The film stars julianne moore as alice howland, a linguistics professor diagnosed with familial alzheimers disease shortly after her 50th birthday. Alice is not only a celebrated professor at the height of her career, but is also a worldrenowned. On the run by alice goffman book summary good book. Jun 18, 2018 still alice got under my skin, i swear even weeks after i finished the novel i would get the chills whenever i forgot something and started to wonder. Apr 14, 2014 the author of still alice on alzheimers and why she writes about disease duration. Still alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50yearold womans sudden descent into early onset alzheimers disease, written by firsttime author lisa genova. Department of education, office of special education programs award number h327d170002. 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. Alice howland is a 50yearold professor of psychology at harvard university. The book is written by first time author lisa genova, who holds a ph. 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 of her former self. Wanting to preserve their characters dignity, they dedramatize the horror, spare us the messiest and most alienating symptoms of alzheimers, allowing. Still alice summary and study guide supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature.
Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a. The book was then republished by gallery books in 2009. 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. Still alice study guide from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. She also gets union kickbacks, likely because she threatened the unions. 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. But you can order it from our service and receive complete highquality custom paper. Alice howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the cape, is a celebrated harvard professor at the. When words begin to escape her and she starts becoming lost on her daily jogs, alice must come facetoface with a devastating diagnosis. 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. Books similar to still alice meet your next favorite book.
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. The literary agents who said genovas book wouldnt sell are wrong. Although still alice primarily follows alice howland s individual experience with alzheimers, her marriage, family, and the ways her illness changes her relationships are some of the most important elements of the book. There are so many issues, especially identity and loss, that can provide fodder for discussion and debate. Still alice is a sombre read about one womans determined fight to maintain her sense of self whilst losing her mind to alzheimers. Alice sees his glasses on the kitchen countertop and wonders how someone so smart could. After a first pass, its time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do. In this powerful debut novel, alice howland is a 50yearold cognitive professor at harvard and a worldrenowned linguistics expert. Both alice and her husband, john, have worked their whole lives to accomplish their goals and give their three kids the. Still alice got under my skin, i swear even weeks after i finished the novel i would get the chills whenever i forgot something and started to wonder. 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.
Due to that, the lives and social relationships of a lot of young black americans have developed to focus around a routine of being on the run from the. Still alice august 2004 and september 2004 summary. Marcus suggests that alice maintained a few of her husbands underworld connections. Alices story is a portrait for others with dementia or with loved ones with dementia to see themselves in. Alice howland is a renowned linguistics professor at columbia university. This description of race relations, criminalization, and social alienation due to americas prisonindustrial complex are based on the thorough ethnographic research that author alice goffman, daughter erving goffman a. October 2003 the section opens as alice is completing a lunch meeting with her alumni understudy advisee, dan. Summary of still alice by lisa genova includes analysis. Alice is waiting to be introduced at ucla as a guest speaker in a linguistics class. Alec baldwin plays her husband, john, and kristen stewart, kate.
Her daughter lydia is unable to come due to an audition. Mar 01, 2018 alices story is a portrait for others with dementia or with loved ones with dementia to see themselves in. It tells the story of alice howland, a fifty yearold. Still alice study guide literature guide litcharts. Still alice was adapted into an oscarwinning film starring julianne moore, alec baldwin, and kristen stewart. A scenebyscene breakdown of the script for the movie still alice. 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 has an authentic voice and a pitchperfect tone even as alice loses control of her own words. Brain atrophy is the loss of neurons and the connection between them.
Set in the privileged academic and social climate of new york city cambridge in the novel and the cape, the film recounts several years in the life of alice howland who, as the film opens, is at the height of a successful career as. Its alices julianne moore 50th birthday party at a fancy restaurant. A recently released film based on a novel by lisa genoa is elevating alzheimers disease to the national stage. Still alice is a 2007 novel by lisa genova, set in boston. These notes were contributed by members of the gradesaver community. This novel follows the protagonist, a renowned harvard psychologist named alice howland, shortly before she is diagnosed with earlyonset alzheimers disease the protagonist, alice, is successful and ambitious.
