Psychology and Sociology in A Beautiful Mind - Movie Review Example

Review of the movie, A Beautiful Minds Review of the movie, Beautiful Minds A Beautiful Mind is a movie about a person who is bestowed with a genius mind at the same time afflicted with a brain disorder known as schizophrenia. The story gives the account of a life that the talented mathematician lives amidst the mental until the time that he wins the Nobel price (Goldsman & Nasar, 2002). The story gives light on how mental disorder and genius can be manifested by the same person and totally destroy your his career in life. It beats all odds, something of a rare occurrence with people in his situation. When the protagonist in the movie, John Nash balances his life with schizophrenia and the ordinary life until that time when he becomes the winner of the Nobel Prize. The movie further shows how love can win misunderstanding (Goldsman & Nasar, 2002). However, the characters in the story wanted to show the course of admiration and that a disorder is not a barrier to a healthy existence. A Beautiful Mind shows a lot of effectiveness and esthetic beauty from the way the stage director has arranged the work. It must have a strong opening that evokes the emotion of the audience (Indick, 2004). Another element that we expect in dramaturgy is how the art is presented, how the directors capture the turning point and bringing out the climax. Nash suffers a lot because of the false impression that many at times take control of his life. It is evident in the story that during the time when Nash is in a state of delusion, he sees imaginary things, for instance, his comrade, Charles. The movie addresses the state of delusion that Nash is in at any time. The video controller creates a scenario where Charles is brought out as a real person greeting Nash at his time of joining the university. However, the state of delusion that Nash at times finds himself in is not a conscious occurrence (Goldsman & Nasar, 2002). At times, Nash gets into a state that the ego part of his mind takes control, for instance when his wife, Alicia decides to leave him he goes and stands in front of the car. That is a behavior that can only be seen in a child. Psychology in A Beautiful Mind The major problem in the case of Nash is that he is unable to draw a line between veracity and delusion. Due to the mental problem with Nash, he is not able to control his moods and attitude because it keeps on changing from intelligence to absolute stupidity. Therefore, there is a competing conflict between emotions and behaviors and attitudes. It is the conscious part of mind that directs the attitude and behavior, however, when there is short of the brain control system then one cannot be the master of his attitudes like in the case of Nash (Caps, 2010). As a way of treating the disease, Nash was subjected to insulin because he refused to take medicine. However, the doctors realize him when they were convinced that he could take medicine. The sociology of the story A Beautiful Mind expounds on various aspect of human life like the plight of mentally retarded in United States of America. The movie indicates the reality of the schizophrenia and how it is perceived in the society. Various groups and individual treats the disease differently. However, in the setting that is brought out by Nasar in her movie and video, the employers to those who succumb to the disease, treat them well (Nash, Kuhn & Nasar, 2001). For instance in the case of Nash, he was respected by the colleagues, and they could recognize his contributions to the field of academics. In most cases, those who suffer from Schizophrenia are taken to a cell, and they just walk all over without having anywhere to call home. However, the case of Nash beats all odds. He has a stable home, a wife, a child and a job that is not usually the case. Apart from the case of her husband, Nash, her only surviving child is also having the same problem as the father. The picture that Nasar draws of the future life of the young mathematician is so impressive and promising (Indick, 2004). The professional field that Nash has chosen is highly competitive and also one has to employ a lot of thinking, no wonder Nash has developed brain disorder. Furthermore, in the field of science for one to adjust his ambitions, thinking and psychological efforts must be employed. Nash does not want to settle yet a lot of discovery on the mathematical concepts are losing their meaning (Nash, Kuhn & Nasar, 2001). He wants that they make more and more discovery so as to add flavor in the spheres of mathematics. At the bar, Nash does not want to settle for women, something that is a priority to some of his friends and colleagues. Nash does not work alone but in the field but he has other mathematicians behind him. For that matter, therefore, Sylvia brings out a society where people do not live in Utopia but looks for the welfare of those whom they live within the society. In addition to that, the society the Sylvia present is a unifying on, this if further given by the university administration where Nash works. Both the students and the administrators can put up with the