The Reading Room discussion
Ward D Section 2 - Chapter 14-30
date
newest »
newest »
1. This moment shows how fragile Amy’s sense of reality is on the ward. The noises could be real, but her heightened anxiety and exhaustion. Also with her history of seeing the little girl, it can make her seem like an unreliable narrator. 2. Since Spider-Dan in a predictable “category” of illness, he is less threatening because his behavior follows a pattern she understands. Will, however, he appears to be more unpredictable. His late-onset symptoms make Amy uneasy and questioning everything he is telling her.
3. I personally would have reported what I found out about Will. I can 100% see why Amy is torn between her duty to protect patients and staff and her instinct to protect Will. She doesn’t want any harm to come to Will.
4. Now knowing what Amy knows, I too would be even more weary about everything Will has told her. The trust she did have with Will has been broken. I began to question whether his charm was a mask and whether his instability might make him dangerous?
5. The flashbacks show the imbalance in their relationship, Amy often felt responsible for Jade, yet powerless to truly help her. I think Amy associates her inability to save Jade as a child with her failures in the present.
1. Amy has been known to be a poor historian. I think she could be right this time.2. Dr. Beck seems a bit aloof and unconcerned most of the time. Of course atypical is more unpredictable. I suppose that is the nature of mental health in general.
3. In a clinical setting, by all means, reporting noncompliance to treatment is ethical. Hopefully real life doesn’t play out like a FM novel.
4. It is hard to know if Will is telling the truth, thinks he is telling the truth or outright lying. Infiltrating the the hospital for a tell all news piece seems grandiose.
5. The flashbacks tell more about Amy, to me. Their friendship is kinda the way some go. I hate that Amy feels she has to hide herself.
Mod
2.Spider-Dan is more predictable since his is a “classic” schizophrenic than Will is. I think Will is not to be trusted and he is hiding a lot. He seems to be dangerous.
3. She should absolutely report it! It is her duty even if she is a student. The fact that it was so hard for her to make that decision is kinda mind blowing. He could potentially harm himself or others with his illness.
4. Will seems like he is a nice guy but he is very sick. And this incident shows that he is real at risk to spiral and become dangerous. I’d be questioning his intentions from just his secrecy.
5. From the memories, they sound to be very close friends, or use to be. I’m still wanting to know exactly how jade got in the ward. And how does Amy have anything to do with it.
Mod
2. I think Will's unpredictability makes me believe he's more than he appears, while Spider-Dan is exactly who he shows himself to be.
3. She definitely should report it, I'd do the same in real life, but it definitely makes the story more interesting.
4. I’m constantly questioning Will, which makes me wonder if anything he says is actually true.
5. At this point in the book, I’m worried about their friendship; they seem like polar opposites, so Amy’s guilt could have stemmed from almost anything.
2. Dr. Beck contrasts Spider-Dan's "classic" schizophrenia with Will’s "atypical" late-onset symptoms. How does this distinction influence Amy’s perception of each patient?
3. Amy wrestles with whether to report what she discovers about Will to Dr. Beck. Do you think she handled it ethically? What would you do in her place?
4. After the Will discovery, how does your sense of trust toward Will shift? At what point do you begin to question his intentions?
5. There are many flashbacks so far in the book. How does these memories deepen your understanding of Amy and Jade’s childhood dynamic and Amy’s present guilt?