From the 1990’s movie entitled Awakenings directed by Penny Marshall. A sprung of hope has happened to people who suffered the post-effect of the 1920’s epidemic disease called Encephalitis Lethargica by bringing them back to their mobile bodies for a limited time by the neurologist, Dr. Malcolm Sayer.
Encephalitis Lethargica, also known as sleeping sickness, is viral epidemic encephalitis that occurred between 1915 and 1926 and those who survived the initial infection displayed long-term apathy, paralysis of eye muscles and muscular weaknesses. (Sachs, 1982)
In the movie, patients share the same problem: They were not able to move their bodies as what their mind tells them to do so. Sometimes the blockage is manifested through bizarre physical behaviour or apparent paralysis. (Ebert, 1990)
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Giving the patients huge dosages of this drug paved way for them to experience their own mobile bodies that they have not able to move for a long time. Leonard Lowe, the first patient to receive L-dopa for medication, tried to express his thoughts to Dr. Sayer about life and how precious it is was the part that struck me the most in the film.
I also believe that the discovery of the L-dopa by Dr. Sayer did not only give an unbelievable occurrence in our history but also implies a remarkable lesson to people of all ages in general. This paper will be discussing the temporary effect of L-dopa to the patients of the movie as an awakening leaving permanently to its viewers of what and how life really is all