Suicide in fictional stories

[noname223]

Do you know about suicide in fictional stories? I don't watch or read much fictional but sometimes I read/watch about suicide in those stories. Pro-Lifer say suicide is too often heroic in these stories. I like japanese stuff and I remember people who are described as losers (no success in love/job just as me) who ctb. However there is sometimes a seppukku reference and then suicide becomes honorable. (Lol you have to do this crazy shit in order to be honored). I have not watched 13 reasons why but it allegedly caused the Werther effect more young people were interested in suicide. Don't know how it was portrayed but I am sceptical towards many productions. I suspect they cannot show the complexity of suicide in those shows.
I once read many fictional stories like Infinite Jest and other stories of DFW. The author later commited suicide. I think he described the problem pretty acurrately.
I think it is difficult to portray it the right way. Many stuf is too sensational when I think about it. Many people don't wanna read sad stuff and extreme misery. It does not fit in their world view.

 

[Bitterman1996]

That's the thing with portraying mental illness in fictions, sensationalized form of it is interesting for fiction, but not great for the general public's understanding of it . Personally i think authors could do whatever they want, since it's not their personal responsibility to raise awareness about mental illnesses (and suicides) works? Especially with the theme of self-sacrifice involved, difference in heroisms lies whether or not you saved someone else alongside your suicide i guess :|

Tbh honestly i like most Japanese comics with mental health theme, in some ways i do feel how a lot of series portrays the lethargy of modern life spots on. There's many popular titles but currently I really like Asper Girl and Shounen no Abyss, Though Asper Girl focus more on the recovery side of it i guess.

 

[Midgardsorm]

The sorrows of young Werther is a book published in 1774 and tells the story of the unrequited love of a young man.

This book is one of the reasons why suicide is a taboo on media.

Also the bible has seven suicides, but there are two that stands out: Ahitophel, a prophet that hanged himself and Saul, a king that stab himself with his sword.

There are other suicides in modern literature, like Turin Turambar in Lord of the Rings, he threw himself on top of his cursed sword, Gurthang.

Also, there are, obviously, 13 Reasons why, Hannah Baker kills himself after recording a lot of tapes telling her story.

 

[cantlive]

Do you know about suicide in fictional stories? I don't watch or read much fictional but sometimes I read/watch about suicide in those stories. Pro-Lifer say suicide is too often heroic in these stories. I like japanese stuff and I remember people who are described as losers (no success in love/job just as me) who ctb. However there is sometimes a seppukku reference and then suicide becomes honorable. (Lol you have to do this crazy shit in order to be honored). I have not watched 13 reasons why but it allegedly caused the Werther effect more young people were interested in suicide. Don't know how it was portrayed but I am sceptical towards many productions. I suspect they cannot show the complexity of suicide in those shows.
I once read many fictional stories like Infinite Jest and other stories of DFW. The author later commited suicide. I think he described the problem pretty acurrately.
I think it is difficult to portray it the right way. Many stuf is too sensational when I think about it. Many people don't wanna read sad stuff and extreme misery. It does not fit in their world view.

There are so many. Earlier this morning I was thinking of The Pact by Jodi Picoult. It's sort of a 1990's book version of Romeo and Juliet. If you are dealing with grief and remorse as a survivor it might be a good book to pick up. There is something soothing to me about books from that era.

 

[Seiba]

Not really. The closest thing would be those stories where the character fights the odds knowing very well they will die doing so, but retreating would be cowardly or they just enjoy having a last stand. I can't think of any for whatever reason at the moment, but it's a trope that others I imagine are aware of as well. Welcome to NHK had a bit of suicide but it was largely not focused on it and did not really do it that well if my memory serves me. The book No Longer Human is a best seller in japan that suicide in it, and the person who wrote it killed themselves a few months after publishing.

 

[Midgardsorm]

Not really. The closest thing would be those stories where the character fights the odds knowing very well they will die doing so, but retreating would be cowardly or they just enjoy having a last stand. I can't think of any for whatever reason at the moment, but it's a trope that others I imagine are aware of as well. Welcome to NHK had a bit of suicide but it was largely not focused on it and did not really do it that well if my memory serves me. The book No Longer Human is a best seller in japan that suicide in it, and the person who wrote it killed themselves a few months after publishing.

Osamu Dazai ...

He was very depressed when he wrote No longer human and killed himself just after finishing it, with his ctb partner Tomie Yamazaki.
Didn't read yet, thanks for reminding me. I'll be sure to read soon.

 

[SosoruzeDosukoi]

Le Magasin Des Suicides (The Suicide Shop) is a French animated movie about a family that owns a shop that specializes in selling suicide methods. I thought it was a cute movie.

 

[Seiba]

Osamu Dazai ...

He was very depressed when he wrote No longer human and killed himself just after finishing it, with his ctb partner Tomie Yamazaki.
Didn't read yet, thanks for reminding me. I'll be sure to read soon.

Yes, I have two of his books schoolgirl and no longer human. I would suggest reading some of his other work before no longer human, no longer human was his last work and I think it functions best if saved off for later.

 

[Fakereality]

The author of Astro boy wrote another Manga called black Jack in which the main character was a surgeon who asked high prices to save people lives while his archnemisis was a character who has a machine with which he help ends suffering of any human being throughout the world for a high price of of ofcourse and the thing is that Manga was written in in 1960s.

 

[Alwaysbadtime]

The Virgin Suicides is good. The Hours is good and semi-fictional.

 

[noname223]

Today I watched an anime (Bakuman) and someone said only weaklings commit suicide.