What was your first reaction to the film? What did you think when it finished?
Identify some ways that the film relates to class.
Does the film change your mind about anything related to end-of-life decisions, the provision of health care, individual choice, responsibility of health care providers?
For the first half of the film, I thought it was extremely depressing and one of the saddest movies I have seen. Of all the things that I am afraid of in this world, this film has given me something that tops this list. Having this "trapped-in" syndrome might be the worst thing I could imaginable happening to me. To have your full mental capacity untouched and yet not be able to move anything besides your one eye and not even be able to verbalize your thoughts and wants. I thought the saddest thing was early on when Jean-Do's train of thought spoke of his failings in life and how he could never make amends for what he had done. Living with regret and yet being unable to verbalize and make amends would be its own special type of torture. By the time the movie ended, I thought it was very inspirational. When Jean-Do made a decision to have no more self-pity was the turning point. He showed the true power of one's mind and his determination to write a memoir was very impressive. I thought it was a very well done film and an amazing story.
ReplyDeleteThis movie definitely brings up points about end of life care. If Jean-Do wanted to die would that be his right? The way he chose to live out the remainder of his life strengthened my opinion that even when a person's health is degrading and their life is ending, there are still things that makes life worth living and opportunities for families and the dying to find peace and closure with the world and their loved ones. The way Jean-Do's therapists worked tirelessly with him when it was an almost hopeless case really sets an example of how all health care providers should passionately interact and work with patients.
I thought this movie was very sad. Like Jean-Do, when he spelled out that he wanted to die to the nurse I am sure that is how I would feel if that happened to me. To have all your mental abilities but not be able to talk or move just blink one eye would be terrible and I'm not sure I could live like that. One thing I learned from the film is to make amends while you can because something could happen like it did and the film and you can't really make up for something you did in prior in your life. The movie was hard to watch sometimes because of how sad it was to watch Jean-Do go through what he was. His nurses worked very hard to help him speak again even though it was almost certain he never would again. The film showed that nurses will work tirelessly and do there job as best they can even if they already know it probably won't help, all nurses should watch this film and see that is how to treat a patient. Most nurses I have been around have had that mindset, to always do every thing they can to help the patient, which is a great feeling your nurse will do that for you.
ReplyDeleteThe film started off tragically because it sad to see the life of someone like that deteriorate, especially one who doesn't drink much or smoke, which are reasons that lead to people having strokes. I felt that as the film went on it got better and promise was placed back into the life of Jean-Po and I thought that he was going to recover to but then the movie ended and he died 10 days after his book published. This was very and disheartening and Dr. Cate knows my disappointment with how the movie ended. I am saddened and will probably never be able to watch another movie ever again. Thanks Dr. Cate
ReplyDeleteI think that even though it was a very sad ending, it has a much more encouraging meaning. It goes to show you how even though end of life care may be futile to some, others can still live a very meaningful life (even from a state similar to the "trapped in" syndrome). I also think that a lot of the time, people are quick to judge people in that type of state and believe that it is a waste of resources, time, and money. The reason that I like this movie is because it shows you the possibility of living a meaningful life even at that state, he did publish a book! It did take an incredible amount of effort from the nurse and entire staff but in the end was worth it!
ReplyDeleteI have talked about this briefly in another blog.... I relate to this very well considering my uncle has ALS. His situation is very similar except that my uncle's life is deteriorating much faster. At this point, my uncle is completely paralyzed from the neck down and is slowly losing the ability to contract his lungs and move his tongue. Watching that movie constantly had me wondering what my uncle is thinking, feeling, and wanting to say. We have not always got along as well as we should have and it is very sad to see our relationship build in this time of despair, similar to how the character in the movie regained his relationship with his wife. I have kept my opinions about end of life care but my family situation along with the movie made them more concrete. The combination of the two pushed me to further advocate euthanasia.
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry about your family situation first off, but isn't it possible that even though it is horrible to see someone go through this (a friend's dad died of ALS), this time does provide an opportunity for positives. You mentioned that you have become closer to your uncle, this probably makes it hurt more, but isn't that worth it ( I know its hard to say and sorry its a touchy subject). I feel that during end of life situations, not euthanizing the person provides an opportunity of closure for both the family and patient. If we are able to see the positives in not euthanizing the chronically ill (as Jean Do found his meaning), I think the end provides important opportunities for the family and patient (despite the pain of having to watch their condition become worse). But I completely understand your views having to watch someone you love suffer through a condition as horrible as ALS, but try to see the positives too (you have had a chance to repair and strengthen your relationship).
