Essay Questions

Show how Susannah’s life is overturned by the disease, which affects the state of her mind in Brain on Fire.

Brain on Fire is an autobiographical book that follows the dramatic turn of events following Susannah Cahalan’s life and strange turn of events after a life-changing disease diagnosis. Before the illness, Cahalan is reported to have been at the prime of her youth. Aged only twenty-four years old, Cahalan is on the verge of happiness enjoying its fruits, including a decent job as well as a relationship. Cahalan, being diagnosed with autoimmune diseases, certainly causes her a great deal of trouble, including affecting her brain function. Cahalan has to live her future life dedicated to discovering for herself the kind of disease that she is suffering from. In this way, her life is overturned.

Show how mystery as a theme is brought out Susannah Cahalan’s autobiography Brain on Fire.

Cahalan develops the plot of the story based on a mystery. When Cahalan comes to her senses to find herself in a hospital bed, she remembers nothing of her past month, a period during which she had spent time admitted at the hospital with schizophrenic behavior characterized by violent behavior. Cahalan’s past month is a mystery to her. As a result of the doctor’s unsatisfactory diagnosis of her current behavior and state of health, Cahalan has to dedicate her life to understanding and deciphering the mystery of the condition she is suffering from. Throughout the book, the writer documents her path to discovering the truth behind her illness, a kind of mystery that requires unraveling.