Hook: Merriam Webster Dictionary describes Mental Illness as, Evidence: “any of a broad range of medical conditions that are marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, or emotions to impair normal psychological functioning and cause marked distress or disability and that are typically associated with a disruption in normal thinking, feeling, mood, behavior, interpersonal interactions, or daily functioning” Commentary: In both Romeo and Juliet and Speak, Melinda and Romeo show signs of having a mental illness. They both showed symptoms of the mental illness called bipolar disorder, however they didn’t show it in the same way. In Speak, Melinda showed more signs of depressive episodes. While in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo shows more signs of having manic depression. …show more content…
These distinct periods are called mood episodes. Mood episodes are very different from the person’s usual moods and behaviors.” (Bipolar Disorder) Commentary: Both Romeo and Melinda exhibit traits that could be interpreted as showing symptoms of bipolar disorder. Romeo’s extreme mood episodes and erratic decision-making are extremely similar to manic depression. Melinda’s removal from society, and her uncontrollable emotions, can be associated with bipolar disorder depressive phases. This can explain how different authors can portray different mental health diseases without explicitly diagnosing the character. Thesis: While Romeo from Romeo and Juliet and Melinda from Speak showcase different symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, we can explore how it differs for both their characters and affects their