The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby Book Review

Throughout the novel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, written by Jean-Dominique Bauby, there is an overwhelming amount of distress and realization. He begins his book telling the audience about his current state of feeling like he is trapped in a diving bell. This serves as a reference to him being diagnosed with Locked-In syndrome after suffering from a stroke. A diving bell is defined as a “diving apparatus consisting of a container open only at the bottom and supplied with compressed air by a hose”(merriam-webster.com). The diving bell is an important symbol because it allows one to have an insight through his mind of what it would be like to have no control over oneself. He often mentions his feelings towards his situation, never failing to give humor and jesters, creating a sense of hopefulness that one day he will get back to where he once was before. Jean goes on to share his story uncovering the reality of his situation, and showing his true emotions, allowing him to look on to his past. 

As the novel proceeds, Bauby goes through his internal struggles while also having to deal with some of his past decisions. From the kick off of his illness, he is very descriptive and obstinate with his word choices. He expresses his thoughts in an exaggerated language to prove his tragic fate, thus explaining his relationship with his syndrome. An example of this would be, “And to complete the picture, a niche must be found for us, broken-winged birds, voiceless parrots, ravens of doom, who have made our nest in a dead-end corridor of the neurology department”(32 Bauby). He compares himself to other patients with less harsh conditions, taking the audience through his thought process of his inner monologue. Through his description one can see that his stuggles take a heavy toll on him resulting in a negative mindset. Even though he finds most of his cases to be somewhat sorrowful he is able to find some optimism in these small moments. Jean goes on to write about his short period of time when he is with his family, and the meaningfulness he takes in them being there. For instance, Bauby states, “Today is Fathers Day. Until my stroke, we had felt no need to fit this made-up holiday into our emotional calendar. But today we spent the whole of the symbolic day together, affirming that even a fought sketch, a shadow, a tiny fragment of a dad is still a dad”(70). Although this quote seems disparaging to an onlooker, the meaning behind his words are positive in keeping him from feeling guilt and grief. His ability to write in a way that one can truly become attached to his words, and feel exactly what he is feeling, brings together his overall message that one should appreciate life. Jean begins to see his life more attentively, and understands himself and what he lived for on a deeper level. 

All around, his entire life has been filled with imagination that never seems to not transcend expectations. Even though Bauby won’t experience the life he once had before, he never forgets to pursue his creativity through his present day. He elaborates on his interpretation for what the words in the alphabet would act like, specifically he states, “why E dances proudly out in front, while W labors to hold on to last place, B resents being pushed back next to V, and haughty J-  which begins so many sentences in French- is amazed to find itself so near the rear of the pack”(Bauby 20). This demonstrates his ability to think innovatively, and generate a unique way of thinking to get him through the struggles while trying to communicate with people. To assuage his discomfort from not being able to hear out of his right ear he presents his Duck Hunt chapter with a sort of thrill that will keep him from becoming jaded. He uses his talented ability to evoke an illusion of excitement to his seemingly horrible stay at the hospital. One of his neighbors next to him has a duck that has a detection device which makes really loud noises. He noted, “It emitted a reedy, piercing quack whenever anyone entered the room-in other words, twenty-five times a day. Luckily the little patient went home before I could put my plan to exterminate the duck”(Bauby 96). Since he uses a humorous way of telling how he was going to ‘exterminate’ the duck, it brings a playfulness which he needs in his time of hardships. Jean uses humor as a way of coping that can distract him from the extent of his situation. This reveals the true meaning behind his text though not only the words he uses to describe his stay, but also the underlying tone of frustration he gives to the readers.  

In all, Baubys memoir goes through his ups and downs, and proves that one never forgets their past self. Jean tries to have a bright outlook on his illness, but he occasionally falls deeper into the seriousness. He continues to express himself thoughtfully and pushes himself past his syndrome to try and create something more than what his fate set him out to be.