Brain On Fire Book Report

In life, we have our own morals and perspectives which determines who we are. These attributes contribute to our development to adulthood and is still susceptible to change. This is the very thought that shapes who we are. As a result, we learn to be more understanding and to be perceptive of the reality we live in. The author of Brain on FIre, Susannah Cahalan, uses different points of view and plot to exemplify the contrast between the reality we live in and those in our heads. This juxtaposition is what gives this book uniqueness as it talks of keeping faith in the unknown. In the real world, those who can’t comprehend the unknown or incomprehensible are in doubt, as those who don’t know or understand something are worrisome.This is a idea of which Susannah experiences which she utilizes to develop her plot. Susannah Cahalan talks of her past experiences of how she was diagnosed with a mysterious condition. As the book progresses, she hooks the reader even more by having continuous vagueness, mystery, and peaking suspense. “There I am entering a hospital. Here I am. Floating above the scene, looking down. I am calm. There is no fear” (Cahalan 42). In this passage, Susannah had her first seizure going back to her mysterious illness. Also, this part has a ghostly perspective of what’s going on. It’s these vague …show more content…
This caused various mood swings in episodes, and hallucinations. The root of this was that her immune system was attacking her brain, and so the term “Brain on Fire”. During her hospitalization, her dad often asked her “What’s the slope of the line?” (Cahalan 138). Then Susannah would say positive. The “line” is Susannah, and the slope represents if she’s either negative or positive. Meaning that either she’s holding onto hope, or admitting failure and giving up. This life lesson is inspirational because in doubt, she holds onto what little faith she had for the