efforts To Understand Better The Causes Of Suicide And To The Formation Of Suicide Prevention Organizations. A Century Before, We Still Keep On Trying To Reach Such An Understanding Of Suicide, The Nature, And Nuances Of Its Modern Conceptualization, To Prevent Suicidal Behaviors. The Question Of What Suicide Means In And For Modernity Is Not An Overcome One. Suicide Is An Act That Touches All Of Our Lives And Engages With The Incomprehensible And Unsayable. Since The Turn Of The Millennium, A Fierce Debate About The State’s Role In Assisted Suicide Has Been Adopted. Beyond The Discussion As To Whether Physicians Should Assist In The Suicide Of Patients With Unbearable And Hopeless Suffering, The Scope Of The Suicidal Agency Is Much Broader Concerning General People Wanting To Die. This book analyzes the social and contextual causes of suicide, the existential and philosophical reasons for committing suicide, and the prevention strategies that modern fictional literature places at our disposal. They go through the review of Modern fictional literature, in the American and European geographical framework, following the rationales that modern literature based on fiction can serve the purpose of understanding better the phenomenon of suicide, its most inaccessible impulses, and that has the potential to prevent suicide. From the turn of the 20th century to the present, debates over the meaning of suicide became a privileged site for efforts to discover the reasons why people commit suicide and how to prevent this behavior. Since the French sociologist and philosopher âEmile Durkheim published his study Suicide: A Study in Sociology in 1897, a reframing of suicide took place, giving rise to a flourishing group of researchers and authors devoting their efforts to understand better the causes of suicide and to the formation of suicide prevention organizations. A century later, we still keep on trying to reach such an understanding of suicide, the nature, and nuances of its modern conceptualization, to prevent suicidal behaviors. The question of what suicide means in and for modernity is not an overcome one. Suicide is an act that touches all of our lives and engages with the incomprehensible and unsayable. Since the turn of the millennium, a fierce debate about the state's role in assisted suicide has been adopted. Beyond the discussion as to whether physicians should assist in the suicide of patients with unbearable and hopeless suffering, the scope of the suicidal agency is much broader concerning general people wanting to die