DeleteI do agree to an extent. It has been positive that friends and family have received an opportunity to find closure and rebuild relationships that have been lost. This being said, there will come a point where he cannot breath without a machine or eat with out a feeding tube. This is the point where I think euthanasia comes into play. Jean Do's situation is a bit different in that he does not have a deteriorating disease so in that circumstance I would have to agree with you. With ALS, I do believe that there comes a point (when on feeding tube/breathing machine etc.) where euthanasia is the right thing to do.
DeleteI agree with both of you all and I feel that there are things to take from each perspective. It is a touchy and delicate subject and my condolences go out to you Erik, two years ago my granddad was battling pancreatic cancer and I was forced to watch his health deteriorate. No words can explain the feelings I had watching 6'2" college athlete dwindle down to 150 pounds, so I send my sympathy to you and your family. My family struggled while watching his health deteriorate as well, and after a while, I wish there was something that we could have done. Watching him suffer I wish there was some sort of euthanasia to where he no longer had to suffer. And Mike I agree with you as well, those months when he did start to get bad it made me realize how special the relationship was that we did share and made me not take things for granted. We had a very good relationship and the months where his health declined made me appreciate the special bond we shared even more. But after a while it got to a point where I could no longer stand to look at without breaking down and crying. I feel that once a person is no longer that person that people grew to love, euthanasia wouldn't be such a bad bet. It's a sad sort of paradox if you will, that bad times offer people a chance to mend broken relationships, but after things get so bad, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to end it.
DeleteI can see the argument from both sides and can not imagine watching a loved one suffering through this. To me this brings up what we discussed early in the class, the importance of talking with your loved ones about situations like these and finding out what they would want. You can not predict to occurrence of a stroke or an incident like in the movie, but this makes it even more important to discuss while you are healthy these tough end of life issues. In the end, what is most important is what the patient wants, and if the unexpected happens knowing what your loved one wanted can save you from trying to guess. This would help make the unfortunate predicament more bearable for all of the friends and family and create a better sense of togetherness between the surrounding family.
DeleteAntonio, I think you made a great point when you said that "once a person is no longer that person that people grew to love, euthanasia wouldn't be such a bad bet". This is my feeling exactly, it is nice to mend relationships and spend time with your family member before they pass, but when they get to a point where, in the case of my uncle, he can no longer breath for himself I do think euthanasia should be discussed (if it were legal). I also want to thank you for your condolences and tell you I am sorry for the loss of your grandfather.
DeleteGabby, I do agree with you completely! This needs to be discussed about, but people have such a problem talking about death. I must admit is very uncomfortable to talk about because no one wants to die but I think this talk is crucial for these type of situations.
DeleteReading this string of blogs has given me so much to think about on the topic of end-of-life care, and in particular, euthanasia. I grew up in an environment that taught that euthanasia was always something that should never be considered, but things aren't always black and white. People don't lie when they say your eyes are really opened when you get to college. This class has made me rethink about some of my beliefs and predispositions towards subjects like euthanasia and human genetics, and challenged me to find reasons and rationalizations behind them and not just blindly follow a train of thought. The thing is, just as all of you have mentioned, talking about death is often one of the hardest things to do, especially with a loved one. Unfortunately, you never know what or when something will happen, and when you or someone close to you is in that situation, you may feel lost. Even if it isn't something sudden, like a car crash, and just a steady deterioration of health, it is still a subject that is hard to breach. Years ago, after a few months of my grandma's health declining while in a hospital, it eventually got to the point where she was no longer responsive when my family and I visited. At the time, I would never have even thought of euthanasia as an option, and even now, I find it hard to consider. It does feel selfish when Ithink about it, but deep down I don't know if I could ever be involved in making a decision about ending someone else's life. I think this sort of topic will take me several more years before I finally come to a firm belief.
