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

p1). Mr. Walker said,” I wonder why it is that everyone is so entertained by Rose behaving inappropriately” ( Bloom p2). With Mr. Walker’s actions or reaction to Rose suggest that he doesn’t know how to handle Rose and her mental illness. Realizing that a psychiatrical doctor doesn’t know how to handle a person with mental illness. This suggest that society (Mr. Walker) isn’t prepared educational wise to treat Rose. With society not being properly educated on the issue of mental illness how is society supposed to know how to handle those with mental illnesses.
After a while Rose started having more frequent behavioral mishaps when not taking her meds.

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

patients.
When Violet came home from college to visit, Rose had a behavior breakdown post to getting kicked out the halfway house and the insurance was cut while waiting for the new coverage to start. “She knelt down and began banging her head on the kitchen floor with rhythmic intensity, throwing her weight behind each attack. My mother put her arms around Rose’s waist and tried to hold her back. Rose shook her off, not even looking around to see what was slowing her down. My mother lay up against refrigerator. Violet please says her mother laying against the refrigerator. I threw myself onto the kitchen floor, becoming the spot that Rose was smacking her head against, She stopped a fraction of an inch short of my stomach”(Bloom p4). When Rose had her breakdown Violet and her mother didn’t know what to do because they weren’t educated in how to handle Rose when she’s having a behavioral breakdown. Rose lies to her father about what happened probably in an attempt to get Rose a better chance at getting the insurance coverage.Society should educate themselves on how to handle people with mental disabilities or illnesses.