MeningitisPaper

ByCarrieSmith
ThestoryIreadaboutmeningitisconcernedamiddleagedmansjourneytoreconnectwithhis
motherspastwhiletryingtounderstandhisown.Whatmakesthisstorysothoughtprovokingis
thestateinwhichthemotherisinduringRussell'stimeofdiscovery.Throughoutthestory,
Russellusesreferencestomovementtorecreateandcelebratethemotherhispast.whileatthe
sametimemourningthemotherdeterioratingrightinfrontofhiseyes.Theuseofmovementin
thispiecememorializesandmournsthisvacantshellthatusedtoheusedtocallmom,creatinga
feelingofbittersweethappinessweavedintothisstory.
AsRussellopensthisstoryaboutthecomplexrelationshipbetweenhimandhismotherin
thecatastrophicstateofhermentalhealth,todrawthereaderintothisstoryoflosshemustpaint
apictureofthewomenhismotherusedtobe,Mymotherhadhurledherselfatlifewithchin
thrustforward,eyesblazing,andanenergythatalwaysmadeherseemontherun(56).This
picturethatRussellpaintsofhismotherstandsinstarkcontrasttothewomenatthebeginningof
thestory.ThesenseofmovementthatRussellusesinthequoteevokeasenseofastrongwilled
nature,especiallychinthrustforward.Asenseofadmirationandaweisfeltthroughthese
words,asifthereaderisalsoexperiencingitthroughRussellseyesasachild.To
counterbalancethelackoflifeinhismother,Russellusessuchquotesas,Sheranwhenshe
madethebed,sheranwhenshemadethetable(57).Therepeateduseofthewordrunplacesan
emphasisonwhatRussellmostwantsustogetoutthissentencethefactthathismotherwas
oncefulloflifeandjoy.ThemovementsthatRussellincludesformatypeofhappinessthatwe

feelwehavelostwhenwearetransportedbacktothemotherwiththeslippingmindandailing
body.
Alongwiththeuseofmovementasawaytocelebrateandrememberhismother,itisalso
usedinamoresomberwaytochroniclethebedriddendaysofhismotherashermindcontinues
toslip.CompletelydifferenttothewaysRusselusemovementinalightertone,inadditionitis
usedtoexpresssomeofthedarkerthemesofthestory.Inthesefreewheelingexcursionsback
throughtimetorecapturehappiness(58)Thelongingisevidentinthislineaswenowsee
Russellusemovementinatotallydifferentway.Heabandonsthestrong,securemovementfor
morefreeflowing,undefinedmovements.Thepatternoftheuseofmovementtoenhancethe
emotionoflossthattheauthorisfeelingthroughoutthispieceisbestrepresentedbythe
followingquote,Fortenyearsormore,theveracitywithwhichshehadonceattackedlifehad
beenturningintoarageagainsttheweakness(58).Thestoryasksalotofthereader,itasksthe
readertoreallydigdeepintothestorytoconnectwithwhatRussellisfeeling.Ifwecannot
experiencethesamesenseoflossandhopelessnessashim,themessageofthisstoryfallsondeaf
ears.Andoneofthewaysinwhichhedoesitis,astheaboveshows,isthroughmovement.By
conjuringuptheseimagesofavivid,lively,activewomen,whenRussellswitchesbacktothe
pictureofthefadingwomen,thesenseofsomethingmissingisevident.Itriedtotravelalong
withheronthosefantasticswoopsintothepast(59).
Inconclusion,