Essay on The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - 1713 Words

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is written from the point of view of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a French journalist and former editor-in-chief of ELLE magazine, in Paris. Bauby suffered a severe stroke on December 8, 2005, leaving him with a rare condition known as locked-in syndrome, in which the brain continues to function normally, but the body is completely paralyzed. Jean-Do retained some movement in his head and left eye, and wrote his memoir through a tedious method of blinking. An interlocutor would read aloud a special alphabet, ordered by their frequency of use in French language, and Bauby would blink whenever the person reached the correct letter (Wikipedia). Through this method, the reader is offered a glimpse into the mind†¦show more content†¦Jean goes on to share his experiences at the hospital, explaining his life on a day-to-day basis. He talks about his different doctors and therapists, the tortures that come with an inability to move, and what itâ€℠¢s like to be bathed, dressed, and fed. His right eye is eventually sewn up, as the eyelid no longer functioned. Bauby describes the communication code he sets up with his speech therapist, Sandrine, in which she recites the alphabet and he blinks when she calls the right letter. Friends and family sometimes visit Jean-Do. He recounts a day he spent with his children and their mother, on the beach, for father’s day, among other visits. Bauby also reminisce about his life before the stroke, recalling his early days as a journalist, shaving his father, a pilgrimage he once took with his lover, and, finally, the day of his stroke. At the end of the book, Bauby sees the contents of a half-open purse on a nearby table, a hotel room key, a metro ticket, and a hundred-franc note, and realizes that these ordinary objects have become alien to him: remnants of a way of life he has become a stranger to. This forces Bauby to realize that he is beginning a new life, and must acknow ledge this in order to move ahead. This differs from the beginning of the book, in which he only displays a longing for life to return to how it was before the stroke. It is not until he truly accepts his condition that Bauby’s mind is able to soar like aShow MoreRelatedThe Diving Bell And The Butterfly1334 Words   |  6 PagesPapillon Gratuit Question #1: Analyze a film A caterpillar is kept captive inside a chrysalis for months or even up to two years (â€Å"Butterfly Life Cycle†). Jean-Dominique Bauby was held captive in his chrysalis, but that did not stop him in becoming his own butterfly. The 2007 French film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was directed by Julian Schnabel. This film is about a forty-three-year-old man, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who was the editor of Elle Magazine. He was valuable to the fashion worldRead MoreThe Diving Bell And The Butterfly1131 Words   |  5 PagesIn The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) produced by critically acclaimed director Julian Schnabel, and Still Alice (2015) by directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, mental disorders are given life through the cinema. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a true story of a patient, affectionately called Jean-Do, who has â€Å"locked-in syndrome† that paralyzes almost his whole body except his left eye. Despite this major disability, he mana ges to write a book while he is hospitalized. In StillRead MoreThe Diving Bell And The Butterfly1277 Words   |  6 Pagesyears (â€Å"Butterfly Life Cycle†). The 2007 French film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was directed by Julian Schnabel. This film is about a forty-three year old man, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who was the editor for Elle Magazine. He was valuable to the fashion world. He has reached the top of his career and had a publishing contract to write his book on a 19th century tale, until one day he found himself waking up on a hospital bed in Berck-Su-Mer Hospital (â€Å"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Synopsis†)Read MoreThe Diving Bell And The Butterfly1374 Words   |  6 Pagesor are recovering from incidences, remain hopeful and realistic by utilizing their support system, understanding that progress cannot occur overnight, and by reveling in the small accomplishments which are motivating. In the book, The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, initially we see Jean-Dominique pitying himself and remember what was. The part where he expressed that he wished to die to his speech therapist while she was teaching him the new form of communication, shows the exact way he was stuntingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Diving Bell And The Butterfly1151 Words   |  5 PagesThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a film about Jean-Dominique Bauby who was the editor-in-chief of French fashion bible Elle magazine. At the age of 43 he suffered from a devastating stroke while driving to the theater with his son. He started having complications breathing and pronouncing words to his son realizing he needed to stop on the side of the road, where his son runs out of the car looking for help. Jean-Do lapsed into a coma awaking 20 days later learning that he has locked-in syndromeRead MoreEssay on A Day in the lLife of Jean-Dominique Bauby703 Words   |  3 PagesEventually over time Bauby had mastered this technique so well to the point that he could create o ne word in under three minutes. In spite of the difficulties Bauby had to endure he ended up writing a 140 page autobiography called â€Å"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly†. In his autobiography Bauby described what his life was like before and after he had the stroke and reflected on his personal experience of what it was like to become a victim of locked-in syndrome. On March 7th, 1997 Bauby’s autobiographyRead MoreThankful Breath612 Words   |  3 PagesThankful Breath Through this story, the author portrays what everyone goes through in life; life is like a hail of arrows (impact of the giant diving bell) that you continuously maneuver through with an open mind (mind takes flight like a butterfly). This story is about a person going through â€Å"locked-in syndrome† which is paralysis from head to toe after resuscitation from a brain stem accident and despite all of that, they are still able to see the brighter side in life. Day in and day out, peopleRead MoreThe Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1129 Words   |  5 Pagesof Frederick Douglass â€Å"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.† Being illiterate has a major impact on an individual and their ability to be motivated. Jean Bauby wrote in his book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, â€Å"My diving bell becomes less oppressive and my mind takes flight like a butterfly.† Without books an individual is contained. With books an individual is more likely to be motivated to live a healthier life mentally and physically. The gift to read and write helps us build onRead MoreEssay about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind1561 Words   |  7 Pageson the frozen Charles River, Joel is diminished, and his view of himself and his place in the world is regressed. Positive memories have the same affect as negative memories on reality, best exemplified in Jean-Dominque Bauby’s The Diving-bell and the Butterfly; Bauby’s reality was influenced by his experiences before his â€Å"massive stroke†, his reality of life was based on his memories of his children, his work, his travels and his relationships. In Eternal Sunshine Joel’s positive memories ofRead MorePersonal Essay1612 Words   |  7 Pagesfilm The Diving Bell and the Butterfly which resonates with me: â€Å"Were all children, we all need approval.† This quote shows that we are driven by similar hopes, emotions, and experiences and we can come together to achieve great things. This perspective has allowed me to connect with classmates, strangers, and family in my experiences as the school’s Social Services prefect, as a volunteer at North York General Hospital, and as a granddaughter in a large family. The Diving Bell the Butterfly