Posted by juniper on January 19, 2000, at 2:22:35
In reply to Re: Movies--girl, interrupted, posted by Adam on January 18, 2000, at 17:54:21
all this girl, interrupted talk got me thinking. i remember really liking the book, though i couldn't quite remember why. there were a few memorable quotes that i could run through my head, but i still didn't remember the story in its entirety. so i picked the book up to thumb through it, and ended up rereading it today. it is incredibly readable.
the story itself is interesting (and the writing is very clear and graceful), but not for the reason most memiors on mental disorders are. it is not about the author's struggle with depression or borderline personality disorder (what she was diagnosed with) but more about her absurd daily routines in the hospital and the patients she forms relationships with. the book itself has a detatched quality about it, of an outsider looking in--and with this quality comes a touch of astonishment at who she is and who the other patients are. (and sometimes, per adam's review, the book can seem like a freak show tour--but it is more like the hospital itself is an absurd place and the characters follow suit) the author never seems to be in emotional pain, but she can explain in simple and alluring terms exactly how i have felt at times.
i am now even more interested in seeing the movie for comparison value--the scenes i've seen in the commercials and previews are not in the book. noa makes a good point that there is a lot of getting with the program here sit down and lets psychoanalyze things, but this was 1967, a long time before prozac and psychobabble. and you are kept wondering somewhat what is really wrong with the narrator, the progression is not linear and certain explanations arrise toward the end of the book (while certain things are left wanting of explanation)
on a side note, a sweep accross the cover of psychology today reads: MOVIES: THE HOT NEW THERAPY! (i haven't read the article yet, but i'll let you know)
juniper
poster:juniper
thread:18272
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000112/msgs/19191.html