75 pages • 2 hours read
Lori Schiller, Amanda BennettThe Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1994A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Roots of Schizophrenia
This theme is communicated consistently in the narrative. By inserting insights into Lori’s deeply-rooted issues of insecurity and identity that derive from the expectations of, and example that, her accomplished and idealized parents articulate from a very early point in the narrative, and consistently peppering the narrative with these insights, Schilling communicates that her illness—while spectacular and extreme—is rooted in the most common and banal human emotions. The pressure to please parents and society, expectations of femininity, and the expectations of presenting a composed and sane face to the world (in order to ultimately be able to contribute quantitatively and qualitatively to society) each exert a deep and almost inescapable pressure on Lori’s psyche. This pressure, combined with genetic and biological aspects, converges to create Lori’s illness. Through the development of this theme, we come to see Lori not as a medical or psychiatric curiosity, but as a relatable human being.
Patient Accountability
While Schilling does not sugarcoat her illness, she does resist successful treatment of it by persisting, for years, to refuse to recognize, acknowledge, and understand the reality and seriousness of it. Much of her early treatment is characterized by her stubborn belief that she is not actually truly ill, and that she can master the Voices by sheer will. Although she is proven wrong numerous times—driven to the brink of death by suicide several times due to her inability to control her condition on her own, and thereby sincerely access the psychiatric help which is offered to her—she persists in her belief out of pride and denial. However, upon her arrival at 3 South, and the unique approach of the ward, she finally articulates this theme. It’s important to note that the psychiatric drug clozapine also played an important role in Lori’s wellness. However, the presence of clozapine does not negate this theme, as it is an array of elements (including Lori’s self-knowledge and personal responsibility) that converge in order to allow her to undertake a genuine path to recovery.
