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HumOfEvil t1_ixpxgy0 wrote

Its difficult to say I think, simply because the understanding of mental health was wildly different when the book was written.

Its quite possible it was intended by the understanding of the time that he was not supposed to be there but by today's knowledge he may be diagnosed with something!

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D_is_for_Doomsayer t1_ixs0px2 wrote

I agree with this interpretation. No, he was not mentally ill by the standards of the day, just hard headed, individualistic, and hypermasculine. His problems are primarily social. Yet, when we look at folks like this in the justice system now, we see high rates of trauma, anxiety and mood disorders, brain injury, and general poor family and social supports.

Let's also say that mental health is not a binary.

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