What is madness？——Madness is the inability to communicate.Between normality and madness,which are basically the same thing,there exists an intermediary stage：it is called "being different."And people were becoming more and more afraid of "being different." … ...
《Veronika decides to die》told us some stories that happened in Villete（a mental hospital）.There are people with depression,schizophrenic,panic attacts...But we might ask"what can make a person insane？"And I am sure that erveryone has asked themselves the same question——What is life all about？You will find the answer in a way after getting to know things behind those inmates.
Zedka——depression
Zedka,who everyone knew had been released after a long period of treatment.The reason that had brought ber to Villete is depression.Plunging into such insanity all because of a man whose current whereabouts she didn't even know,but with whom she had fallen hopelessly in love in her youth.Zedka had actually sold everything to go and join him,even though he was married,but she accepted her role as mistress.She realized that she was no longer welcome cause the relationship did not work out and the man never said anything directly.She went back home.then found not only a job,but also the attentions of a handsome,intelligent young man.A year later she was married to him,which aroused both the eney and the applause of her girlfriends.They lived in a comfortable house,with a garden that looked over the river .They has children and took trips during the summer.They went through the civil war but she could count on the support of her husband. Things started to change after she met the statue of Preseren when she walked past on evening. Zedka kept thinking Preseren's story and what if he had fougt a little harder for his lover. And it turned to ask herself：Did she fight hard enough?There were something bad, getting worse and worse,and depression happened.
Mari——panic attacts
Mari,who has spent forty years of her life working as a lawyer(one of the best lawyer in the company).She and her husband had been given all the good things that life could possibly offer then:a home,work,good children, modest comforts,interests,and culture.But Mari started to be tired of struggling with bureaucracy and law suits.She wanted something for others for a change.The more she kept thinking,the higher frequency of panic attacts.Finally she got the application for divorce in Villete.
Eduard——Schizophrenic
Eduard,whose father was an ambassador with power and wealthy.His parents took him to parties,told him to invite his school friends home and gave him a generous allowance.He knew every brand of sneakers ,the designer clothes and cars.They got a chauffeur and a Mercedes Benz at home,but he would like to ride a bicycle with his lover for a long trip and to be more in touch with nature.Unlucky his parents already had plan for him to meet a girl from a good family,who could be a dignified companion in the brilliant diplomatic career.On the contrary,he dreamed to be a painter.The ambassador persuaded him in the name of love like many parents did,"you are verything to us,our future and our past,and I did all of my hardwork just to create a space for you,to make things easier for you......Dont let us down ,son......If you really love us,do as I ask.If you dont love us,then carry on as you are now."Esuard fellowed what his parents asked,but failed go forward or back.So it was easier just to leave the satge.....
Veronika——commit suicide
Veronika, a young and beautiful girl.She has loving parents who sacrificed everything to give her the best possible upbringing.She is retty,she has a job,she can have any boyfriend she chooses.Everyday was the same for her——She went back to the rented room in the convent,tried to read a book,turned on the TV to see the same old programs,set the alarm clock to wake up at exactly the same time she woke up the day before,and repeted the tasks at the library.She would listen to the gossip about who's going out with whom,who's suffering from what.
She could imagine the future——She would marry a man.They would make love often in the first year,less in the second,and after the third year,people perhaps think about love only once every two weeks.Even worse,they barely talk.When the marriage is just about to fall apart,she would get pregnant.They would have a children,feel closer to each other for a while,and the situation will go back to what it was before.Until one day,her husband might take a lover for the first time......
Everything in her life was the same and,she would gain nothing by continuing to live.So Veronika decided to die.
The failed love,the ambivalence of changing form a good enough situation,the controment by parants in the name of love and the inane life fulling of repeating all the same thing everyday...which are also common in our daily life.Generally,people obey the social rules,do as most of others do——to study hard when we were a little,to get a good diploma,to find a high-salary job,to get married in a suitable age......If someone ask that why we shoud get married and why we cannot just being alone for the rest of our life？Then people will gossip that she or he is definitely abnormal.
I have a foreign colleague named Yong.He gratuated from The University of Birmingham and got the doctor degree which took him the entire adolescent life.I admit that I admire the grades he got and he has lots of excellent experiences and ideas of life.But when I talk to him,he said I didnt know why I spent years to study at school.Maybe his parents wanted him to do so or maybe good degree seems tempting for everyone.Sometime if we try hard to find out the reason why are we doing this,it will be harder and anxious to get the answer that may not exist.And another thing about Yong is that many local teachers cannot agree his teaching methods during the English class and treat him like an odd person.But now I think maybe he just keeps being different and insists his own principle because he is turly intelligent.
Then comes to the people in the mental hospital,are some of them really insane？——perhaps not.Someone said those phychotic might be very smart and full of philosophy thoughts.It is reasonable in some way from my point of view.They have special ideals and enjoying thinking in their own world.The reason why Zedka didnt want to say good bye to Villete is that she already grew used to the freedom that exists in the world of insanity and became addicted to it. You no longer have to take on responsibilities,to struggle to earn your daily bread,to be bothered with repetitive,mundane tasks.The most important thing is ——you are allowed to be different and everything is tolerated.From now on,I may change my mind for those madmen or madwomen and people different from us in our daily life.People want to be different,but people are afraid of being different,because people also cannot easily accept strange things or ideas.
But from the other side,it seems like a way to avoid reality,or inability for adapting the society.If we want to change a job,then just prepare ready for another.If we want to be a painter instead of a teacher that our parents hope for,the sit down and talk nicely.Every problem has a solution.If it is hard to arrive,then the way to struggle is so much more meaningfull.
Veronika went through hatred,love,fear,curiosity,finally a desire to live in the last 7 days of her life,whose existence made Mari and Eduard understand their life.This kind of redemption happens because of courage for life.What's more behind this ——calls love.
So I hope everyone can live with love in deep heart and turely believe yourself.To be different or not,that not a question,just talk to people you love and find a right way to pursuit what you want.
（There is also a movie of this book.But I wont recommend it.If you want to really feel the inside of those person,then choose this book.）