Plot & Purpose

Bitter medicine is a graphic memoir who's plot may not hit close to home for many families. For other families who are aware of someone living with a mental illness will be touched by the honest remarks of the Martini brothers story.

Plot
The memoir follows the lives of the Martini family struggling with two brothers attempting to live with schizophrenia. The Martini family is a family of four brothers Liv, Nic, Clem, Ben and their mother and father. "The biggest thing to understand is that we were nothing remarkable" (Martini, pg 11). Ben the youngest brother, who was also the best looking gets diagnosed with schizophrenia first after many attempts at running away and absurd behavior. After a rollercoaster of events relating to Ben's diagnosis he commits suicide where the family goes through turmoil of grief, guilt and blame of his passing. Liv is the second son to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, after witnessing the poor treatment of Ben's diagnosis Clem is eager to get better help for Liv. He stops at nothing meanwhile Liv is in and out of jobs, unable to succeed in the world with his illness. Ultimately, the Martini brothers summarize the issues and problems people with mental illness encounter with poor assistance with the government and health care system.

Purpose
The purpose of Bitter Medicine: A Graphic Memoir of Mental Illness is to inform readers about mental illness, but also to remove the stigma that is attached to people suffering from mental illness. It is a memoir of awareness that these people are being mistreated and excluded. There is social injustice and nobody is feeling responsible. The government will not help these people with the correct health care regarding medications and the proper institutions. "In any case, the beauty of this system is that the treatment they presently receive is killing them earlier than ever, so there will be less cost to the system than ever" (Martini, pg 165). It is seen in the memoir after Liv has been diagnosed the drugs which he is being administered change his persona and leave him emotionless, and lifeless. "I don't hallucinate anymore, but now I don't feel much of anything. The drugs have flattened or erased every emotion I had. I don't know how to live like that, feeling nothing" (Martini, pg.93) Clem is determined throughout the memoir to educate the public about the "Laissez-faire Health Care" on mental illness. "there's a striking difference between how psychiatric patients and patients with all other ailments are treated, and the difference isn't a good one. Psychiatric patients are certainly 'let alone'" (Martini, pg 153). The purpose of informing the public on the failed government 'attempt' to help those with mental illness. "It follows that the only districts that people with mental illness can possibly afford to live in are in the most undereveloped areas of town. Governments then capitalize on the situation by planting their few struggling social programs in a city's decaying strip malls-- where they will obtain the least expensive lease" (Martini, pg 161).

http://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/understanding-mental-illness/

here is the website for the Canadian Mental Health Association website for more information regarding mental illness

Anna Garcia Ambler