Character Analysis: Free Like Silver Water

Free Like Silver Water
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally like Rose did when she was reading the lullaby about going to sleep in the woods. In Silver Water, Amy Bloom’s uses the main character's Rose’s actions and her family’s reaction to her behavior and mental breakdowns to show how unprepared and uneducated society really is towards mental illness.
On Rose’s and her family's very first visit to the therapist, the therapist didn’t know what to do with Rose and her mental illness. He looked in alarm as Rose acts inappropriately and questioned the family on how they feel about Rose’s actions. “Mr. Walker read Rose’s file in front of us and watched in alarm as Rose began crooning her breasts” (Bloom

When not taking her meds Rose became a more liable patient for the insurance company when she began to harm other patients when at the halfway house. “Rose stopped taking her meds, and the halfway house wouldn’t keep her after she pitched another patient down the stairs. My father called the insurance company and found out Rose’s new improved psychiatrical coverage wouldn’t begin for forty-five days” (Bloom p3). This prompted Rose’s father David and mother Galen to consider paying money out their own pockets to get Rose back to Hartley-Rees,”All right. Do it. Pay the money and take her back to Hartley-Rees. It was the prettiest place, and she liked the art therapy there”(Bloom p3). David response “ I would if I could. The policy states that she must be symptom-free for at least forty-five days before her coverage begins. Symptom-free means no hospitalization”(Bloom p3) The insurance company being part of society didn’t know how to care for Rose properly to benefit her well beings. Insurance companies don’t know how important coverage is to patients and their families.Without proper insurance coverage for families and mental ill people it causes stress or strain on the family and is a big risk for the