The Diagnosis : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Lightman sees the light
Review: This is a rare accomplishment indeed. A surreal, at times mystical, revelation of modern times. A man witnesses his growing helplessness within the framework of a society which not only fails to discover his "illness," but is smug, self-satisfied, and all but divorced from their own humanity. Lightman's visual portrayals and his incredibly delicate imagery are profound indications of his sensitivity to the dehumanizing influences that surround us. He has no quick fixes, even though in one passage his character, Bill Chalmers, strikes out at the crass materialism which tempts his teen-age son. This is far from being an unrealized novel--it is most certainly one of the most honest and cogent portraits of our society that I have read.

Rating:
Summary: Why read The Diagnosis?
Review: You all know what The Diagnosis is about, so I'll keep myself from summarizing and cut right to the point: The Diagnosis, while (in my mind) certainly entertaining and involving enough to prompt the reader to finish, does not find its footing in being a good page-turner or thriller-style novel.

The reason it is important, then, is its overall message, which I believe most of us are aware of already. However, Lightman's writing style so uniquely conveys the sense of chaos and meaninglessness, the "spiritual poverty", that confronts our society that I would recommend it to anyone who considers themselves humanistic or "spiritual", as well as aspiring professionals. This book forces you to consider where you stand in your own life and re-think your priorities. As a student halfway through college, it only helped to harden my resolve to do everything in my power not to end up the "Bill Chalmers" type, idly pursuing the so-called American Dream, and to search for more than mere money and material comfort in my life.

I've noted on some of the other reviews posted here that a lot of my fellow readers didn't understand the point of the Socrates/Anytus interludes. While I agree that the life of Bill Chalmers somewhat paralleled the life of Anytus in terms of his relationship with his son, I think it is also crucial to realize the significance of the fact that Anytus was the person primarily responsible for the death of Socrates. Socrates, for those who don't know, was the "gadfly" of his city, and had the ability to prove to people that they had no real rational basis for their beliefs and values. He made people reconsider their priorities and examine themselves on a much deeper level, a talent which eventually made him a threat to his society. He had a real passion for people, it seems, which overrode all desires for fame, fortune, etc., and he did not fear death.

So then, what is the point of these interludes? I believe that the execution of Socrates by Anytus' efforts mirrors that of Bill Chalmers' true "self" by his daily life in a society with little regard for people as human beings. I think this is what Lightman was really getting at...perhaps he should have devoted more time to Socrates and his teachings instead of simply focusing on his death. I am reminded of Mel Gibson's treatment of Jesus in The Passion.