The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick (Choice, Book)

Published in 2008 and written by Matthew Quick, The Silver Linings Playbook is one of the most contemporarily acclaimed novels. It’s film adaptation also won several Oscars and features a star-studded cast, but in this case as in many more, the book is definitely better than the movie. According to the author’s website, the novel “is the riotous and poignant story of how one man regains his memory and comes to terms with the magnitude of his wife’s betrayal.” The story is narrated by Pat Peoples, a 35 year-old man who has bipolar disorder, and has just been released from a psychiatric hospital. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by unpredictable and severe mood swings that can be triggered by some sort of event. In Pat’s case, his emotions swing from determined and very optimistic to intense and violent rage, triggered by the memory or mention that his ex-wife is now estranged. Throughout the novel, Pat comes to terms with his wife’s absence, and regains his memory surrounding the incident that put him in the hospital. The story is set in Collingswood, Pennsylvania, which is the hometown of the author. In the novel, Pat also attended Quick’s alma mater, and used to teach where Quick also taught. In this way, the novel is portrayed as the simple telling of the story of one man in suburban Pennsylvania.

            One of the most prominent themes conveyed in this story is the complexity of mental illness. Pat’s bipolar disorder requires him to experiment with several different drugs, each making him feel worse than the best version of himself. This is representative of most people’s experience with mental illness, and the difficulty that goes along with psychiatry. Pat’s fits of rage are also sometimes inspired by a Kenny G song that was his wedding song and also the song that was playing when he walked in on his wife cheating on him. This demonstrates how one small detail can carry significant, crippling meaning for those suffering with mental illness, even though it may seem harmless to others. Overall, the novel shows several complex aspects of mental illness that are not often portrayed in mainstream media. The next theme shown in the novel is the role that mental illness can have in family relationships. Pat’s disorder somewhat confounds his father, mother, and brother. Although they genuinely love him and want to help him, they often don’t know how to handle him when he is experiencing the intense emotions involved with bipolar disorder. This is often the case in many families in which one member has a mental illness. Although family members usually proceed with the best intentions, sometimes their actions can actually worsen the situation.

            I very recently read this book, and it truly is a beautiful work. Although the film can be credited for most of its fame, the novel can definitely be considered a contemporary classic, and is very deserving of its critical acclaim. Although I do not have bipolar disorder myself, a few members of my family live with this mental illness. I don’t have a strong enough relationship with them to really understand what it is like nor ever actually discuss what their mental illness means to them. In this way, The Silver Linings Playbook helped me to really understand what it can be like to live with bipolar disorder. Pat Peoples is a very endearing character that leaves no detail of his life out of his narrative, which really helped shed light on his mental illness and the way it affected his daily life. I also really appreciated the very positive portrayal of therapy in the novel. Pat grows a very strong bond with his therapist over time, which I think shows how therapy can have a constructive effect. Therapy is very stigmatized in modern culture, and I appreciated the way this novel helped get rid of that stigma and show how therapy can be life-changing. Overall, this novel is one of my favorites, and although it sounds like a paradox, its portrayal of mental illness is what makes it most beautiful.

“Various Storms and Saints” by Florence + The Machine (Song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dhpYT37krc

“Various Storms and Saints” is the fifth track released on Florence + The Machine’s 2015 album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. The album itself represents a shift from Florence’s earlier work while also encapsulating signature elements of her style. She still uses soaring vocals and bold, catchy bridges; however, on this album, she slows down many songs, and on others, there is more of a pop-style feel. This song specifically is one of the slower, more emotional works, inspired by a letter that Frida Kahlo wrote about heartbreak. incorporating some lines from Kahlo’s letter, Florence essentially mimicked Kahlo by writing a letter to herself during a period of her own sadness while she was living in London. In an interview, Florence noted that the song was written to be a motivation as well as an outpouring of feeling and ‘inescapable’ emotions she was feeling at the time. As a result, the song contains a genuinely vulnerable, emotional tone. Florence also noted in her interview that due to the deeply personal aspect of the song, she didn’t want to include it on the album up until the very last minute. Although it is deeply personal, the emotion bared in the song is still relatable.

