Jul 29, 2012 i thought the ending was perfect we see alice being loved and cared for in the bosom of her family, despite the fact that ambitious john is just a weekend husband. I thought the ending was perfect we see alice being loved and cared for in the bosom of her family, despite the fact that ambitious john is just a weekend husband. The film stars julianne moore as alice howland, a linguistics professor diagnosed with familial alzheimers disease shortly after her 50th birthday. Genova has since published four other books and currently lives with her children in. This study guide consists of approximately 48 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of still alice.
Still alice is a 2014 american independent drama film written and directed by richard glatzer and wash westmoreland and based on lisa genovas bestselling 2007 novel of the same name. Still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, and captures in remarkable detail whats its. This 54page guide for still alice by lisa genova includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 25 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of. Still alice by lisa genova book club discussion questions.
There is work to be done, but all we want to do is read. The novel is about a woman who suffers earlyonset alzheimers disease. Lisa genovas writing of alices experience rings so true to me as a mere observer. Publishers weekly this novel will appeal to those dealing with the disease and may prove helpful, but beyond the heartbreaking record of illness theres little here to remember. Brunonia barry, new york times bestselling author of the lace reader after i read still alice, i wanted to stand up and tell a train full of strangers, you have to get this book. The novel moves back and forth between the time before her fathers murder the death of jess mother in an automobile accident that left her with injuries from. In fact, the way its filmed beautifully parallels the way the book is written. I mostly listened to the audio read by the author and would highly recommend it. The still alice community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author.
The message seems to be, shes lost her memory and no longer recognizes her husband or her children, but shes somehow still alice, so its not so bad after all. In 24 months, 49yearold harvard psychology professor alice howland exchanges the role of highachieving teacher, wife and mother of three for that of a disoriented, inarticulate, forgetful shell. To us it still looks beautiful, but to this woman whos a professor and celebrated linguist, losing words and hence her identity to alzheimers, its the face of a stranger, or perhaps a face shes no longer able. Still alice question about the ending of the book proteacher. Last year i watched the movie still alice and was drawn into the heartbreak of alzheimers and last month i finally read the book. John asks why she is still in cambridge because she was supposed to attend a conference in chicago.
Alice howland, a 50yearold woman, is a cognitive psychology professor at harvard and is a worldrenowned linguistics expert. The film accurately portrays many of the signs across the three stages of alzheimers. This story was amazing due to the accuracy and the support alice recieved from her daughters. After a first pass, its time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scenebyscene breakdown. Our final images of alice are that, although the disease has taken its toll, and her decline is inevitable, at the end of the book she is still herself, still alice. The paper gives a synopsis and definite investigation of the story still alice, composed by lisa genova. Alice requests see a neurologist on her second doctors appointment. Whats the difference between still alice the book and still alice the movie. With julianne moore, alec baldwin, kristen stewart, kate bosworth. Its about alice, a woman beloved by her family and respected by her colleagues, who in the end, is still alice, not just her disease. Lisa graduated valedictorian from bates college with a degree in. Wanting to preserve their characters dignity, they dedramatize the horror, spare us the messiest and most alienating symptoms of alzheimers, allowing.
Lisa genovas debut novel about a 50yearold woman diagnosed with early onset alzheimers disease follows alice howland over the course of two years, from. The film also provides an accurate depiction of the difficulties and. Differences between still alice book vs movie page 1. Alice howland says at one point in still alice, a line adapted from the book by author lisa genova. Feb 23, 2015 alices husband spends a lot of that time away from alice. Still alice has sold over a million copies worldwide and was made into an academy awardwinning film starring julianne moore. Movie still alice october 14, 2016 july 6, 2019 last year i watched the movie still alice and was drawn into the heartbreak of alzheimers and last month i finally read the book. Still alice was adapted into an oscarwinning film starring julianne moore, alec baldwin, and kristen stewart. When she receives a diagnosis of earlyonset alzheimers disease, alice. This frees the pair to start a romantic relationship with a clean slate, but over the course of the novel it becomes clear that embarking on a relationship that turns an aggressive blind.
The novel moves back and forth between the time before her fathers murder the death of jess mother in an. It additionally investigates the contrasts between the book and the film that was made dependent on the equivalent name fabulous story of the 50years of age woman. Still alice study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. A literary analysis of still alice still alice genova, 2009 is a captivating debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden decline into early onset alzheimers disease. Jul, 2007 the book ends with alice still living a happy life, surrounded by her family, bathed in the warmth of their love, cuddling a grandbaby in her lap. Having loved them both, which will come out on top. The movie still alice does not stray far from the book. Alices husband spends a lot of that time away from alice. In still alice, julianne moore plays alice howland.
Still alice is a triumph for julianne moore, but the rest of film is. When words begin to escape her and she starts becoming lost on her daily jogs, alice must come facetoface with a devastating diagnosis. The still alice community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Still alice movie clip my brain is dying 2015 julianne moore, alec baldwin movie hd duration. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a celebrated harvard professor at the height of her career when she. When alice speaks to lydia for the last time about postsecondary, she is able to explain herself well and lydia considers what alice has to say. The book ends with alice still living a happy life, surrounded by her family, bathed in the warmth of their love, cuddling a grandbaby in her lap. Ending spoiler for still alice 2014, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. The story begins with the books path to publication. Alice howland is a renowned linguistics professor at columbia university. A recently released film, still alice, starring julianne moore.
