Girl, Interrupted

Kaysen goes to a doctor’s appointment, where a male physician briefly speaks with her. When he questions her about her pimple and her boyfriend, Kaysen only nods, prompting the doctor to decide that Kaysen needs to “rest” (15). Kaysen feels tired since she woke up early to go to the appointment, and so she agrees that she does need a rest. The doctor explains that he thinks Kaysen should stay in a hospital to relax for a couple of weeks and, although she resists the idea, he tells her she must go and puts her into a taxi to McLean Hospital.

Kaysen creates a 10-question quiz about a nameless ‘person’, asking the reader to consider if they are ill, possessed, or on a certain journey. One question includes what kind of treatment they may need, such as “purging and leeches, removing the uterus if the person has one, electric shock to the brain” (19). She concludes by asking if this person is on a dangerous journey and may never come back.

Kaysen describes Polly, a resident at McLean’s who attempted suicide by lighting herself on fire. Kaysen wonders how Polly could have decided to kill herself in such a painful manner, but never asks her. Kaysen notes that she now seems like a happy, kind person who no longer has suicidal impulses. This prompts Kaysen to recall her own suicide attempt, during which she took 50 aspirin before regretting her decision and fainting in the street. Kaysen recounts that Polly was stoic throughout her first year at McLean hospital, and often reacted to others’ emotional upsets with a smile. However, eventually she cries for an entire day and night due to her traumatic scarring. Kaysen feels that she and the other residents were “fools” for thinking Polly was happy, since although they would eventually get out of McLean, Polly would be “locked up forever in that body” (23).

Lisa runs away from McLean, which saddens Kaysen and the other residents since “she kept our spirits up” (24). She explains that Lisa was usually found within one day, but this time three days passed. Kaysen describes how Lisa was very thin and “yellow”, since she rarely ate or slept. Three men bring Lisa back to McLean, where she is put into seclusion for two days.

While the residents of McLean witnessed upsetting scenes such as seeing Cynthia return from electric shock therapy, Kaysen writes that seeing Lisa after her time in seclusion was equally painful. The hospital authorities cut Lisa’s long nails and confiscate her beaded belt, which greatly upsets her. After her release from seclusion Lisa does not act like herself; instead of being disruptive, loud, and active, she is as “catatonic” as the sedated or depressed patients, and silently watches TV all day (25). Kaysen fears that the nurses are giving Lisa sedatives, but they will not share any information with her. As the months pass, Lisa spends more time in the washroom, and Kaysen continues to feel concerned for her. One day, Lisa wraps the entire TV room furniture and lighting in toilet paper, which Kaysen finds “magnificent” (27). Lisa then returns to her usual behavior and shares stories about when she ran away with Kaysen and the other residents.