What is the movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly about?
Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), editor-in-chief of French fashion bible Elle magazine, has a devastating stroke at age 43. The damage to his brain stem results in locked-in syndrome, with which he is almost completely paralyzed and only able to communicate by blinking an eye. Bauby painstakingly dictates his memoir via the only means of expression left to him.The Diving Bell and the Butterfly / Film synopsis
What does the diving bell mean in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
The central, titular, and most potent symbol throughout the book is that of a diving bell, which symbolizes the protagonist’s life inside his paralyzed body.
Why is it called diving bell?
Its use was first described by Aristotle in the 4th century BC: “they enable the divers to respire equally well by letting down a cauldron, for this does not fill with water, but retains the air, for it is forced straight down into the water.” Recurring legends about Alexander the Great (including some versions of the …
How long did The Diving Bell and the Butterfly take to write?
The entire book was written by Bauby blinking his left eyelid, which took ten months (four hours a day).
How was The Diving Bell and the Butterfly written?
Bauby wrote The Diving Bell and the Butterfly solely by blinking his left eye in response to the reading of an alphabet, arranged according to the frequency with which each letter occurs in French (E, S, A, R, I,… W). A friend read off the letters, pausing when Bauby blinked.
When did Bauby have his stroke?
8 December 1995
On 8 December 1995, a crippling stroke had left Bauby with locked-in syndrome – a rare neurological condition in which his mind was clear and alert but he could not move a muscle except for his left eyelid. He was transferred to a hospital on the windswept coast of northern France.
How long was Jean-Dominique Bauby in a coma?
three weeks
Jean-Do had a stroke and woke up with ‘locked-in syndrome’ One day in 1995, Jean and his son Théophile were enjoying a drive together, when suddenly Jean started seeing double. He was rushed to hospital where he slipped into a coma, where he remained for almost three weeks.
Was Dominique Bauby married?
Jean-Do was known for his love of fast cars, good banter, high fashion, and fine foods. He loved the high-life, so he lived it! He was married to Sylvie de la Rochefoucauld, and had two children, Théophile and Céleste – according to Céleste’s memory of her childhood, they enjoyed a very happy life.
How long did it take to write The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?