Michelle Koop
Professor Mike Link
Inclusive Approaches to
Teaching Exceptional Students
March 12th
2014
The
Diving-Bell and the Butterfly, A Beautiful Hybrid of Vulnerability and Comedy
The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by
Jean-Dominique Bauby is a deeply thought provoking series of autobiographical
segments. After going through a major-stroke at the age of forty-four, Bauby is
left with a sharp mind but an almost motionless and speechless body, a
condition known as locked-in syndrome (12). With the simple ability to move his
left eye-lid The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly
is amazingly dictated and written through the use of a communication system created
to accommodate Bauby’s limited motion. Written in his hospital room with his
helper Claude by his side, the book goes through twenty-nine different segments
of Bauby’s life both before his stroke and afterwards. Themes such as the
meaning of life, communication, freedom, family and friendship are all beautifully
written about in a vulnerable and concise fashion.
Due
to the fact that the entire book is being dictated through the use of one
eyelid its language is very succinct. Each chapter is a brief account of an
instance in Bauby’s life involving the hospital staff, past events in his life,
friends or family. Every moment is precious and Bauby wastes no time with empty
words. The shortest chapter in the book is less than a page long, but I would argue
it to be one of the most powerful. “My Lucky Day” accounts a day in Bauby’s
life that describes in a comedic way some of the grave details that his
condition has introduced his life to (65). In the short page that this chapter
occupies Bauby reveals his deep dependence on other people and the absence of
simple bodily functions that we can so easily take for granted. Because words
are so precious, the ones that are scribed are very impactful, but a downfall
to the brevity of the book would be that some things remain unexplained. You cannot
pick up this book expecting to gain everything that there is to know about
Jean-Dominique Bauby and locked-in syndrome, but you can expect everything you
gain from this book to be very intimate in nature.
Despite
the concise nature of the book, Bauby is not at a loss for comedy. Even when
describing very difficult experiences, Bauby is not afraid to approach the
situation lightly or with a bit of humour. This aspect of Bauby’s writing style
makes his book an applicable read for a variety of audiences. Despite the book’s
rather mature and vivid content, Bauby’s description of many circumstances is
instantly lightened up by his comedic language. When telling of his most lonely
week day, “Sunday”, he ends off with a hopelessly humorous situation, “A very
black fly settles on my nose. I waggle my head to unseat him. He digs in. Olympic
wrestling is child’s play compared to this.” (110). This allows the book to
grip you in its deep intensity but also allows you to laugh along with some of
the ridiculous situations that Bauby finds himself in. This in my mind gives
the book a profound authenticity.
The
theme of communication is presented in this book in more ways than one. In my
own home, my Mother struggled with many of the issues that Bauby himself
describes but something that I believe each person can learn a little bit more
about is the art of respectful communication. The pain of not being able to
connect with those around you is vividly represented through Bauby’s many
experiences. Through the many instances of miscommunication within the book,
one specifically stood out for me from the chapter “Through a Glass, Darkly”. The
chapter describes a Father’s Day outing in which Bauby’s two young children and
their mother takes Bauby to the nearby beach. During the excursion Bauby is
overcome by the fact that he cannot properly communicate his love towards his
son, “… I, his father, have lost the simple right to ruffle his bristly hair,
clasp his downy neck, hug his small, lithe, warm body tight against me. There
are no words to express it.” (79). The outing goes on without anyone knowing
the deep anguish that is in Bauby’s heart. In another example of
miscommunication Bauby describes his deep anger towards the hospital staff, who
at times choose to ignore his desperate pleas for assistance (118). This simple
story speaks so many truths to today’s fast moving society. On the other hand,
the chapter “Outing” expresses a positive example of communication. Instead of simply
turning his wheelchair around during their walk, Bauby’s friend Brice asks Bauby
“Want to turn back?” (95). With a simple shake of his head the walk continues
on and Bauby is satisfied. These intimate descriptions signal readers to think
of those in their lives who struggle with communication and show that taking
the extra time for them is of great value.
One
problem that I faced while reading this book was its consistent references to
objects, instances or celebrities that I knew nothing about. Because the book
was published in 1998 France and I myself am a twenty-one year old Canadian,
many comparisons and even humorous moments went straight over my head. I often
had no clue to what or whom he was referring to. Such was the case in the
chapter “Our Very Own Madonna”. The Madonna that is frequently referred to
still remains a mystery to me (70, 71). This issue could easily be fixed with a
simple opening of my laptop. Google knows everything these days. But for those
moments when I was getting very into the story my lack of knowledge often made
me feel removed.
Overall
The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly is
a book that I would recommend to anyone. Through all twenty-nine of its
autobiographical short stories a genuine sense of hope is found. This hope is
not a false hope that you may find in cheesy happy-ending novels, but a hope
filled with struggle and pain. The hope found in the pages of this book is
inspiring and authentic. The beautiful hybrid of comedy and vulnerable
expression creates a book that allows a variety of audiences to experience
Bauby’s thoughts that without great time and effort would have otherwise been
lost. Despite the references that went misunderstood the overall message of
this book is very clear. I believe that it has the potential to change the way
we receive those who are in a situation similar to Bauby. I am thankful to him
for fighting to make this book a reality as it calls us in our own busy lives
to stop and take time for those who need us.
Work Cited:
Bauby, Jean-Dominique. The
Diving-Bell and the Butterfly.
London: Fourth Estate Limited, 1998. Print.
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