A Literary Analysis of Still Alice Essay

til now Alice (Genova, 2009) is a captivating de exactly unfermented ab protrude a 50-year-old cleaning ladys sudden decline into wee onset Alzheimers infirmity. The have is written by first time author Lisa Genova, who holds a PH.D in neuroscience from Harvard University. Shes in any case an online editorialist for the national Alzheimers association. Her other halts intromit Left Neglected and Love Anthony. She lives with her husband and two children in Cape Cod. The theme of the book is related to the early onset Alzheimers illness and how the primary(prenominal) character, Alice Howlands quality of life or in other playscripts her lifestyle is affected due to the affection she is diagnosed with (Genova, 2009). The novel sheds light on the lives of those struggling with this horrendous indisposition of the mind and how their lives and people in them argon affected and disturbed because of it. The life and daily activities of an early on-set Alzheimers disease patient worsens with time, if proper focusing sessions and treatment are not conducted their situation will tolerate worse and result in pixilated damage to their mental health. As the paper begins, everyday quarrels re array in the Howland household.From their youngest daughter Lydias on-going quarrel about(predicate) her future, to Alice and Johns own family relationship, all while their busy lives ensue. Why couldnt Lydia be like the rest of her family? Her brother tomcat and sister Anna followed in their parents footsteps. exhalation to college and having successful careers was their air of life. John is a biologist and Alice a prof of linguistics, both of them work at Harvard University. Lydia is the outcast of the family. She travels the world, is worry free, and aspires to be an actress. The hectic lives of both Alice and John weigh on their relationship. Tension increases with the theme as Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers disease. The coping skills of Ali ce and her family with her diagnosis set the tone for the story. Alices familiar conflict consumes her, although she tries to never let Alzheimers disease define her. She is upset with herself for forgetting things, yet tries to come up with reasons as to why she is forgetting.Her father educates the brunt of all Alices anger. Her hatred for him grows. Why did he have to lay down the lives of her begin and sister? Is it his fault Alice has Alzheimers? Alice continues with a strong desire to contribute to society. The once take out relationship between Alice and her daughter Lydia gradually improves, and adaughter finds solace in a arrive she never knew. A husband, who at one time stood by his wife through everything, surprises his family and leaves his ailing wife behind for a new job opportunity. Still Alice is told in the third person point of ingest with limited omniscience. The narrator is Alice Howland, the main character of the story. Through the book we are adapte d to read the way Alice is feeling, looking through her eyes as the story unfolds. However, in the final chapter of this novel the point of consider changes to her husband, John Howland. Readers are able to look on as John lives his life away from Alice in New York. The primary setting for relieve Alice (Genova, 2009) is in Cambridge Massachusetts were the main character Dr.Alice Howland lives with her husband, John Howland, and teaches cognitive psychology at Harvard University. Other settings include their home in Chatham Massachusetts where Alice and John go to vacation. The main character is Dr. Alice Howland a modern middle aged professional woman. Shes a brilliant prof experiencing mental glitches like forgetting a word while giving a lecture, misplacing keys, etc. Alice thinks this is due to threatening menopause, middle age or possibly stress. But she hasnt gone through menopause and shes not feeling stressed. The defining moment is when Alice forgets her way home while jogging in Harvard material (p. 21). Suspecting that something is wrong and without telling her husband, Alice chooses to see Dr. Davis a neurologist who diagnoses her with early onset Alzheimers disease (p. 70).The diagnosis hits Alice and her family like a death sentence. Alice realizes that she doesnt have enough time left and decides that it should be washed-out with her family. Her two older children Anna and Tom decide to undergo genetic testing for the Alzheimers gene. Her oldest daughter Anna tests despotic for the gene (p. 108). Alice becomes completely reliant on her blackberry to get through her day and becomes a abundant list maker though she rumpt always make nose out of her lists. As the disease progresses Alice resigns her teaching position at Harvard University and gives up jogging because she has lost her sense of depth perception. Although the disease robs Alice of her memories, she retains her sense of humor e.g. when she tries to wear her underwear as a spo rts bra, she laughs at her own absurd madness (P. 199). Alices character is very compelling, engaging, and holds your attention throughout the book.John Howland is Alices husband he is a professor of biochemistry at Harvard University.When John finds out about Alices diagnosis, he thinks that she has been misdiagnosed. He insists on genetic testing, which would portray that Alice has the Alzheimers gene. John struggles to deal with Alices diagnosis. He becomes her primary caretaker, but refuses to look at Alice when she takes out her pill box. He manages to continue working by leaving Alice large reminder notes on the icebox not to go running alone (p. 196). John is obviously grieving the loss of his wife but is unable to express his emotions in a positive way. A breakthrough finally happens when John is able to comfort his wife when she experiences an incontinence episode (p. 150). Anna is Alices oldest daughter shes a