Apr 07, 2017 still alice ending scene lydia reading eobard. Alice howland is a 50yearold professor of psychology at harvard university. Told from alices point of view, the book charts her day by day. Still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, written by firsttime author lisa genova, who holds a ph. Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts how to read a screenplay. In the wake of the events detailed in to all the boys i loved before 2014, lara jean confesses her love for handsome golden boy peter. Terrifying, yes, but not depressing, and surprisingly beautiful. We plan to go see the movie later this week, and my questions will probablly be answered, but i am curious. Indepth summary and analysis of every chapter of still alice.
Still alice is written not from the outside looking in, but from the inside looking out. Welcome to book club babble, the site for busy people who love books. Her youngest daughter is the one that uses this time to get to know her mother, especially since their relationship has always been somewhat strained. Moving and haunting, with a knockout ending, still alice turns the unthinkable into art.
Still alice is a novel about alice howland, a cognitive psychology professor at harvard, who finds out at age fifty that she has alzheimers disease. The message seems to be, shes lost her memory and no longer recognizes her husband or her children, but. Theres a moment in still alice when julianne moore, looking at herself in the mirror, slathers her face with cream. Alec baldwin plays her husband, john, and kristen stewart, kate. The book is written by first time author lisa genova, who holds a ph. Its about alice, a woman beloved by her family and respected by her colleagues, who in the end, is still. The foundation data on the story still alice still.
Piles it on, not to cleanse or beautify, but to erase. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a celebrated harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a. First novel efficiently showcases the experience of developing earlyonset alzheimers. Its a testament to the film makers that they did not try to force any type of upbeat ending. Acclaimed as the oliver sacks of fiction and the michael crichton of brain science, lisa genova is the new york times bestselling author of still alice, left neglected, love anthony, and inside the obriens. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. Alice howland, a linguistics professor at columbia university, celebrates her 50th birthday with her. Jul 24, 2018 still battered from the car crash that took her mothers life, jess is sent to live in the remote canadian wilderness with carl, the father she barely remembersand then hes murdered. The film also provides an accurate depiction of the difficulties and emotions experienced by a person with alzheimers. Brain atrophy is the loss of neurons and the connection between them.
Lisa genova, the author, is a trained neuroscientist who understands the science behind alzheimers from a clinical point of view, but she also comprehends the personal tragedy that accompanies one losing a loved one who is standing. On this front, still alice actually provides reassurance. Book club questions for still alice book club babble. Feb 03, 2015 still alice movie clip my brain is dying 2015 julianne moore, alec baldwin movie hd duration. It begins with small hiccups affecting alices memory or her sense of place then chugs right along into the more severe aspects of the diseasedisorientation, total shortterm memory loss, etc. A linguistics professor and her family find their bonds tested when she is diagnosed with alzheimers disease. Lara jeans romantic entanglements complicate themselves further. Im not a person with dementia but have met people with dementia including people with early onset dementiawhat is known as younger onset dementia yod here in australia.
Still alice has an authentic voice and a pitchperfect tone even as alice loses control of her own words. Parents need to know that kate alice marshalls thriller i am still alive is the story of 16yearold jess cooper, who finds herself alone along with a wolf dog named bo in the canadian wilderness after the murder of her father. But theres controversy surrounding that hopeful ending. The author of still alice on alzheimers and why she writes about disease duration. T he most intrepid scene in the gorgeous, piercing still alice is between julianne moore and herself the heroine of lisa genovas 2007 novel is a linguistics professor, dr alice howland, who. Still alice is about the life of alice howland, who is stricken with alzheimers disease. My first thought was that i read the whole book expecting to see it through and it just ended. A scenebyscene breakdown of the script for the movie still alice. Lisa genovas debut novel about a 50yearold woman diagnosed with earlyonset alzheimers disease follows alice howland over the course of two years, from. No movie that kicks off with a diagnosis of alzheimers is going to have what youd call a happy ending, but some late scenes between moore and. Still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, written by firsttime author lisa genova. A literary analysis of still alice 3068 words pages. Still alice is a 2014 american independent drama film written and directed by richard glatzer.
Still alice is a 2007 novel by lisa genova, set in boston. The eponymous title from the book by lisa genova that has been adapted by writerdirectors richard glatzer and wash westmoreland underlines the idea that alice remains alice to the end. The character has the same name in both the book and the movie. The film successfully captures the tragedy of the disease, and moores portrayal of alice is riveting, which largely makes up for the films weaknesses. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Still alice summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature.
933 11 1670 682 521 851 639 1053 688 406 273 1523 1028 253 1093 472 372 900 995 1550 1555 721 669 1385 331 1460 610 1134 1586 137 470 573 937 595 1097 690 288 216 1297 900 1372 345 1148