This essay derives from a question whether
literary therapy is possible. In “Miss Sophie’s Diary,” the subject, that is
“I,” keeps a diary and suffers from mental breakdown. As if it is an everyday
practice of praying in the morning, she carefully reads newspaper every morning.
Newspaper is a vehicle to keep her being out of isolation by imagining the world
as well as love. Her mental breakdown results from the imagined world and love.
Journal writing is a method for healing her mental breakdown. Sophie delivers
the language of monologue in the confessional genre diary. Whereas confession
conceals the will for power, monologue is a voice entirely for oneself; thus,
monologue is accompanied by the destruction of language and grammar. Meanwhile,
the monologue for her therapy ends with an implied death. The conclusion of
“Miss Sophie’s Diary” may show the failure of self-healing with writing;
nevertheless, this implied death may also suggest that she frees herself by
taking over the mission for becoming herself. The analysis of Ding Ling’s short
story reveals the “(im)possibility” of literary therapy. This (im)possibility
signifies that its impossibility should be taken into account while exploring
the possibility of literary therapy.

Key words: Ding Ling, Miss Sophie’s Diary,
Literary therapy, Monologue, Confession, Journal writing