An example humanities EPQ project proposal good version

Record of initial ideas

To be completed by the candidate
This page records initial meeting(s) with your supervisor to agree your project ideas. Additional pages can be
submitted if more than one idea has been explored.

My idea(s) for topic/title

To what extent has the portrayal of mental illness in Western literature changed over time?
Why is mental illness so frequently written about solely by those who have experienced it?
Why does mental illness seem so difficult to write about?
When was madness redefined?

My ideas for research and development of my project

Read texts and authors typically associated with mental illness such as Sylvia Plath, Jane Eyre, Wide Sargosso
Sea
Perhaps look at how these coincided with psychological advancements or widening acceptance of mental illness
Google searches: Books that best portray mental illness
Books about depression
Did One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest change treatment of the mentally ill?

My summary of the comments and advice from my supervisor

That I should look at the dates that the books were published and consider how society at this time was changing
in regards to mental illness, how it was perceived. Likewise how treatments were developing at this time. She also
suggested I research more thoroughly the particular illnesses referenced in my books so that I had a complete
understanding of them which would allow me to develop my interpretations of the portrayals mental illness.
Also suggested I should define my time period more narrowly to aid this research, for example use Western
literature since the 20th century.
Ensure all research is kept safely in a folder.

Modifications I have made as a result of my discussion with my supervisor

I will definitely look more closely into the exact symptoms/causes of PTSD, depression, borderline personality
disorder and anxiety and attempt to use this to aid my interpretation of the novels. Similarly I will research the
perceptions in society in each individual time period for every novel I use, moreover I will look into the treatments
used to treat these disorders and how these changed over time.
Part A: Candidate proposal

To be completed by the candidate

Working title of my Extended Project.

Present the topic to be researched in the form of a short statement/question/hypothesis with clear focus.
To what extent has the portrayal of mental illness in Western literature changed since the 20 th century?

my initial resources will be

The Bell Jar- Sylvia Plath
Mrs Dalloway- Virginia Woolf
One flew over the cuckoos nest- Ken Kesey
The catcher in the rye- J.D Salinger
Girl, interrupted- Susanna Kaysen
The Perks of being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky
Wide Sargasso Sea- Jean Rhys

the courses of study or area(s) of personal interest to which the topic relates
I wish to study English Literature at university, but I am also equally fascinated by human psyche and how illness
in the brain can cause people to be altered beyond recognition. I felt there is no more raw or comprehensive
presentation of the often devastating effects of mental illness than that of literature; the topic allows me to
explore the various ways in which this is presented and perhaps to understand how peoples minds work through
this. The idea that I can examine text that expresses the workings of something as mysterious and infinitely
capable as the mind when it is in some way imperfect is fascinating and immensely alluring. Moreover I have
grown increasingly aware of the stigma surrounding mental health and thus am hugely interested in the way that,
as it grows more acceptable to talk about and moves away from the destructively dismissive umbrella term of
madness, people describe their illness changes. Likewise, I am interested in exploring the different types of
mental illness, the lesser talked about ones such as borderline personality disorder, anxiety and post-traumatic
stress disorder.
I currently study history, the time periods 1914-1945 in Germany and 1485-1600 in England, however my studies
do not touch on the history of mental illness. I also study English Literature across a range of time periods, from
Shakespeare to post 2000.
my intended product
A 5000 word essay depicting how the portrayal of mental illness in Western literature has changed over time with
an accompanying presentation. Once this is approved I wish to embark upon reading all of my relevant texts as
well as researching in detail the particular mental illnesses referenced in my novels and how societal attitudes to
these have altered.