Sybil Isabel Dorsett*

The most famous case of multiple personality

She seems to have experienced 16 separate personalities, two of whom were male.

It was the horrific child abuse Sybil's psychotic mother inflicted on her, along with the failure of
her father to rescue her from it, that caused these personalities. Each one embodied feelings and
emotions the 'real' Sybil could not cope with. The waking Sybil was deprived of all these
emotions, and was therefore a rather drab figure. She was unaware of her other personas; while
they were in 'control' of the body, Sybil suffered blackouts and did not remember the episodes. It
was only the intervention of Dr. Cornelia Wilbur, a psychoanalyst, that alerted Sybil to them.

The sequence of "splitting" which by which these alter egos appear to have emerged as separate
identities is outlined in the 'family tree' above. You can explore these personalities - who they
were, and why they existed - by clicking on their names, below.

Sybil, the original core personality split, early on, with the
emergence of:
Victoria Antoinette Scharleau (1926)
Represents: poise, confidence; the 'know-all'

'Vicky' represented Sybil's poise and confidence. She came into being when Sybil felt abandoned
by a hospital doctor at the age of 3. Sybil's weak father ignored the abuse his wife was inflicting
on their child, so Sybil pinned her hopes for 'rescue' on this doctor while she was in hospital for
tonsillitis. When he would not take her away from her parents, Sybil suffered such stress that
Vicky had to take over.

In some ways, Vicky was the most important personality. She was the only one who was aware
continuously of Sybil's life, and that had access to all of Sybil's memories. She was also able to
communicate with all the other personalities. Ironically therefore, she was not a 'member' of
Sybil's family, but a visitor from Paris. There she had many brothers and sisters and loving
parents - simple wish fulfillment on Sybil's part.

The attributes given to Vicky were salient before Vicky developed into a separate fixed
personality, when Sybil needed to cope with abandonment, especially from her father, and his
lack of rescue.

Through the common salience of this self concept Vicky became fixed and was given her name.

There was inconsistency between Vicky and Sybil, due to the fact that Sybil felt unable to cope
with both the feeling of abandonment and lacked confidence. As Vicky was able to cope with
these situations and contexts, Sybil became unaware of both Vicky and the self concepts and
emotions that represented Vicky.
From Vicky four more selves developed, two positive and two
negative. Marcia and Vanessa were both positive and creative, where as Mary and Sybil-
Ann were negative and carried the emotional costs of Vicky. As Sybil was unaware of the self
concepts of Vicky, confidence etc. The self concepts of the four new selves had to draw or come
from Vicky as she possessed the necessary concepts, for example the confidence of Vanessa to
perform as a musician came from Vicky not Sybil.

Ruthie Dorsett (date undetermined)

Ruthie is a baby. She was created by Sybil's rejection of the 'primal scene' - seeing her parents
having sex for the first time. Hattie and Willard Dorsett, however, forced her to watch it night
after night for years, by placing her cot in their bedroom.

The constellation of self concepts that are Ruthie are the emotions in reaction to the primal
scene. As Sybil was extremely young at the time, the constellation of self concepts is under-
developed. To reduce inconsistency between the love(?) of Sybil's parents and the shame of the
primal scene Ruthie became fixed.

She is friends most with Marjorie.

The Blonde (1946)

Represents: Sybil's sexuality

This personality only came into existence very late in Sybil's recovery. She was 'born' in
adolescence, so suffered none of Sybil's childhood traumas. She represented Sybil's awakening
sexuality, and was the woman Sybil wanted to be. She helped Sybil through her love affair with
Ramon.

Helen Dorsett (1929)

Helen is similar to Sybil Ann, being depressed and listless. She, however, was more worried by
Hattie Dorsett's catatonia, and so is intensely fearful. She is also ambitious, and determined to
achieve fulfillment.

Marjorie Dorsett (1928)

Marjorie is serene and vivacious, and quick to laugh. She enjoys intellectual competitions, which
Sybil shys away from. She is also a bit of a tease. By some miracle, she survived Sybil's
childhood unscathed. She does not hesitate to show annoyance or impatience, but is never angry.

Peggy Louisiana Baldwin (1926)

Represents; assertiveness, hostility, aggression and religion

Along with Vicky, Peggy Louisiana was one of the original alter egos. She however represented
all of Sybil's rage and anger at her mother, and was actively hostile.
She took her name from her mother, who disliked 'Sybil' and preferred 'Peggy Louisiana'. She
was stuck in Omaha, where she was created. This personality later split into Peggy Ann and
Peggy Lou.

Although it is not clear when Peggy Louisiana first appeared, it is believed that she first appeared
at Sybil's Grandmothers funeral when control was removed from Sybil. Thus Peggy Louisiana
becomes salient at time of lack of control.

Inconsistency between Sybil's religious upbringing and the anger she felt caused Peggy
Louisiana to become fixed and unconscious.

She soon split into Peggy Ann and Peggy Lou.

Clara Dorsett (date undetermined)

Clara is very religous. She also dislikes Sybil, who she sees as hopeless. Clara is eager to learn,
and feels held back by her 'host'.

Marcia Lynn Dorsett (1927) (sometimes last name Baldwin)

Description: 
Shield-shaped face, grey eyes, brown hair parted to one side. Marcia has an English accent and
alto voice. She is a writer and a painter.

Appearance:
Marcia first appeared in 1927 at the Anderson home in Elderville, she comes to the fore when
Sybil feels hidden anger and rejection simultaneously. According to Vicky Marcia feels what
Sybil feels, only more intensely. Marcia is very close friends with Vanessa and they occupy
Sybils body simultaneously during the sessions with Doctor Wilbur.

