The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly

I expected a lot more going into this book honestly, it was a very simple read. I expected more description and details from the author.

No hay ningún otro libro que yo sepa, en el que una persona con síndrome de cautiverio (incapaz de mover nada más que los ojos) cuente su historia de esta forma. Una proeza admirable, al margen del estilo o la calidad literaria.

I watched this movie with my husband, who didn't like it, but for me, I loved it. I have worked with people with disabilities for 36 years, and this story touched my heart deeply. Jean-Dominique Bauby, although trapped in a body that did not work, had full control of his mind and spirit. The essence of who this man was / is, was so clearly intact, his sense of humour over his life changing predicament, was contagious. After watching the movie of his life, I knew I would not rest until I read his book. I wanted to know him on a deeper level, somehting a movie just could not completely convey. We all have hurdles in life, disappointments and let-downs. Most people would have given up on living in the same circumstance as Bauby. Jean-Dominique Bauby did not allow the restrictions of a body he no longer had control over, to control his purpose in life. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who was unhappy with their lot in life. Bauby may change how you view your situation, from whoa is me to counting your blessings!

At just 144 pages, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly could be a short read, but its a deep read. It was written from his hospital bed by former Elle editor, Jean-Dominic Bauby. Or rather, painfully spelt out by blinking his left eyelid to the indication of alphabets, because Bauby's body was locked down and the only thing he could move was his left eyelid. How his mind roved over the past and felt about his present are what the book is about. How precious life is can be felt intensely while you read the book. A must read.

A Review of: The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, by Jean-Dominique Bauby Jean-Domique Bauby suffered a stroke which left him paralyzed with locked-in syndrome at the age of 43. He wrote the book for his two children with the help of Claude Mendibil. Bauby’s intention for this memoir was to give readers a view into what life after such a tragic event entails. He truly captivated both the positive and negative feelings which he frequently felt throughout the novel. For this review the chapters are summarized and reviewed, note some chapters are discussed as one. Wheelchair. Bauby spoke of his wheelchair in both his terms and what the professionals surrounding him provided him with. They thought of the wheelchair as progress while Bauby saw his life sentence. Prayer. Once he learned of what his new life would entail, Bauby let go of his large future plans that felt no longer attainable. Throughout this chapter he focused on the victories he could overcome, such as, swallowing the excess saliva that sits in his mouth. This chapter was meaningful in how Bauby was able to convey to the reader that he struggled with the idea of letting go his plans and making new ones. Bath time. Bauby describes his daily routine which includes a bath. He channels the reader into the harsh double edged sword that was this time in his days. On one end he would relish in the pure joy of taking the bath, reminding him of how relaxing his used to be. On the other, the nostalgia brings pain in knowing that this will never be the same feeling. The Alphabet. In this chapter Bauby discusses his communication system. He goes into detail the different types of communicators he encounters and how each one reacts to his form of communication. He discusses his preferences and how some make the communication harder as a result of not wanting to be wrong or disappoint Bauby. The Empress. Bauby lets us in to see his own appearance. He talks of the patroness of the hospital being Empress Eungenie and his imagination flourishes. Tourists. Bauby describes the different long term patients that are in the hospital. He makes a point to also discuss the patients who are there short-term and will return to their homes. Bauby makes a point to describe the way they laugh and joke to pass time but turn away from him. Guardian Angel. This chapter and the three to follow of it talk of his relationships. Bauby refers to his Speech Therapist as his guardian angel. She is the one who allows him to communicate through his communication board. He talks of his father and his daughter both of whom he calls while his guardian angel is there. Bauby tells us that he wishes the other professionals would communicate with him using his communication board instead of just ignoring his attempts. Our Very Own Madonna. Bauby speaks of his trip in Lourdes with Josephine. It gave a look into his life before the accident. They went to the Madonna and their trip was full of confrontations between the two of them, but love seemed to prevail. The Vegetable. Bauby tells us a way he copes with his locked in syndrome. He writes a newsletter to friends and associates to help them gain a better understanding of his condition and so that they do not just write him off. Outing. This chapter discusses how there are two different people that others know of Bauby. The way he was before his accident and the way he is now. Twenty-One. Bauby explains what his friend and colleague Vincent is like and how he is different from other visitors in the sense that he treats Bauby like he always has. He also tells of his own hearing, he is completely blocked in one ear and the other amplifies all sounds from the hallways. Sunday. This chapter gives us a look into what the days are like when there is no one around. Bauby relies on his caretakers to break up his days and on Sunday’s they are not around. A Day in the Life. Bauby delves into the day of his stroke. He talks of how his day went normally and he had planned to see a play with his son, Theodile. When his stroke was happening he thought he would just be find after a rest and that is when he slipped into a coma. Season of Renewal. The last chapter of the novel. It showed a sense of hope for the future. Bauby describes the change of season into autumn and how he has progressed. He states that he has made significant improvements since his time at Berck Hospital. The ending of the book was perfection. The beginning of the book was hard to get into. It was confusing the way it jumped into describing how he was feeling about being in the hospital. I didn’t understand some of the metaphors or if he was talking about reality or fantasy. I did not give up on the prologue and first paragraphs as I reread them to gain a better understanding of what he was describing. Throughout the rest of the novel it was so eloquently written and Bauby’s style of writing was imaginative and intriguing. A person may benefit from this book if they have recently suffered a similar traumatic event in their own lives, in a family member’s life, or will be working with this population. It provides excellent insight into how all aspects of Bauby’s communication and daily life struggles are handled and how he feels personally about them.