successful attorney and is married to Charles, also a lawye r.Anna is strong and fiercely independent just like her mother. Anna deals with her mothers disease by suggesting that if her mom thinks for a second then maybe shell be able to recover things (p. 173). Anna, however still makes time to care for her mom when her dad is away. Alices only son Tom is a minor character in the book. He is present during family gatherings and important moments e.g. when Alice discloses that she has Alzheimers disease (p. 103). He deals with his moms diagnosis by being distant. The main antagonist in the book is Alices youngest daughter Lydia Howland. She defies the familys educational tradition and chooses to take acting classes in Los Angeles in hopes of becoming an actor. Lydias decision causes a lot of conflict between her parents.Shes the only one that refuses to participate in the Alzheimers genetic testing. However, as Alices delineate deteriorates, Lydia becomes the most valuable player of the family she becomes Alices follow one advocate. She do esnt try to test Alices memory but is there for her when she needs her (p. 162). The relationship between Alice and Lydia improves. Lydia eventually listens to her mothers advice and enrolls at Brandies University to study theater (p. 258). The resource in Still Alice is captivating. It keeps the reviewer on their toes, wondering what will happen conterminous in the story. The story is so lamentable that the ratifier can essentially picture the characters and endure their experiences through all five senses. One pattern of imagery that is intriguing is when Alice is a guest speaker at Stanford. Her confidence and love for her career is enticing.She had talked about the particular subject numerous times and every time she had done this, she felt respected. Alice had always talked without study hernotes with ease. Well into her discussion she suddenly becomes puzzled. The data reveal that irregular verbs require access to the mental (p. 10). The word was lost even though she und erstood fully what she had intended to say. As the nip is described, the ref can get a sense of panic that Alice is experiencing (pp. 8-11). An unforgettable allegory of imagery is when Alice goes for a run through Harvard Square, blocks from her home and cannot remember her way back. The description of her surroundings is etched in the readers mind. loyal stream of joggers, dogs and their owners, walkers, rollerbladers, cyclists, and women herding babies in jogger strollers, like an experienced driver on a regularly travelled stretch of road (pp. 20-21). The sounds of her Nikes hitting the pavement in syncopated rhythm with the pace of her breath (p. 20). She knew she was in Harvard Square, but she didnt know which way was home (p.21). People, cars, buses, and all kinds of unbearable noise rushed and wove aside her (p. 22).The reader can sense Alices state of fright during this scene. A memorable instance of imagery is when Alice visits her primary care physician. At one poin t and time Dr. Moyers office held no proscribe links for Alice. I dont think your memory problems are due to menopause (p.41). She fought the impulses maturation louder inside her, begging her to either lie down or get the hell out of that examining dwell immediately. The reader can perceive the state of anxiety Alice is in (p.41). Other doctor visits were just as interesting. Alzheimers disease.The words knocked the wind out of herThe sound of her name penetrated her every stall and seemed to counterpane her molecules beyond the boundaries of her own skin (pp. 70-71). The visit to Mount Auburn Manor Nursing Center was striking. Walkers crowd the spaces between the tablesThere was no socializing, no conversationThe only sounds other than eating came from a woman who sang while she ate (p. 113). The reader gets the impression that Alice feels she doesnt belong there. Another prominent illustration of imagery is when Alice gets lost in her own home.She hastened back down the hal l and opened the approach to the rumpOnly, to her utter disbelief it wasnt the gutter (p. 149). The reader understands that Alices disease is progressing, especially when she doesnt hump her own daughter or her own family. Leave me alone Get out of my house I hate you I dont want you here (p. 211). Alice couldnt understand that it was her family having a dispute about her, nor did she understand why. Shewasnt sad or angry or defeated or panickyshe was hungry (p. 264). The most remarkable moment in the novel that captures the audience is when Ca use of goods and services re uprises Alice to her home after their walk. As Carole and Anna dialogue about Alice, Alice smiles and nods her head as to concur, not knowing that they are speaking of her. Shortly after, Lydia and Anna converse about their father coming to visit. Is Dad coming this weekend? asked the actress (p. 291) The reader comprehends that John has decided to take the new job offer, instead of fulfilling Alices wish fo r them to stay together.There are many symbols at heart the story of Alice Howland objects, actions, or characters that hint a meaning beyond themselves. Clocks play a role throughout the entire book. For Alice clocks are guidelines to what she should be doing at each moment of the day. In the blend of her story, the clocks are more(prenominal) of a reference, but as her disease progresses they are much more than that. Alice becomes dependent on the clocks to tell her the things she is supposed to do according to time. Alices Blackberry turn is probably one of the most significant symbols in Still Alice. The Blackberry becomes a part of her as Alzheimers takes over Alice refers to her Blackberry for everything. To Alice, if something was not recorded in her device, it never existed. Within the Blackberry, she had an alert communicate her five questions every day. These five questions became a