Silver Linings Playbook': Mental Illness Of The Main Character

The determination to find a silver lining in everything makes people unrealistic. This is true in Silver Linings Playbook. Impractical dreams lead to a skewed sense of reality. Furthermore, the recognition and acceptance of mistakes are vital to one’s success and personal development. In and of itself, the persistence to find a silver lining in everything propels individuals to develop tragic tendencies and prevents growth. Impractical dreams lead to a skewed understanding of reality. This is true of the film’s main protagonist, Pat Solitano.

The determination to focus on the positive aspects of an outcome squanders true happiness. Silver Linings Playbook and mental illness of the main character in the film.

Pat Solitano is so consumed by his determination to find a silver lining in his seemingly destroyed marriage, that he fails to recognize that he is neglecting his own wellbeing. Pat centralizes his wife, Nikki, as the motivation for his recovery. This allows Pat to acknowledge his current situation as a ‘stepping stone’ in the road of redeeming his marriage, instead of focusing on the importance of his mental state for his own health.

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The search for a silver lining in everything moderates emotions about a situation rather than allowing one to accept and learn from failure. In addition, the reality is inevitably bound to failure.

Despite Pat’s effort to have a flawless recovery and seamlessly fall back into his old life, realistically, there is nothing he can do to prevent certain faults. Pat uses running as a coping mechanism, and although it is a therapeutic action for him, it cannot prevent the further drifting of his estranged wife.

An individual lacking in the knowledge of the bond between reality and failure has an unrealistic perception of the world and its occurrences. The negligence to recognize the inevitable leads to a character’s tragic downfall. In essence, failure is an imminent and inescapable feature, ultimately timed with life itself.

Additionally, this collapse is crucial to individual growth. The recognition of mistakes is vital to one’s success and personal development. This is true of Pat Solitano. Success is a rewarding and desirable outcome, however, we often benefit more from failure. In the film, Pat strives to reconnect with his estranged wife, Nikki, in an attempt to rekindle their relationship. This desire manifests in Pat as an obsession for his wife, which deters him from accepting his failed marriage and moving on. However, through his friendship with Tiffany, Pat’s obsession for his wife unknowingly fades and is instead replaced with self-worth. This demonstrates the vitality of self-love and companionship.

Moreover, an individual cannot thrive in an environment that idolizes perfection. Pat Solitano was institutionalized for his bipolar disorder and resided in a psychiatric facility for 9 months, until his mother discharged him, against medical advice. While Pat made a tremendously successful recovery, the doctor’s still advised against his discharge. One can assume that their dissatisfaction with Pat’s recovery was because, while he was evidently much better, he was still not in perfect health. However, the medication Pat was receiving made him feel groggy, and in combination with the overall hostile atmosphere of the psychiatric facility, any further recovery would be largely restricted. Thus, an individual can only thrive in an environment that promotes success and growth.

To sum up, the determination to find a silver lining in everything thwarts character development. The persistence to find a silver lining in everything propels individuals to develop tragic tendencies and prevents growth. This is true in Silver Linings Playbook. Impractical dreams lead to a skewed sense of reality. Furthermore, the recognition and acceptance of mistakes are vital to one’s success and personal development. In and of itself, Silver Linings Playbook is a compelling story to illustrate the dangers of being unrealistic and exemplifies the importance of failure.