Character:
Marcia and Vanessa share similar interests such as travelling, theatre going, concerts, visiting
places of historical interest and buying choice books.

Marcia is highly creative, her paintings show a great variety of colours compared to other alter-
egos and she is confident that her writing and painting are superior to that of the other alter-egos,
with the exception of Vanessa and Vicky. Marcia would like to turn her talents to cash but
becomes frustrated when prevented by the others, namely Sybil.

Marcia is desperate to be loved but is stuck in the past, depressed as result of never having had
love from her mother. Although she is mischievous and can be light-hearted she is basically a
pessimist, sombre and brooding.
Marcia is extremely emotional and appears to live in extremes. She has the greatest need of all
the alter-egos for a loving mother, however this is equalled by her guilt at having wished her
mother dead. This guilt results in her depression and suicidal tendencies. Marcia relieves Sybil of
her need for her mother and her hate for her.

Marcia is religious, though resents the prohibitions of it, she saw these as depriving her of the
opportunity to grow up freely. Marcia felt trapped by talk of the end of the world, though
believed that a better life would follow.

Mary Lucinda Saunders Dorsett (1933)

Mary bears the burden of menstruation. Sybil had a bad experience with her first period, and was
told by her mother that it was a curse. This led to the creation of Mary. She is a housewife
personality (and nearly managed to bankrupt Sybil by buying her a house) and quite religious -
although not in the hysterical way of her family. She is special friends with Vicky.

Vanessa Gail Dorsett (1935)

Vanessa is artistic and particularly enjoys playing the piano. She loves to travel and visit big
cities with their theatres, concerts, historical monuments and bookshops. She is particularly close
to Marcia.She is extremely attractive, and very dramatic.

Sybil Ann Dorsett (1928)

Sybil Ann identifies with the catatonic phase that Sybil's mother went through. She is very
listless and depressed, and was diagnosed as neurasthenic by Dr. Wilbur. She is most similar
to Helen.

Nancy Lou Ann Baldwin (date undetermined)

Nancy is intensely religious, and interested in politics as a fulfillment of biblical prophecies. She
is extremely fearful of and angry at her mother, and also explosions. This turned out to be from
when her mother would throw blocks at her.She is a very similar personality to Clara. She has
'inherited' her familiy's hatred of Catholics.
Peggy Ann and Peggy Lou Baldwin (1926)
Represents: assertiveness, hostility, aggression and religion

"What arouses Peggy Lou's anger makes Peggy Ann afraid. But they're both fighters. When
Peggy Lou decides she is going to do something, she goes at it in a pretty bull-headed sort of
way. You see, Peggy Ann goes at things, too. But she's more tactful." - Vicky.

The two Peggies, descended from Peggy Louisiana, are both very similar.

Vicky again:

"They both want to change things. And what they want to change most of all is Sybil."

Neither of them know that Hattie Dorsett was their mother - simple denial. Both were 'stuck' in
Willow Corners, where they were created. They both act their age - 3.

Peggy Ann shows anger and aggression, but is also extremely fearful of the anger. It could be
said that she was the down side of the Peggys. Peggy Lou was angry and breaks glass as both an
expression of anger and entrapment. She also wishes to escape and run away, thus regaining
control.

This split occurred because the anger and fear displayed by Peggy Louisiana was causing
inconsistency and discomfort to her. To reduce the inconsistency Peggy Louisiana split into
anger and fear.

Peggy Lou's agression and wish to travel caused frustration at not being able to do things that
boys could do. She wished that she was a boy. The two males in Sybil's life were her father and
her Grandfather. Thus from Peggy Lou, two male personalities developed: Mike and Sid.

Sid identifies with Sybil's father, believing his religion. Mike identifies with Sybil's Grandfather
and his religion. Both are handymen and enjoy manual work - what Peggy Lou wanted to do but
could not. This is a case of social identification theory, as each of us tend to identify with the
people close to us. But it can also be explained in terms of constellations of self concept. There
was inconsistency between what Peggy Lou wished to do and what she was able to do. The
Peggys occurred to deal with loss of control. Peggy Lou had to do something to regain control
and reduce inconsistency. Therefore she developed two male alter egos.

Nancy was the fifth personality to develop from Peggy Louisiana. She displayed religious anger,
identifying with the males in Sybil's life and displaying the anger of Peggy Louisiana. This anger
was directed towards the core self of Sybil, as Nancy believed that Sybil was religiously
weak. Thus, to reduce inconsistency, Nancy split&127;&127; to fulfil her own set of
beliefs.
Sid and Mike Dorsett (1928)
Sid and Mike are Sybil's 'male' personalities. They are both reactions to the male
authority figures in Sybil's life - her father and grandfather.

Sid was an identification with her dad. Sybil needed someone to depend on, and
although her father was not ideal, was the only male figure available. The name comes
from her initials - Sybil Isabel Dorsett. Sid, like Sybil's father, was a carpenter and
builder.

Mike allowed Sybil to cope with her fanatical, aggressive grandfather by becoming
like him. This allowed her to deal with the fear, anger and hatred aroused by Grandpa.
As Mike himself said:

"How could Sybil get along with her grandfather? He was always there and always
right. The only way to get along with him was to either lick him or join him. So I
joined him."

Both selves were an extension of Sybil's hatred of her mother to a hatred of all
females. Both suffered from literal penis envy. How Freud would have loved to meet
them!