            The most prominent theme conveyed in “Various Storms and Saints” is the raw emotion and sadness that follows heartbreak. A melancholy, sincere tone is created in the song through Florence’s use of strong lyrics, powerful vocals, very little backup instrumentation, and a minor key. Combined, these elements convey a sense of intimacy and sincere emotion that demonstrates the despondence that can follow a significant emotional loss, which in this case, is a romantic heartbreak. The stark, consistent strumming of single notes on the electric guitar also helps create a mood of eerie loneliness. Following this initial theme, the song conveys the theme of perseverance and regaining strength after a serious emotional setback. As the song progresses, there is the addition of a choir and layered vocals as well as a building chord progression on the guitar—the guitarist shifts from strumming a single note to using full tonal chords. When paired with increasingly hopeful lyrics such as, “But one day this will be over/I swear it's not so far away,” the shift in the song conveys a sense of regaining strength and assurance that there is hope and power left in the future. The lyrics are also in the first person, and addressed to the second person “you,” adding to its emotional and sincere nature.

This song is beautiful to me in many ways. It is one of my favorite songs on the album, as it is really a departure from the pop nature of some of her songs. I’m a huge Florence and the Machine fan, and I believe that “Various Storms and Saints” is an impressive example of Florence Welch’s of masterful writing and vocal performance skills. While this song is definitely a display of talent, it also includes a powerful message and theme. In this way, Florence truly harnessed her talents in order to convey a very pure sense of emotion, which I find quite beautiful. This song is also definitely a song to listen to when I am experiencing intense emotions. Though it is not necessarily uplifting, for me, the emotions conveyed are some that that I can identify with. That in turn makes me feel more reassured and confident in my own emotional fortitude and strength, even though my problems rarely (…never) stem from romantic relationships. I also truly enjoy the simplistic instrumentation in this song, and think that its bare nature helps express emotion in a more genuine way compared to some of her other songs. Overall, the theme, lyrics, and musical characteristics combine in “Various Storms and Saints” to make it one of my favorite songs.

One World Trade Center designed by David Childs (Architecture)

Opened in October of 2014, New York’s One World Trade Center has already become a cultural icon. The building is now the tallest in the Western Hemisphere, standing at 1776 feet high, with a 408-foot spire standing atop the building. Architect David Childs designed One World Trade Center after the 9/11 attack that killed over 2600 people in and around the Twin Towers. This attack was a tragedy unparalleled in American history that irrevocably changed American culture. It deeply scarred the American psyche, but it especially affected those in New York City and Lower Manhattan. One World Trade Center is the now the focal point of Lower Manhattan’s rebirth and redesign following the attacks. Architect David Childs, a well-known New York architect, was commissioned to begin the reconstruction of Lower Manhattan through this project and the 7 World Trade Center building which is another aspect of the new World Trade Center complex. Childs is a graduate of the Yale School of Architecture, and he has designed several other well-regarded buildings across the New York skyline, including the New York Mercantile Exchange and the JFK International Arrivals building. His knowledge and experience in the city made him distinctly qualified to design the most important symbol of rebirth and strength in New York’s history.

The two themes most prominently displayed in the One World Trade Center building are strength and hope. First, the building exudes strength both symbolically and literally. It was constructed with a state-of-the–art line safety system that very nearly ensures that it could not collapse in a way similar to the Twin Towers. In addition, it is one of the tallest standing buildings in the world, and its sleek chrome design is prominently displayed in the New York skyline. These features of the building stand to represent the resilience and fortitude of those in New York City. After a staggering loss, many New Yorkers came together to erect a building unlike any other in the United States, which is truly a testament to their enduring strength. Additionally, One World Trade Center is a symbol of hope and rebirth. The base of the building is a cube that is identical to the bases of the former Twin Towers, and it stands immediately beside the 9/11 Memorial Pools. At night, a horizontal beacon of light is projected from the spire atop the building, and it can be seen for several miles in each direction. These factors combine to show that even after a significant, devastating tragedy, people can and will continue on, making the world a better place than it was before.

