Veronika attempts suicide due to being bored with her life and dissatisfied with the direction it had taken, wanting to be a concert pianist but feeling pressured by her mother. Zedka is admitted for chronic depression stemming from a lost love. Mari has panic attacks that ruin her career and marriage. Eduard is diagnosed with schizophrenia after crashing his bicycle and being non-responsive at home, having been pressured by his parents to follow in his father's footsteps as a diplomat against his own interests. All four characters find themselves institutionalized at Villete for different personal reasons relating to mental health, family pressures, and career issues.

1. Lori Conner<br />Adrienne Cassel<br />LIT 234<br />July 22, 2010<br /> Paulo Coelho, Veronika Decides To Die<br />In the book Veronika Decides To Die, by Paulo Coelho, the main character Veronika seems to have everything. She is attractive, has a good job, was intelligent, and has a loving family. Yet she attempt suicide. She is unsuccessful, and awakens to find herself in a mental institution, called Villete. It is “the famous and much-feared lunatic asylum, which had been in existence since 1991, the year of the country’s independence.”(12) Coelho weaves a story with four main characters, who for different reasons find themselves institutionalized. Veronica, Zedka, Mari, and Eduard all experience different life events that lead to their admission to Villete. What events occur, that cause each character to be institutionalized? <br />Veronika is ambivalent about wanting to die. She uses sleeping pills in her attempted suicide, but instead of crushing them to mix in water she takes each pill one by one. “Because there is always a gap between intention and action, and she wanted to feel free to turn back halfway.”(1) It takes her five minutes to complete taking four packs of pill. She picked a beautiful day to attempt suicide. She could see a lovely view out of her window, and hear musicians playing in the square. She is happy not to experience the same things for another thirty to fifty years, where everything repeats itself and each day is exactly like all the others. (10)<br />Veronika seemed bored with her life. She was dissatisfied with the direction it had taken. She wanted to be a concert pianist, but was not encouraged by her mother and she began to feel a hatred for her. “That love asking for nothing in return had managed to fill her with guilt, with a desire to fulfill another’s expectations, even if that meant giving up everything she had dreamed for herself.”(69) Veronika had a fear of repeating her mother’s boring life, with no real passion for living. As part of her treatment, Dr. Igor convinces Veronika that she will die in five to six days, from heart damage due to the drug overdose. He was basically using reverse psychology as a treatment to make her want to live.<br />Zedka is admitted to Villete due to having chronic depression. When she meets Veronika, she states that she is undergoing treatment due to a lack of a particular chemical, serotonin. Zedkas’ depression was really due to a man hidden in her past, a lost lover. Even though she had a husband and children, she had fallen into a depression and insanity because of a hopeless love from her youth. (54) She undergoes radical and banned insulin shock treatment as part of her therapy. <br />Mari was a successful lawyer, with a good job, husband and family. She was trying to decide what direction to take her life. She was considering retirement or maybe volunteering with the Red Cross, and helping others in the world experiencing tragedies. She was out with her husband, seeing a movie when she had her first panic attack. Mari did not know what was happening. She thought maybe she had a cerebral aneurism. A friend of hers had died in a movie theater of an aneurism, and she was convinced that it was happening to her also. Leaving the theater, her husband got them a taxi, and took her home. He had wanted to call an ambulance, but if she went to a hospital, she would have to admit that something was really wrong. Mari only wanted to feel normal again. When she has a second attack while at work, she knows that something must seriously be wrong.<br />Mari applied for thirty days leave from her office. Her husband wants her to see specialist in brain disorders, but she refuses to leave the house. Her condition gets worse. The attacks become more frequent, and last longer. A colleague drops by her house and discusses her need for treatment, telling her about a new facility. “They’ve just opened a new hospital in the city, backed by foreign money and offering first-class treatment.”(126) Mari goes to Villete, sees Dr. Igor, who writes her a prescription and tell her to go home. Mari wants to stay, Dr. Igor accepts her as a patient, and she is admitted. This hospitalization ultimately cost her marriage to end, the loss of her job, and the ruining of her professional reputation. <br />Eduard was the only child of a diplomat. He lived a life of privilege and wealth, but didn’t seem to have any friends. His parents were very concerned about his lack of companions, and encouraged him to bring people home. His parent, were preparing him to follow in the footsteps of his father, and become a diplomat. Eduard did not like to talk to other people, and was not interested in that career.<br />One day Eduard started seeing a Brazilian girl, named Maria. She was well brought-up, and his parents approved. But as time passed, Eduard started to change. He began reading strange books, built a pyramid in his room, and burned incense every night. (176) His grades in school began to drop , and his parents feared that he was doing drugs. Eduard announced to his parents that he and Maria were going on a ten day bicycle trip. “There’s a place near here with huge deposits of crystal, and Maria says they give off really positive energy.” (177) <br />So on the first day of their bicycle journey, Eduard crashes, and winds up with both legs, and one arm in casts. He is told he would be unable to leave the hospital for at least a month. His parent attempt to get him the best medical treatment, because they are afraid he has suffered a head injury. Maria eventually stops visiting, and due to his immobilization, a nurse brings him a book about visionaries. He is inspired to now do what he wants in life. He develops a passion for painting, and once out of his casts he enrolls in a painting course. He and his parent fight over his chosen career and want him to return to his previous studies. “Don’t let us down, son. We won’t live forever and we want to die in peace, knowing that we’ve set you on the right path in life.” (189) The following day his parents found Eduard in his room, not responding to them. After five months of unsuccessful treatment by specialist, his family took him to Villette. It was at Villete that Eduard was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and treated with electric shock.<br />All four characters come to Villette for different reasons. Some of their lives have similar themes, and experiences. Veronika and Eduard both have pressure from their parents to follow a specific course in life. Zedka and Mari appear to be happily married, with families. While at Villette each one has a positive effect on the other. Their institutionalized time together effects how their future lives will proceed. <br /> <br /> WORKS CITED<br /> Coelho, Paulo. Veronika Decides To Die<br />Copyright 1998 by Paulo Coelho, English translation copyright 1999 by Margaret Jull Costa<br />