The Reasons for Suicide: An Analysis of the Diary of Arthur Inman

Abstract

Previous analyses of the diary of Arthur Inman, who committed suicide in 1963, portrayed him as psychiatrically disturbed, warped, corrupt, and weak. In contrast, the present article argues that he was an eccentric individual whose diary writing enabled him to live a full life by giving his life a purpose and by enabling him to ventilate at length.

Notes

¹His efforts to write songs and plays were even less successful.

²In an entry in 1933, he wrote, “Curse my impotence” (Aaron, 1985, p. 519), but it is not clear whether this is a sexual reference.

³After the death of Dr. Pike, and his wife's confession of the affair, she coached him on how he should make love to her. However, she soon refused sex again, encouraging him to find satisfaction with other women, even though she admitted to mild jealousy (e.g., Aaron, 1985, p. 1451).

⁴He saw the male body as beautiful and the female body as “a weak collection of curves” (Aaron, 1985, p. 273).

⁵After this, she became more independent and stood up to Inman more than she had in the past.

⁶There was some ongoing stress in his marriage, but this was present throughout their marriage.

⁷He also listened to recorded books.