abnormal behaviors of Nash. Motivation A Beautiful Mind is a movie that rotates around motivation. For instance, Alicia is an embodiment of motivation. The way she reacts and handles the situations that confronts her is something that should be emulated by the rest of women who are in marriage. For long she puts up with the situation that his husband is in every day. She looks after him even after they have divorced (Indick, 2004). Once I n a while she comes and find out how the husband is fairing. Much later she cannot conceive the idea that she is away from her husband. Therefore, they couple settles on the reunion. From the direction of Nasar, Alicia is behind the success of Nash. From the video, Alicia always gave Nash a smile whenever he conceived an idea that that he wanted to execute, a sign of encouragement. Another character who contributed to the theme of motivation in the movie is Nash. From the onset, Nash is brought somebody who is destined to success. Therefore, he started organizing himself right from the university. Whatever the driving force that propels him is the fact that he does not want to settle for anything so long as he still sees loopholes in the field of mathematics. On the other hand, Nash is also a motivation to other people who may be confronted by the kind of situations that he at hand. Furthermore, he is mentally retarded but whenever he gets better he embarks on his research, and he does so well in it (Goldsman & Nasar, 2002). Furthermore, Nasar blocks pressure that the genius mathematician could have faced. After receiving the treatment Nash resumes his teaching profession where he behaves so awkwardly, he wears a kind of hat on his head that looks appear old. The strange behavior is further evident from the writings that he writes on the on the window panes. He writes down mathematical formulae and their inferences on the window panes. However, at times he manages to come to a logical reasoning with his students and deliver to them mathematical concepts. The organization of the culture is evident in the movie especially when we look at the connection of the scientific community to the disturbed members of that community. For instance, life has never been pleasant to Alicia from the time she married Nash but it is the power of love that brings them together. Personality development When Sylva Nasar was choosing Nash as her primary subject and the central character in the story; she must have taken into account the contribution of the scientist in the field of academia. Furthermore, Nasar has brought out Nash as one who is not taken away with the sad nature of life, but he brings him out as one who struggles to obtain the best (Indick, 2004). The personalities of Nash in cases where he championed and contributed a lot of ideas in the field of science amidst the obstruction from the conservative idealists in the field of science earn him credit. Furthermore, he still gets his due up to the time he is sick because he still lectures at the University. Moreover, Nash found an idea that he even published. In the plan, he advocated for the new tactics that gave support to the scientific field. Through the film of Nasar, there are several ideas under her creation. Furthermore, she has portrayed the dilemma that most of the scientists face as the try to bring out their personality. Another striking thing that the book addresses is the way one earns moral respect. Nash was recognized in the field of science because of the contribution that he made; however, in most cases he never reciprocated by showing respect. Nasar runs by again to the readers and the watchers that Nash was a grandiose person gave a hand in the field of science thus according a lot of respect among his peers (Indick, 2004). On the other hand, Alicia had also managed to put her personality a notch higher through the fact that she could withstand the situation of Nash up to very late when she decided to divorce him. Such a personality is a rare occurrence in most women. In most cases, wives will run away when they realize that their husbands are a disgrace to them. Furthermore, Alicia shows a lot a lot of commitment even after divorcing Nash she continues to help him. On several occasions, Nash struggled with his life so as to prevent delusion from getting better of him, n doing this he usually created a lot of humor with his students and colleagues at work. From the video, we realize that the author draws a thin line between genius and sanity. In this line, Nasar posits that a person can overcome problems if he or she perseveres in everything that he does. On the same not we see Nash putting allot of perseverance in the things that he executes, eventually we see that he is a hero, and he wins a Nobel Prize. It is a lesson to learn, his mind is injured but when he gets better, he maximizes the opportunity. Further to that, it is apparent that the only way of healings (Nash, Kuhn & Nasar, 2001). Nonetheless, the author of the movie, A Beautiful Mind has portrayed a high sense of sympathy toward Nash’s wife, Alicia. According to my view from the film, Nasar appeals to the audience that they should show some sympathy to