Awakenings Analysis

Awakenings is a drama film based on Oliver Sacks’ memoir. It is a true-life story of a doctor, Oliver Sacks, who began working as a consulting neurologist for Beth Abraham Hospital in the Bronx. It was there that he encountered a group of catatonic people who survived the 1917-1928 epidemic of encephalitis lethargica. Encephalitis lethargica is an inflammation of the brain caused by two trypanosomes (microscopic protozoan parasites). In 1969, Dr. Sacks treated his patients with an experimental drug, L-Dopa, intended for Parkinson’s Disease, which miraculously brought the patients out of their catatonic state and allowed them to “awaken” after so many decades. However, later in the movie, the effects of L-Dopa progressively begin to wear off returning the patients to their once catatonic states.

Awakenings is another heartrending movie that absorbs my attention and clinches onto my emotions. The movie was filled with uncertainness, curiosity, triumph, happiness, anger, and as all things must come to an end, sorrow. This story’s main theme that appears time and again is an appreciation for life and to live every minute life offers to its fullest. Only a person who had fallen asleep one day only to awaken as a grown man can understand to the fullest degree that life must be lived every minute of every day because you may just wake up and be tired and worn. We must enjoy the beauty that God has given to all of us.

The movie moved me in many ways. I, on many accounts, have forgotten what I have been given and take for granted things in my life such as: health, security, family and friends, food to eat, shelter to live, and so much more. It is not until some occurrence in my life allows me to open my eyes to the reality of the world and helps me to realize that so many people are struggling for these very things. Unfortunately, life tends to be very ironic just as this movie was so unexpected. Leonard Lowe was one of the patients who awoken after taking the drug, L-Dopa. At first, he had been given the opportunity to live his life because of people willing to care and do whatever they can to help another person. As the movie progressed, Leonard had to enjoy every minute because it seemed that he only had so many minutes left to do so. As a result of Leonard’s struggle to live life fully, others recognized that they were given the chance to live their lives cherishing each day, every minute, and every second. With this in mind, life is so unpredictable and one must understand that it can be taken from you at any point.

Another point that the movie made apparent is that science, as well, is unpredictable. Though a drug or procedure can have so many beneficial effects, it can also have so many unfavorable effects as well. The drug, L-Dopa, was at first a miraculous remedy for encephalitis lethargica but soon became to be a progressively disadvantageous drug because it only helped the patients to a certain extent.

In the end, the movie was a sorrow-filled film that allowed the audience to walk away with a better understanding of the rewards and the consequences of life. We may never have all of the answers; but small miracles like this helps one to witness that anything is possible through the life of science.