Silver Linning Notebook Analysis

Silver Linning Notebook starts with Pat Solitano, a mental patient in an institute. A 180 degree shot is shown of his room, this shows the audience the circumstances he is living in, leading them to draw a first impression of Pat as mentally unstable. A close up shot of his medication supports this. However this is contrasted by the close up shots of Pat's face, his eyes, his dress sense, which do not differ from a sane person. Pat has been discharged and is now at home with his parents, there is a slow scene with a two shot with him and his father, and the audience is able to feel the awkward tension between the two. Pat states he is going to 'get back into shape'now that he has returned home. We see a dolly shot of him running but only focusing on his feet. This symbolises Pat moving foward, now that he has been released he is aiming to move forward with his life and 'get his feet back on the ground.' Pat is to then have a session with a therapist. On arrival at the clinic he is greeted by the receptionist as he signs in. The audience views a 360 degree round shot of the fixed eye contact these two characters share. Personally, the emotions I see to be occurring through their direct gaze to eachother is; the fake, pleasant nature the receptionist is trying to portray. She knows the possible fragile state the patients are in and is trying to be empathetic towards them. However Pat sees straight through this and is not wanting to be treated differently. The stern look on his face confirms this, as if to say ' I know it is your job, but I do not need your sympathy.' It is surprising how much can be portrayed just through eye contact between two people!