DeleteI have seen the film The Diving Bell and The Butterfly twice and have grown a strong appreciation for the movie because of the meaning that the director was able to get across and the acting in it is absolutely superb. Jean-Do and the film itself do a great job in actually putting a perspective/ first person point of view on someone whom has suffered the worst from a stroke. Even though the audience tends to become saddened by what has happened to Jean-Do and his thoughts that he has earlier in the movie. I agree with what Will and Mike said about this film actually having a greater meaning to it. I feel it is more of an advocate against euthanasia rather than for it. Yes, he did say that he wanted to die, but after seeing all that he had experienced and the memories that he remembered and created during that time where he was a mind trapped inside a static body, is a strong case against euthanasia. I think that the book that he was able to publish is an amazing accomplishment and is purely evidence that one can make a difference on others even in such a poor state.
ReplyDeleteThis is the second time I have seen The Diving Bell and The Butterfly and I too have found a deeper appreciation for the movie. It is amazing how a movie that is in a different language and the need to read subtitles does not affect the movie experience at all. The first person perspective is a great touch to a movie that in my opinion could not have been told any other way. The way they portray the past present and imagination is wonderful. There is a greater meaning to this movie than what scratches the surface. While he had no voice just the ability to blink with one eye yes and no I agree with Jimmy that it seems to be against the idea of euthanasia. He stated he wanted to die and it depicted his fear of not being able to communicate as well. I believe if they would not have kept this man alive we would have not had such a wonderful story to watch. It's remarkable the amount of time that was spent dictating his book. It took dedication and hard work on both parties. What was amazing is that he was able to finish the book and get it published before he died. Its a true account of how even if we are at what seems to be our lowest point that our story/journey can help others in their own lives.
ReplyDeleteI actually really enjoyed this film (even though it was really sad). It was really sad to see Jean-Do experience so much despair in the hospital but it also inspiring how he was able to turn that around and be able to find a meaning in his life. It really makes you think about what you would do in a situation like that, I would probably be like Jean-Do in the beginning when he said he wanted to die. I can't even imagine how I would be able to cope with only having one of my eyes to communicate. I thought it was great how the film showed parts of Jean-Do's life and his dreams/imaginations; I think that this gave us a better sense of who he was. I was definitely disappointed at the end of the film when it said that Jean-Do died 10 days after the book was published, I really wanted to see him survive and make progress. However, I was really happy that he was able to be alive to see how his book became a success. Overall, I think that this is a film that everyone should see, I think it really puts things into perspective and shows us that life is always precious and worth living.
ReplyDeleteI thought this job was very eye opening. The fact that it is from Jean-Do's position makes it even better. I feel that when we see someone in that condition, we dehumanize them and assume that mental functioning is gone. However, this is not the case. It was heart wrenching hearing Jean-Do's thoughts as the doctors stitched up his eye. In fact, he was still a very normal person with normal feelings. this makes me have more compassion for all those who are hooked up to ventilators in the ICU unit at my work
ReplyDeleteI personally didn't care too much for the film. At times i thought it to be very slow and i found the subtitles a bit distracting from the main film. If the film would have been in English i feel that i could better have focused on what was going on than trying to read the subtitles all the time. I do think the film was a moving/emotional film. I felt so sorry for the guy especially when i learned at the end that he died shortly after publishing the book. I feel it was very noble and courageous of him to write this book even when having a condition like he did. Its inspiring and emotional film
ReplyDeleteI also found the subtitles a little distracting, but after awhile I didn't seem to notice them. It was just like the movie Pan's Labyrinth, it has Spanish subtitles but after awhile I didn't notice.
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DeleteI do agree that the movie seemed somewhat slow at times, and the start of the movie wasn't your typical blockbuster intro that gets you hooked immediately. However, as the film went on, I found myself being drawn into it more and more, and the subtitles didn't really affect me after a while. The only part I had a problem with was when Jean-Do was learning to speak. I've never taken french before, and the film didnt always have subtitles for individual letters. You could figure some of them out, but it would have been nice to hear in English.
