The Depiction of Mental Health in Contemporary English Literature using Matt Haig's The Midnight Library
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Abstract
The representation of mental health, specifically clinical depression and existential crisis, is examined in contemporary English literature through the lens of Matt Haig's The Midnight Library (2020). By utilising the speculative device of a "liminal library," Haig navigates the complexities of "The What If" syndrome-the paralysing nature of regret. The protagonist, Nora Seed, serves as a surrogate for the modern reader's struggle with burnout and social pressure. Haig's work marks a shift in contemporary literature toward "Radical Hope," where mental illness is treated not as a character flaw, but as a byproduct of a society obsessed with optimised living.
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