TOW #21

                In the eloquently written short story by Jason D. Hill, Hill uses a second person point of view to make a powerful statement and appeal to the reader. Bipolar, Lithium, Suicide and the Lost Years of my Life is a short non-fiction essay describing plight of a man, Hill, who suffers from Bipolar disorder while pursuing a PhD in Philosophy. He struggled to cope with the suicidal thoughts, or ‘death baby’ as he referred to it, and found himself in a mental hospital where he was diagnosed with the disorder. He was them put on the medication Lithium Bicarbonate, or Lithium for short, which caused many side effects like fatigue and lack of motivation. He chronicles his journey through this magnificently written piece. In order to show the reader what that time was like for him and to become closer with the reader, Hill uses a second person point of view in the narrative. He writes, “You are hopeful. You feel relieved; finally something to quiet the Death Baby. Then it starts. The world becomes flat. You feel flat. You cannot feel. You are numb.” (Hill 21). By using second person as opposed to first or third person, Hill is speaking directly to the reader instead of telling his story from a more objective perspective. This allows the reader to feel closer to Hill and his story, thereby sympathizing with his troubles. The use of this point of view also allows the reader to imagine themselves as having the disorder and creates a sense of empathy. Anyone reading this essay is more easily able to understand what having Bipolar is like and can put themselves in the shoes of others with Bipolar. Through evoking sympathy and empathy, Hill is able to make the readers understand Bipolar from a new perspective and relate to it much more. Hill’s use of rhetoric greatly benefitted his purpose and successfully proved his point.