DeleteAs I began watching the film I felt so much sadness for Jean-Do. I was picturing myself in his situation and just thinking that it is no way that I would want to live. Of course, I have never been in that situation so I cannot say exactly how I would feel. Mike mentioned it earlier that the situation allowed him to reconnect with people he had damaged relationships with previously. It saddens me that something tragic like this has to occur for people to mend relationships. I feel that it opened my eyes and made me realize that there are some relationships that I need to mend before they get to this point. Overall, I ended up enjoying the film and have recommended it to many people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kammi that the film made me reassess my life. No one knows what the future holds for them and, as cliche as it may sound, should live every day as it is their last. From a more practical standpoint, I think that the movie emphasizes the need for us to look ahead and have an advanced directive, just in case we are incapable of representing ourselves during a time of crisis. Though we cannot account for the all circumstances, we may be able to give a bit of guidance when pressed into a tough situation.
DeleteI have mixed feelings about the film itself, but overall I felt that the message was very eye opening. First I really enjoyed the fact that it was from the perspective of Jean-Do. Although the film itself was not real life it was still fascinating to see things from his point of view, because usually something like that does not happen. I think what I liked best about it was that it showed all the determination Jean-Do had. With the help of others he found a way to communicate and to continue and even heal his relationships with many of his loved ones. I think it showed the hospital and his therapists in a positive light, and showed how far he had come despite him literally being trapped in a basically lifeless body. It showed that despite what some may think, all the effort put toward someone in Jean-Do's condition, and others, is truly worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction to the film was "wow its in French....I know some French yay :) lol". But got sad when I actually saw what had happened. I was sad that Jean-Do died at the end because he took so much time in blinking each sentence out for the person to write it and then he didn't even get to live very long after publication. The film does make me want to live out my life until God decides its my time to go because I could do anything. Look what Jean-Do did. He could only move one eye and he wrote a book, with help of course. But I don't really know what I'd do because I think nobody really knows what they'd do until it happened to them.
ReplyDeleteI think the movie touches on some interesting ideas and really represents a man making the best out of a nightmarish situation. Though the guy was far from sainthood, I do not feel that anyone would wish a life confined to the mind on their fellow man. The idea that he was able to fight through this adversity and create a beautiful piece of art is a testament to how strong a person he was. It's interesting to think how we ourselves would respond to a situation similar to the one in the movie. Would we be able to move past the grief? Would we even be able to imagine a way to find fulfillment in our current condition? These questions would be further complicated by our inability to necessarily express our desires to the health care staff. Hopefully as medicine continues to develop, we will find ways to aid the person and the health care staff in providing the best service for the patient.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading everyone’s post, there is not much else I could say about the film. But I would like to comment on my favorite part of the movie. Although an extremely sad film, I found it very inspirational. The fact that he had been cursed with such a terrible condition, he found a way to continue to do what he loved. It just shows that no matter how bad life gets for me, I know it could always be worse. As long as I am blessed with good health and a strong family, everything else is just an extra bonus. Also I found the relationship between Jean-do and his father to be very touching. The saddest moment of the film for me was to watch Jean-do’s father cry over the phone. As many of you have already said it is important to make amends with especially loved ones before it is to late.
ReplyDeleteI found it quite remarkable that this film, in a completely different language, can bring out such saddness and deep thoughts. It was sad watching Jean-Do struggle with the fact that he was stuck in a world that kept moving all around him. He at least found a way to comunicate his thoughts into a book. Although, I do think that in some way euthanasia does bring closure to the family of someone chronically ill by preventing the person from suffering. Last year, I had a personal experience where my grandma was euthanized after two medically induced comas did not stop her seizures. It was tough, but it brought all of us peace being able to be with her and pray for her during her last moments. There were family members who did not agree, but how could you allow someone you love so much to continue suffering throughout the rest of their life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Brittani and the power of this film being in a different language. It allowed for focus on the situation and reflect on what was happening rather than worry about everything being said. This aspect allowed for a different level of reflection than watching in my own language would have allowed. This film created a whole new idea of what end of life care means. It also expressed what I fear about end of life care which is the unexpectedness. This film affirmed the importance of discussing end of life decisions before it is too late. This situation is unique, but because of technology today it is becoming increasingly common. No one is prepared for this situation creating conflicting opinions of what their unresponsive loved one would decide. I mentioned this in above post, but it is so important it needs repeating. Discussion of end of life care needs to happen before it becomes a reality to prevent uneccessary pain from an already terrible situation.
DeleteI agree with Brittani also i have not had the chance to see many foreign films such as this one. The fact that it was in french did allow me to focus on the facial expression of the doctors and family remembers as they interacted with Jean-Do. I think that ignoring the words allows us to focus on what is going on in the surrounding area.
