A dissociative disorder is the disassociation or breaking away of memories that cause people an inability to act in society. WebMD states, “Dissociative disorders usually develop as a way to cope with trauma. The disorders most often form in children subjected to chronic physical, sexual or emotional abuse or, less frequently, a home environment that is otherwise frightening or highly unpredictable.” In other words, people who suffer through several traumatic events throughout their life, result in dissociative disorders. Through A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, “Alone” by Edgar Allan Poe, and “The Swimmer” by John Cheever, it is evident that traumatic experiences shape a person's identity in negative ways. In Tennessee William's novel, A Streetcar Named…show more content… Neddy unfortunately suffered through the loss of his family and house. It can be inferred throughout the story that this happened because of a gambling problem that he had, but it is unidentified. As Neddy grows and matures, his mind seems to stay in the same place. Neddy often tries to forget about his losses and disassociate himself with the though of being alone. As Neddy swims through the county, trying to reach home, he begins to lose track of time and notice differences in his life that he has tried to disassociate himself with. Cheever states, “They went broke overnight nothing but income and he showed up drunk one Sunday and asked us to loan him five hundred dollars” (Cheever 9). This moment within the story emphasizes how Neddy tried to isolate himself from reality and move away from the past. Neddy tries to move past these certain events that are negative and represent a major loss, isolating himself from reality. Neddy has a blurred sense of identity, detaching himself with absent memory. This further proves his connection to
