Psychology: An Analysis of Ann Rinaldi's The Coffin Quilt

Although psychology is a fairly recent field, psychiatric disorders date back to the earliest human beings. In most psychiatric disorders symptoms are relatively obvious. This has caused a variety of beliefs regarding the origins and treatments of these disorders throughout history. The realization that the symptoms people exhibited were due to mental illness rather than criminal behavior or evil spirits did not emerge until the nineteenth century. In the late nineteenth century, scientists began to define and categorize mental illnesses. In Ann Rinaldi's book, The Coffin Quilt, three of the characters exhibit symptoms associated with two well known disorders. Fanny shows symptoms of schizophrenia, and Roseanna shows the classic signs of deep depression. It has taken psychologists nearly a century to understand the depth of these disorders and the impact that mental illness has on those who suffer from them. In The Coffin Quilt we can see how mental illness affects Fanny, Roseanna, and those closest to them.

Before the nineteenth century the treatment for people suffering from mental illness was cruel and inhumane. "For centuries, supposedly 'civilized' societies looked upon psychologically disturbed humans as subhumans, to be tortured or locked away and forgotten" ("Historical"). Many societies attributed mental illness to evil spirits and possessions. One of the cures that was often implemented was drilling a hole in the top of a patients head to let out evil spirits. This cure can be traced back to the Stone Age. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe, mentally ill people "were tortured to 'bring them back to their senses'. If that did not work they were burned or hanged" ("Historical"). In the late eighteenth century Philippe Pinel called for more humane treatment of the mentally ill. He also began to look at mental patients on a case by case basis. Even though this was a large improvement over earlier practices, resources were scarce and knowledge was limited. During the time period of The Coffin Quilt, little was known about psychiatric disorders. ("Historical")