DeleteThis movie frickin depressed me. Anything you recommend I watch always makes me sad. You are like the most bleak movie critic.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to class, this was the host of a myriad of ethical issues, such as the wishes of the patient. In the movie he asked explicitly to be killed, but assisted suicide is not legal so he was stuck there anyway. Maybe if he played dead?
Another interesting point, you can only be legally killed if you say it's ok before you go braindead, and he was only halfway there, so suck to be him, right?
The movie was definitely different. I don't think that there are many films that take the perspective of a person that is in a condition such as the one he was in. It made me wonder how I would react to being in that position, and it would have probably been similar to the way he did. I would definitely get frustrated very easily because I don't have much patience.
ReplyDeleteI thought the speech therapist in the film was cool. I don't know if everybody would be as dedicated to their patient as she was.
I agree with Adam. The movie definitely made me think of how I would react in a situation like that one. I liked how in the beginning of the film, we were looking from his point of view and hearing his thoughts. The way the speech therapy went was really cool with reciting the letters and everything. It would have been tedious work and very frustrating but it was still a way to communicate.
DeleteI agree with Michael that the first half of the movie was indeed depressing to say the least i would not know what to do if i was diagnosed with lock in syndrome. the fact that i would be unable to move my body would drive me to the brink of insanity. Some how he managed to make the best out of the tragic situation that he was in at the time. The fact something this tragic could happen to Jean-Do who had everything going for him puts my life into perspective how his therapists work night and day hoping that he would make progress the dedication they have shows the professionalism and passion that have towards their work. Also the fact that he was able to publish a book only being able to blink with one eye is extraordinary the fact that he was able to do that astounds me. Overall the movie was well done the fact that he wanted to live out his life was amazing showing he had the will power to live through the tragic event of him being paralyzed from the neck down overall i thought the movie was well done.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a little while since I have seen this movie but one aspect that has really stuck with me since watching it was the reading of the subtitles when Jean-Do was "talking". I remember feeling as if I was reading his thoughts and the entire time feeling like this was a man who very much alive yet imprisoned in his own body. That being said, I don't know of a movie that better connects the audience to a character. One thing I took away from this movie was how human Jean-do seemed to me while to those in the movie he was merely reduced almost to vegetative state. In relation to our class, I think this movie makes it even more difficult to answer current questions about end of life care. Some could say all of the effort was worth it to keep Jean-Do alive while others could argue that he should have beeen freed from his difficult life trapped inside of a useless body. Overall, I think this movie demonstrates how the last moments of Jean-Do's life allowed him to discover who he really was as a person, reconnect with loved ones, and come to peace with the life he lived. You simply cannot put a price tag on that.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was probably the most depressing thing I've seen in a long time. I kept thinking throughout the movie that Jean-Do would make some sort of miraculous recovery, but as often happens in real life, no such thing happened. Watching Jean learn to "speak" was incredible. I could never imagine having possession of your full mental faculties but be unable to speak out loud. I wouldn't have the patience and it would seem too frustrating. It was a deep movie that really made me think about end-of-life decisions and care. Its easy to say what you think about it when you're not actually in the situation. For instance, if one was to say that he or she would want to be kept on life support, yet had never experienced a situation like Jean-Do, they might want to change their minds completely if something like that happened to them. One scene that I found particularly touching and related to this subject is when Jean is communicating with one of his speech therapists and says to her "I want death". She immediately becomes very upset and wonders how he could wish such a thing on himself. I'm not really sure what I would want in that situation myself. It's a hard subject to think about and for that reason it unfortunately gets put off a lot, which leads to many of the end-of-life decisions being placed on the family or caretaker.
ReplyDeleteThe general consensus of people probably agree seeing a loved one die is extremely tragic. Death however is the one thing that connects us all. Even in our last few weeks of our lives just as Jean-Do we all still perform extraordinary things that allow us to comfort one another, but overall the movie was indeed depressing because Jean-Do who was young and healthy died before his father who was nearly 100 years old. The fact that life can take away loved one puts a lot of things into perspective for those who experience the death of a loved one. I think this allows us to grow in our understanding that we only have one life so live it without regrets and hope that you can leave it better off than when you came into it.
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