Still alice is about how she reacts to her own deteriorationhow she constantly reassesses it and figures out how to cope. 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. A literary analysis of still alice free essay example. Still alice serves as evidence for promoting a personcentered approach to researching dementia and caring for those with it a holistic approach seeing the whole person and not just their illness. If you understand that there is not enough time to cope. Still alice by lisa genova book club discussion questions. Still alice is set in the early 2000s, an era which saw a massive boom in personal technology. 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. 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. This is no small feat, given the depth and breadth of moores filmography and her consistent ability to produce great work, from playing a porn star in boogie nights to an eccentric artist in. Still alice is a novel written by lisa genova, and was initially selfpublished in 2007 with iuniverse. The novel is about a woman who suffers earlyonset alzheimers disease. It was a challenge to turn this story into a motion picture but i think it was done beautifully. In august 2004, alice deals with the knowledge that her mother and sister have been dead for years.
She doesnt always do it with quiet dignity, which is refreshing. This is an unofficial summary and analysis of the book and not the original. 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. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Theres a moment in still alice when julianne moore, looking at herself in the mirror, slathers her face with cream. 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. 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. While reading and later analyzing still alice i got a better understanding of the potential and the limitations of three mnemonic techniques that quintilian, aristotle and plato talk about. This book provides an alarming depiction of the daily life of a lot of young black americans who live in suburban ghettos. Summary of entire book introduction to the important people in the book analysis of the themes and authors style.
Still alice has sold over a million copies worldwide and was made into an academy awardwinning film starring julianne moore. 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 still alice community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author. One day while out jogging, she finds herself lost in harvard square unable to find her way home, though she is just a mile from her house on a route she has traveled every day. 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. Alice frequently uses her blackberry to set reminders for herself, but it also serves another purpose. Alice howland, a 50yearold woman, is a cognitive psychology professor at harvard and is a worldrenowned linguistics expert. Image or visualization, speech and writing are the mnemonic tools that have been discussed in the course till 26 th nov. With a combination of power and grace, julianne moore elevates still alice above its madeforcabletelevision trappings, and delivers one of. The foundation data on the story still alice still. Still alice is fantastic book for book clubs, teens interested in reading adult books dealing with specific issues and for those interested in realistic fiction.
A literary analysis of still alice 3068 words pages. We become alice as she struggles for that word frustratingly just beyond her reach, embarrassed as she demolishes her. This new technology plays a huge role in alices experience with alzheimers. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Alices disease brought their relationship back on track. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. On this front, still alice actually provides reassurance. The book includes scenes that are not included the movie that show the progression of alices memory loss more so than the scenes in the movie, helps the reader gain a deeper understanding of the disease and effects of.
Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts how to read a screenplay. Written from alices perspective we are right there with her on her torturous journey. When words begin to escape her and she starts becoming lost on her daily jogs. Summary 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. Piles it on, not to cleanse or beautify, but to erase. Still alicea story of losing, leaving, forgetting, and, in some ways, findingis the faithful film version of a 2007 novel by the same name by lisa genova. 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. Both alice and her husband, john, have worked their whole lives to accomplish their goals and give their three kids the best possible life, even though sometimes they.
If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that. With a combination of power and grace, julianne moore elevates still alice above its madeforcabletelevision trappings, and delivers one of the more memorable performances of her career. Oct 03, 2011 alice s disease brought their relationship back on track. 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. The paper gives a synopsis and definite investigation of the story still alice, composed by lisa genova.
Still alice serves as evidence for promoting a personcentered approach to researching dementia and caring for those with it a holistic approach seeing the whole person and not. Every 72 seconds another american develops alzheimers disease. 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. 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 never leads a saints life, even after jacks death. Still alice movie clip my brain is dying 2015 julianne moore, alec baldwin movie hd duration. Lisa graduated valedictorian from bates college with a degree in. Dec 02, 2014 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 like to literally lose your mind. In a sense, alice is trying to atone for her husbands crimes. Jan 01, 2009 first novel efficiently showcases the experience of developing earlyonset alzheimers. Genova selfpublished her first novel, still alice, in 2007.
The author of still alice on alzheimers and why she writes about disease duration. The best study guide to still alice on the planet, from the creators of sparknotes. She is there with her husband alec baldwin and children. 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 expertwritten literary analysis. After i read still alice, i wanted to stand up and tell a train full of strangers, you have to get this book.