A Comparative Essay: Faulty Memory
December 3
2013
Faulty Memory Lead Them Astray:
A Comparative Essay between the novel Still Alice and the film Away From Her.
Everyone knows that life is a series of constant changes, however, most people underestimate how great an impact one change can have on not only them but also on their family and friends. Alzheimer’s is the slow, painful death of an individual`s brain. This bitter journey is shown through stories of two women living with this disease in both the novel Still Alice by Lisa Genova and the film Away From Her by Sarah Polley. In both pieces the slow deterioration of mental abilities is shown through the characters; Alice Howland and Fiona Anderson. In the novel Still Alice, Alice`s descent into obscurity is told …show more content…
“I 'm afraid of looking at you and not knowing who you are."
"I think that even if you don 't know who I am someday, you 'll still know that I love you."
"What if I see you, and I don 't know that you 're my daughter, and I don 't know that you love me?"
"Then, I 'll tell you that I do, and you 'll believe me.”(Genova 166)
In this quotation Alice is expressing how worried she is about forgetting everything, and her daughter is reassuring her that she will always be there for her, no matter the circumstances. This shows the great love and support that the Howland family plans on giving Alice until the very end. Similarly in the film Away From Her Fiona Anderson has an incredible amount of support and love given to her by her long time husband Grant Anderson. The film takes a different look at life with Alzheimer’s by using Fiona’s husband Grant, the protagonist, to really portray the impact of being a caregiver to your partner with the devastating mental debilitation of Alzheimer’s. We see the struggle that Grant Anderson faces as he wants to remain the only man to care for his wife, Fiona, but realizes she has found comfort without needing him. The story unravels and demonstrates the bitter conflict Grant faces as he must decide whose happiness is most important; Fiona’s or his own. Learning to let go Grant finds a friend in a woman with a similar
2013
Faulty Memory Lead Them Astray:
A Comparative Essay between the novel Still Alice and the film Away From Her.
Everyone knows that life is a series of constant changes, however, most people underestimate how great an impact one change can have on not only them but also on their family and friends. Alzheimer’s is the slow, painful death of an individual`s brain. This bitter journey is shown through stories of two women living with this disease in both the novel Still Alice by Lisa Genova and the film Away From Her by Sarah Polley. In both pieces the slow deterioration of mental abilities is shown through the characters; Alice Howland and Fiona Anderson. In the novel Still Alice, Alice`s descent into obscurity is told …show more content…
“I 'm afraid of looking at you and not knowing who you are."
"I think that even if you don 't know who I am someday, you 'll still know that I love you."
"What if I see you, and I don 't know that you 're my daughter, and I don 't know that you love me?"
"Then, I 'll tell you that I do, and you 'll believe me.”(Genova 166)
In this quotation Alice is expressing how worried she is about forgetting everything, and her daughter is reassuring her that she will always be there for her, no matter the circumstances. This shows the great love and support that the Howland family plans on giving Alice until the very end. Similarly in the film Away From Her Fiona Anderson has an incredible amount of support and love given to her by her long time husband Grant Anderson. The film takes a different look at life with Alzheimer’s by using Fiona’s husband Grant, the protagonist, to really portray the impact of being a caregiver to your partner with the devastating mental debilitation of Alzheimer’s. We see the struggle that Grant Anderson faces as he wants to remain the only man to care for his wife, Fiona, but realizes she has found comfort without needing him. The story unravels and demonstrates the bitter conflict Grant faces as he must decide whose happiness is most important; Fiona’s or his own. Learning to let go Grant finds a friend in a woman with a similar