Silver Linings Playbook

Literature is the vehicle of society. Since the dawn of language, the written word has been humanity’s greatest tool, and its greatest weapon. Throughout history, the greatest literary minds are those capable of eliciting emotion and asking the questions that demand answers. When scholars think of works with ‘literary merit,’ they call upon the stories that have stood the test of time. These works challenge the widely accepted norms of their respective time periods in a way that sets them apart from their contemporaries. In this way, The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick is a novel deserving of solid literary recognition. Quick’s story tackles the pervasive issue of mental illness in America, and challenges the reader to look through the lens of a victim of a serious medical condition. Rarely does a novel effectively refute commonly accepted stereotypes and assumptions as The Silver Linings Playbook does. The story, and subsequent message of hope from Pat Peoples, the main character, is one that transcends social and literary boundaries. Clever rhetorical techniques and devices only exemplify the central theme of optimism, while also creating a perspective that forces the reader to think differently. Not all stories have the endings we may expect or wish for ourselves. However, this novel calls us to seek something greater than ourselves and face our problems head on. This advice is universal and applicable in any era or situation. By the traditional definition, The Silver Linings Playbook has enough literary excellence and emotional value to warrant considerable literary merit.

Works of literary excellence have the capability to challenge the accepted beliefs and values of a society. In The Silver Linings Playbook, both ...

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...s is right; every story has a silver lining. But it is once we open ourselves to life and its endless possibilities that we may find it.

Works Cited

Banach, Jennifer. "How to Write a Good Essay." Bloom's How to Write about Kurt Vonnegut. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2012. Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 4 June 2014

Corrigan, Patrick, et al. "Perceptions of discrimination among persons with serious mental illness." Psychiatric Services 54.8 (2003): 1105-1110.

Crisp, Arthur H., et al. "Stigmatisation of people with mental illnesses." The British Journal of Psychiatry 177.1 (2000): 4-7.

Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading between the Lines. New York: Harper, 2003. Print.

Quick, Matthew. The Silver Linings Playbook. New York: Sarah Crichton /Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008. Print.