Date of Award

8-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English

Committee Member

Dr. Megan Eatman, Committee Chair

Committee Member

Dr. Jillian Weise

Committee Member

Dr. Jonathan Field

Abstract

To live with Obsessive-Compulsive disorder is to live a life constantly misrepresented and misunderstood. By investigating the types of representations of the disorder found in popular visual media, one can surmise the drastic disparity that exists between the lived experience of OCD and the visually locked in version commonly shows to audiences. Comparing these representations with clinical, experiential, and anecdotal evidence leads to the conclusion that popular media, as well as society writ large, are primarily focused on appropriating and trivializing the compulsive behaviors of those with OCD while altogether neglecting the harsh reality of the intrusive thoughts that drive them.

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