The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death

A Review of: The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, by Jean-Dominique BaubyJean-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.

The story is sad, humorous, dark, but eye-opening. The final months of this mans life, only being able to communicate by blinking one eye. Yet, by blinking one eye, he wrote this book to tell the tale. That fact alone makes this arguably the most impressive piece of writing I have read.

A Review of: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, by Jean-Dominique BaubyThe 8th of December 1995 began as a relatively unremarkable day for Jean-Dominique Bauby, Editor of Elle magazine in France. That evening, Jean-Dominique would endure a colossal cerebrovascular accident that would leave him with locked in syndrome, resulting in the inability to move and speak. Using a ghostwriter, Claude Mendibil, and only the blinking of his left eye, Bauby gives the reader a glimpse into his current life and thoughts as well as overlooked memories form his past. Jean-Dominique’s use of a diving bell and a butterfly encompass his take on his new life, restricted in body but free in mind to take flight to new and old places. His descriptive telling of the experiences, thoughts and memories Bauby has draws the reader in and reminds us to cherish even the most mundane of experiences. The following paragraphs will highlight some of his experiences in the chapters.Prologue: The initial introduction to Jean-Dominique’s waking life. The pain he experiences upon waking without the ability to move or sense whether he is hot or cold. It is here the reader first understands what lock in syndrome is and how while it is quite awful, he is able to escape reality by exploring in his mind and creating vivid scenes as well as re-experience memories.The Wheelchair: A number of white-coated professionals place him in a wheelchair for the first time. He still unsure exactly what his situation is and remains the same after his short lived and unceremonious wheel chair experience when he is left alone once again. This should an eye opener for all professionals that while we are busy individuals we must take time to be present with our patients.Prayer: This chapter discusses Bauby’s realization of needed to achieve smaller goals rather than grandiose plans. In his mind and prayers, he assigns each spirit a specific healing task that brings a small comfort but little reprieve. The Alphabet: Bauby uses the French alphabet ordered by frequency to communicate. He discusses the simple yet tedious way he converses with others as well as the differences in communication partners that can be both fatiguing and enjoyable.Tourists: Bauby describes the rehabilitation room, a place where individuals of various levels of ability work on their recovery. During a particular exercise, he expresses feeling like a statue in a room full of tourists, who cannot acknowledge him.Guardian Angel: Sandrine, his speech therapist and guardian angel, returned to him the ability to communicate and remain connected with others. Unfortunately, we are also told that many of his caretakers fail to use this communication mode resulting frustrating experiences.The Photo: This chapter reminisces about his last time spent with his father, one where he was the caretaker for his fail elderly father, prior to the stroke. The contrast between his positions then and now points out how fast situations can change for any one of us.Voice Offstage and My Lucky Day: Here Jean-Dominique briefly discusses his fears and discontent with medical professionals as well as his own body.Through a Glass, Darkly: It is Father’s Day, and Jean Dominique writes of the tender love of his children and they way they are have grown into personalities that are influenced by their lives.Paris: A description of his how his views and feelings towards the city of Paris, Bauby is reminded during his trips to Paris that the city has continued to bustle and time has gone on without him.The Vegetable: This chapter marks 6 months since the dramatic shift in his life; he now sends monthly letters to family and friends. He receives many in return and feels proud to be able to exert his unwillingness to be called a vegetable, if even not in his presence.Twenty to One: A now painful memory of a trip to the racetrack with an old friend, where conversation, enjoyment, food and drink resulted in the loss of opportunity to win 20:1 odds on a particular racehorse, one who’s name he struggles to remember. This chapter is full of regret of for opportunities not seized but also of opportunities he will never again experience.The Duck Hunt: The stroke left him with hearing problems that make everyday noises sometimes unbearable, in this case the incessant quacking of a nearby patient’s movement detection device. He retreats to his mind and listen to butterflies to escape the unbearable noise.Sunday: His least favourite day of the week. The hospital becomes a ghost town with only minimal staff and visitors. This day is often lonely, particularly since he is unable to adjust the television or read a book by himself.The Ladies of Hong Kong: Here he describes his mind’s travels from places he a been a number times to others like Hong Kong, where fate has always disallowed him. He also recalls a memory of a friend who was captured and held by the Hezbollah for years and ponders the fact that he now feels imprisoned much as his friend was. “A Day in the Life”: This second to last chapter is where the read will at least read about the day when his life was forever changed. His description of the day as well as the songs on the radio give the impression that he had no idea what was to come.Season of Renewal: This final chapter describes some of his progress, his joy of family time, and his acknowledgement of his new life.My only criticism is that while Jean-Dominique’s descriptions are both eloquent and vivid enough to paint a picture of his experiences, each chapter feels separate from the next, leaving the reader to try and piece together the bigger picture. This does not overly distract from the enormity of the task Bauby completed writing his memoir only blinking his left eye.Finally, any individual who works in the medical setting will find insight both into patient’s lives and how they can improve their experiences in the smallest of ways. This memoir may also benefit those who have loved ones who have experienced the devastation a stroke can cause by giving them a small glimpse into the mind of someone who is no longer able to communicate as they once were. This book also gives hope that though life may be permanently altered by terrible events, there can be renewal and new joy in the unexpected.

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.

someone had recommended this book but I was not sure. I usually only read fiction. I am so pleased I listened to my friend as it was beautifully written and not as sad or depressing as I thought it could be. This mans journey in the months after becoming Locked in his body was remarkable. It is now on my list of books that must be read. He wrote this book with the help of family and friends only communicating by closing his left eyelid. Uplifting to the end

There are no words to describe my feelings while reading Bauby.I will always carry your memories with me, thank you for so much, for being so brave, lucid and persistent. I will never forget the lessons and emotions I've uncovered in this most difficult, yet beautiful journey you narrate

Don’t think. Just buy this. I am sure you will love the book.

While reading this book, I was very moved and had tears in my eyes. The author takes the readers on a journey through the mind of a man who is suddenly paralyzed and is, therefore, trapped in his own body. It's excruciating to imagine how a fate like his would feel like. Nevertheless, this author found freedom in his imagination and managed to write an entire book solely with eye blinks. It is simply remarkable that he was able to share this story with the world with nothing but his eye blinking to communicate with the world around him.