reflection of her cognitive level, testing herself to see if her disease has progresse d. The questions she quizzes herself include a P.S. if you have trouble answering any of these, go to the file named Butterfly on your calculator and follow the instructions there immediately (p.119).The file named Butterfly signifies dignity to Alice the file instructs her to commit felo-de-se when she can no longer remember her family. This would have become the last thing she could do for herself. Alice also has a butterfly necklace that had been passed down from her mother. This butterfly necklace seems to calm Alice and to give her hope, clarity, and strength. Genovas use of figures of speech brings the reader into the world of a person with Alzheimers disease. When Alice first suspects that there is something wrong with her, she is referred to a specialist for testing. Having immaculate various tests, Alice begins to feel overwhelmed, comparing her thoughts to a roller coaster that she was riding with her eyes shut, unable to know when the next turn would be (p.40). Later, in the same doctors office, Alice learns of her officialdiagnosis of early-onset Alzheimers disease and is stunned. With the use of language, Alice and the reader are brought back to the harsh reality of losing herself. The sound of her name penetrated her every cell and seemed to scatter her molecules beyond the boundaries of her own skin (p.71).Genova relates Alzheimers disease to a beast that is unable to be slayed, giving the reader the knowledge that this disease cannot be beat. In reference to the medications Alice is taking to try to foil the further decline in her mental state she compares them to aiming squirt guns at a blazing turn on (p. 117). Throughout the book, Alice feels embarrassed and like a burden to those around her. The use of personification of her disease tells the reader exactly how embarrassed she is there it was, her Alzheimers, stripped and naked under the fluorescent lighting (p.129). It is further conveyed to the reader when Alice thinks her husband lo oks at her the same way he looks at his labs rats (p. 135). In a later scene when Alice refuses to go to dinner with friends the use of simile brings the disease to colorful life in Alices world. Im a cotton candy pink elephant in the room.I make everyone uncomfortable. I turn dinner into a crazy circus act, everyone juggling their nervous pity and forced smiles with their cocktail glasses, forks, and knives (p.218). To keep the book from not being completely negative, there is humor to Alices Alzheimers symptoms. When she was unable to recall which door in her house lead to the bathroom, Genovas use of humor is exactly what the reader needs to get through the scenes. She swung the door open like an illusionist revealing her most mystifying trick, but the bathroom didnt magically appear (p.150). Nearing the end of the novel, Genova leaves the reader with one last insight into Alices cognitive decline. In a moment of clarity Alice reads the cover of the book she wrote with her husban d The words she read seemed to push past the choking weeds and sludge in her mind to a place that was pristine and still intact, hanging on (p. 284). The story of Still Alice is based on an ironic situation.Dr. Alice Howland is a psychology professor at Harvard University and an expert in linguistics (the study of language and its structure). She finds herself at a crossroads when she is diagnosed with first Onset Alzheimers Disease at the age of fifty. Dr. Howland also keeps remarkable care of her well-being by eating healthy, running Harvard square each day, keeping her mind active between teaching classes, and aidconferences. While talking over her new diagnosis Alice comes to realize she may have misjudged her father, assuming he was a belligerent alcoholic, in reality she realizes he was likely suffering from undiagnosed Alzheimers disease (p.76). To top off the ironic chain of events Alice receives her diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimers on January 19 (p. 67) which happens t o be the date of her mother and sisters deaths. Towards the end of Alice Howlands story, her disease process has taken its toll on Alices mind and she can no longer care for herself independently.Dr. Howland becomes dependent on her daughters and son, whom she can no longer identify as such, for her care while her husband choses to take a job in New York (p.286-292). In conclusion, Still Alice is the story of a happily married professor with three grown children at the peak of her career who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers disease. As the story unravels, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle, independence, and to live in the moment. The book not only brings to light the devastating effects of Alzheimers disease on its victims, but also on the lives of their friends, families, and relationships. Tension increases within the story from the time Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers disease until her husband leaves. It was heartbreaking that Alices husband chose to abandon his beloved wife for a new job opportunity in another city.He failed to stay by her side as this disease robbed her of herself. Still Alice is a strong and engaging fiction work which brings truth to the reasonable reader about the onset and the impact of Alzheimers. However, it fails to address those families who are not as equipped as the Howlands to care for their loved ones at home, and are forced to institutionalize them. As Alices condition deteriorates, her children begin to worry about their futures, fight amongst themselves, and ultimately change their lives as a result of their mothers disease. This story teaches the valuable lesson that no matter how strong relationship or family ties are, the failing health of a love one could have a devastating impact on everyone.