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Susannah
Stephen is Susannah's boyfriend, who is seven years older than she is. Susannah describes his eyes as being honest and trusting, making Susannah feel as though they've been dating forever. At the start of the memoir, the two have been dating for four months. Stephen witnesses Susannah's first major seizure and rides with her to the ER. Though seeing Susannah so ill is heartbreaking, after she's admitted to the hospital, Stephen vows to stay with her as long as she's there. Others refer to him as the "Susannah whisperer," as Susannah is calmer when he's around. Nurses allow him to stay long past the end of visitor hours because Susannah doesn't try to escape when he's there. Once Susannah returns home, Stephen visits often. They attend parties and weddings together, and Stephen makes sure that Susannah is comfortable and takes charge in conversations. About a year after Susannah first became ill, Susannah and Stephen move in together. Stephen is anxious about this transition and the responsibility of caring for Susannah in case she becomes ill again, but he pushes through his discomfort. He checks in on her obsessively when she goes out without him, which Susannah resists. Their relationship finally returns to an equal partnership once Susannah stops antagonizing him for checking in on her.
Stephen Quotes in Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness
The Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness quotes below are all either spoken by Stephen or refer to Stephen. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 9
Quotes
"You don't have to do that," I insisted, my voice mellowing as I returned, almost instantly, to my old self. Manic episodes can fade away as quickly as they arise. "I don't want her to worry."
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Chapter 11
Quotes
Even during this time when I hardly recognize myself, there are still shadows of the real Susannah, a person who cares what her family and friends think, who doesn't want to cause them pain.
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Chapter 38
Quotes
I had asked him many times why he stayed, and he always said the same thing: "Because I love you, and I wanted to, and I knew you were in there." No matter how damaged I had been, he had loved me enough to still see me somewhere inside.
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Chapter 50
Quotes
The friends and relatives I interviewed would never have used the term skittish to describe me, but every now and then, when I'm on the subway and the colors seem brighter than normal, I think, Is it the lighting, or am I going crazy again?
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Stephen Quotes in Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness
The Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness quotes below are all either spoken by Stephen or refer to Stephen. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 9
Quotes
"You don't have to do that," I insisted, my voice mellowing as I returned, almost instantly, to my old self. Manic episodes can fade away as quickly as they arise. "I don't want her to worry."
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11
Quotes
Even during this time when I hardly recognize myself, there are still shadows of the real Susannah, a person who cares what her family and friends think, who doesn't want to cause them pain.
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Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 38
Quotes
I had asked him many times why he stayed, and he always said the same thing: "Because I love you, and I wanted to, and I knew you were in there." No matter how damaged I had been, he had loved me enough to still see me somewhere inside.
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 50
Quotes
The friends and relatives I interviewed would never have used the term skittish to describe me, but every now and then, when I'm on the subway and the colors seem brighter than normal, I think, Is it the lighting, or am I going crazy again?
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