The One World Trade Center is very beautiful in person, and is truly overwhelming when one stands next to it. When looking straight up next to one of the sides of the building, it appears as if the building is a triangle rising into the sky. When standing at the corner, the building seems to grow into the air. The chrome of the building’s windows are also magnificently bright on a sunny day. These optical aspects of the design make One World Trade Center very visually appealing while it is also functionally effective and symbolically significant. Furthermore, the view from the Observation Deck of the building is spectacular—one can see the entire Manhattan skyline and look across the river to New Jersey. Especially at night, it is a sight unlike any other. Finally, the building’s proximity to the 9/11 Memorial Pools and Museum also offers some light in what is a very dark part of the city. The building stands as a symbol of hope, which is uplifting after visiting the memorial and museum, which truly can cause one to dwell on the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks. Overall, One World Trade Center is a representation of the strength and resilience of New Yorkers and a reminder that there is still hope even after the bleakest moments.

House M.D. created by David Shore (Film/Television)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AifiouvIylM

The widely-loved and critically-acclaimed television drama House M.D. was created by David Shore in 2004, and ran on FOX until 2012. The show features an exceptionally successful yet deeply flawed diagnostician named Gregory House. Each episode is centered around one of his cases and shows the interactions House has with his coworkers and patients. The inspiration for the show was the Diagnosis Column of the New York Times Magazine. It described peculiar, seemingly unsolvable cases that somehow a doctor managed to treat. In House, the cases become the device through which the character drama unfolds, and almost every case featured on the show happened in real life. The plot of the show is also loosely based on the Sherlock Holmes stories. House, like Holmes, is an unusual, somewhat anti-social, highly logical genius that is unparalleled in his field. As the amiable and gentle Watson flanks Holmes, the kind oncologist Wilson is best friends with House. The two protagonists also have dark pasts and drug addictions, making them even more similar. In this way, it can be said that House is essentially the modern, medical version of Sherlock Holmes, solving mysteries that no one else can, while also alienating many in his life.

Several themes are conveyed throughout House, yet one of the most prominent is whether or not ‘the ends justify the means,’ especially in the practice of medicine. In various episodes, it is explored whether or not doctors have the right to flout hospital regulations in order to save their patients, or even go against their patient’s wishes in order to give them the better, more effective course of treatment. Over and over, the show raises significant ethical and moral dilemmas, which are debated between House, the highly rational and logical, and his coworkers, who are practical and realistic. House obeys his own code, and achieves great success in curing his patients, yet often does this at the hospital’s or his own expense. The show also explores the theme of coping with disability and addiction. House is a cripple in constant pain, and he prides himself on his success. The pain House experiences forms him into the cynical, focused, and emotionally detached person that enables him to be so successful but prevents him from maintaining meaningful relationships. The only way for House to cope with the constant pain of his injury and the subsequent absence of relationships is Vicodin, which becomes addictive. In this way, the show demonstrates that disability and addiction can emotionally damage even the most successful and intelligent people.

            I find this show to be beautiful in many ways. It is among my absolute favorite TV shows as it is exceptionally well written and entertaining while also being highly engaging and thought provoking. In almost every episode, House and his team of doctors experience some conflict between logic, ethics, and regulation, which generates some philosophic or practitional debate. I find this to be particularly interesting, and I love to follow the characters as they form and defend opinions on intellectual and complicated problems. The characters engaged in these debates are also very complex and well developed, adding to the engaging nature of the show. House also thoroughly explores the nature of relationships between people. One of House’s taglines is ‘everybody lies,’ which he mercilessly tries to prove at every opportunity. This pursuit is often fruitful, but damaging to House personally. This shows how living in absolute truth can actually be somewhat miserable, which I think is a very honest depiction of real life. In that way, the show is beautiful, even though it is often quite dark. Finally, the brand of humor in House is quite dry, intelligent, and cynical, which I find endlessly entertaining. Overall, House to me is beautiful as it raises complex questions while also being genuinely engaging.