the family of Nash. However, she brings it in a humorous way that some of the audience may fail to recognize it (Nash, Kuhn & Nasar, 2001). Alicia has dedicated her book to Alicia. The author feels the tragedy that has befallen Alicia. She describes it as a good-looking, brilliant young woman who has devoted the whole of her life looking after the madman, something that most of the women could have not withstood. Further, to that her husband was so stubborn therefore it was not an easy task on the part of Alicia. Moreover, she has an ailing child whose condition is the same as the father. It means that Alicia is taking care of two people who are not conscious; therefore she had to balance on the right and the bird in providing the best. Moreover, the still appeals to our sympathetic reactions. As much as Alicia is struggling to make the life of Nash and the mentally retarded child a success, Nash was in an extramarital affair with another lady. In the affair, they had a child. Apart from the situation Alicia, Nash also deserves our appeal our appeal for sympathy. Nash is portrayed as a brilliant young man from the time I meet him in the movie. He shows a lot of partiality in his academic endeavors. He wants to show betterment in the field of mathematics. Furthermore, he does not want to settle for anything less than a success in the field of mathematic. Later on, when we realized that she had he mentally retarded, we feel for him. Moreover, he still struggles to better his situation. Furthermore, when he is hospitalized, we believe that discovery in the field of science has come to an end. The exceptional brilliance of Nash makes even the staff mates show a lot of sympathy for his situation. Again from the video, there are students whom he was handling in the class also showed the attitude of sympathy towards him. At the end of the movie, it becomes so apparent that Nash and the whole family is a hero. When he receives the Nobel Prize as a result of his contribution in the meadow of economics, we all celebrate with him. The family reunites after a long time, and they come together leading a very comfortable life taking care of their only son. Conclusion Nasar puts it clear in the mind of the readers and the watchers that Nash was a prominent person despite the weaknesses that have befallen him. From Nasar’s viewpoint a tough issue on how the mentally retarded people should be treated in the society and even in their places of work. To a greater extent, Nash manages to address the fate of disillusioned as of mental illness. The movie directly attacks the stakeholders in the community on how they handle the less misfortune living amongst them (Goldsman & Nasar, 2002). Nevertheless as I watched the movie, I became impressed with individual characters in the movies that showed an actual embodiment of humanity towards the state of Nash. For instance, when Alicia discovers that Nash is ill and so disturbed in the mind, she comes out to do whatever is within her means so that she can help Nash. Furthermore, Nash brings out a high moving experience in the film that incapacitates the flaws that he has. The movie offers a fascinating account of the knowledgeable innovation, and the delusion brought about by the mental illness. In a nutshell, A Beautiful Mind is the best movie that epitomizes the life of a real hero whose contribution in the field of academics is by and large imperative to the society. The story is worth reading as it evokes impartiality to the viewers and the readers. In the video that I have watched it is clear in my mind that Nash has succeeded in more than a Nobel Prize. Further to that he has also succeeded in achieving something that is more that the solution to mathematical problems. He is a source of admiration to the young generation who want to succeed in their future lives as scientists. The committee of Sweden that gives Nash the Nobel Prize recognizes somebody should not be denied what he deserves just because he is mentally retarded. The same way the community should take care of any other disparity like gender. References Barbeau, E., Taylor, P. J., & International Commission on Mathematical Instruction. (2009). Challenging mathematics in and beyond the classroom: The 16th ICMI study. New York: Springer Capps, D. (2010). Understanding psychosis: Issues and challenges for sufferers, families, and friends. Goldsman, A., & Nasar, S. (2002). A beautiful mind: The shooting script. New York: Newmarket Press Indick, W. (2004). Psychology for screenwriters: Building conflict in your script. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions Nash, J. F., Kuhn, H. W., & Nasar, S. (2001). The Essential John Nash. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. Rathus, S. A., Veenvliet, S. G., & Maheu, S. J. (2012). Psych. Toronto: Nelson Education. Szasz, T. (1988). Schizophrenia: The sacred symbol of psychiatry. Syracuse, N.Y: Syracuse University Press Tsuang, M. T., Faraone, S. V., & Glatt, S. J. (2011). Schizophrenia. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Weinberger, D. R., & Harrison, P. (2010). Schizophrenia. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Read More