The Silver Linings Playbook

**SPOILER WARNING!!**

(I think)

The Silver Linings Playbook, by Matthew Quick, is about a man named Pat, who has separated from his wife, Nikki, and ended up in a mental facility, or, as he calls it, "the bad place". He was there for four years, to him, it was only a few months, but when he goes back to his home in Jersey, he finds that he was there for much longer. Pat is an optimist, and cannot stand pessimism, so when he is taken out of the bad place, he is relieved to get away from his pessimistic therapist, Dr Timbers, and have a new, optimistic therapist, Dr Patel. Pat appreciates people who believe in silver linings. But Pat's father doesn't seem to believe in them, though his brother, Jake, seems to have hope. His mother is completely on his side, even when hallucinations cause him to hurt her. But why would his own father dislike him? What would make a father push away their own son? Is it because of pride?

Not much is known about Pat's father, just that he has only had mean things to say and that he is a strong disbeliever in silver linings. But Pat still loves him, and even though he wishes his ftaher would talk to him, he understands that his father dislikes Pat. Or does he dislike Nikki? Or the fact that Pat was in a mental facility? Probably the latter, and the fact that he has a son who is mentally unstable must fell like a point of embarassment for him, but why not a point of nurturing? Why not the opportunity to show his son that he loves him, will always be there for him?

You may think he was just a terrible father from the start, but Pat loves him, and obviously was only so unstable after he had to start "apart time" with Nikki. (It is not clear whether "apart time" is a divorce, or, indeed, a separation.) But we can see that Pat's father isn't a bad father, but one who is hurt, and probably blames himself. What if he didn't raise Pat correctly? What if he didn't protect Pat? This shows through when Pat, his brother, his father, and his best friend, Ronnie, watch the Eagles in the preseason games and Pat's father doesn't mind singing and spellign and chanting with Pat, arm in arm. He sees the good times from over 5 years ago and takes advantage. He loves his son and he loves spending time with him, but he doesn't know how to do so. What if his son is no longer normal? It all depends on his definition of Normal and if it even matters.

Lots of parents and family members and friends probably act this way around their "once normal" loved one who is back from a mental facility or rehab, something along those lines. They feel them must be deilcate around them, or have a guard up. Many may be scared that their loved one is lost, never to be found again, lost among the times they were once all happy together. The Silver Linings Playbook illustrates this perfectly, the line that some people draw between them and a loved one who is mentally unstable. How those who are coming back from some sort of mental trauma see their old life. It is a strange, yet heartwarming thing, where the man who believes in silver linings has not found one just yet, but believes that he will, ready to accept his father when his father accpets him.