More Than Just the Disease written by Bernard McLaverty.

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Patrick Dempsey

More Than Just the Disease

‘More Than Just the Disease’, written by Bernard McLaverty has one major character, Neil. The story is seen through his eyes and illustrates the problems that he has to deal with at this point in his life. Arguably the biggest problem Neil has in the story is his psoriasis, this is also a contributor to another of his problems, which is his huge lack of confidence, and it also contributes in a profound way to his insecurity.

McLaverty has written the character of Neil Fry with many quite complex problems one of which is the astonishing influence Mrs Fry – Neil’s mother – has on him. He frequently hears her voice in his head commanding him, telling him how he should act, what he should do in certain situations and how to feel on certain matters. This occurs when Neil is having breakfast with Michael’s family. His mother, without being present, tells him that he should, “Close his mouth when he is eating” she goes on to say, “Others have to live with you Neil.” He hears her again when he is unpacking after arriving at Michael’s holiday home. She says “Be tidy at all times and then no one can surprise you”. I could go on for pages listing more and more instances of this but I won’t get any marks for doing that! I regress. Although Mrs Fry means absolutely no harm, in fact quite the opposite, when implanting these views, ideas and reactions into Neil’s head, she is actually contributing to many of Neil’s problems: such as his lack of confidence, his ignorance and his insecurity.

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Neil finds, when he goes to stay with Michael on the coast, that his mother is entirely wrong about the middle classes and how they live and behave. He finds contrary to his expectations that they do not fit the stereotype, they are not ‘posh’ but in fact they are reasonably laid back.

Neil is very insecure possibly, again, owing to his mother’s domination over him and because “Neil kept hearing his mother’s voice” A good example of this is him going to the bathroom to put on his pyjamas and buttoning the jacket right up to the ...

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