The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby

However, Jean also often sees himself in his wheelchair on an isolated plank on the beach.

Through flashback, Jean sees himself shaving his father, a memory of a time where he had more control of his life and was in a position of being a caretaker. He also holds onto his humanity through dream or fantasy. Jean idealizes the past and frequently flashes back to happy memories of relationships from before he was disabled. Different people can remember the same experience differently. Memory is possibly the most subjective experience a human has. Roussin gives Jean the advice to “hold onto the human inside of you.” Jean achieves this through memory which frees him from the prison of his physical limitations. Regardless of what we choose, we may get on a plane that is hijacked or suffer a paralyzing stroke. The friends’ relationship indicates the futility of comparing human existence, as in the end we are all “locked-in” to our own perspectives. While at first it may seem like Jean was lucky for avoiding the plane, his condition of being “locked-in” (essentially, held hostage in his own body) in the end seems far more unlucky. The plane was hijacked, resulting in Roussin becoming a hostage for four years. Years earlier, Jean gave up his seat on a plane for Roussin. While at the hospital, Jean is visited by his old friend, Roussin. The characters Jean interacts with further illustrate how our perspective colors our existence. The extensive continued POV shots reflect what life is: one long experience continually filtered through our own point of view. Similarly, Jean is unable to escape his condition. While as humans we have a basic understanding of each other, we can never escape the subjectivity of our mind and our own personal experience. This not only allows the viewer to better understand the protagonist's position, but also to reflect on the individual nature of their own experience. Large parts of the film are seen from the subjective point of view of Jean.

The film touches on themes like family, love, and loyalty, but primarily deals with the subjectivity of the human experience.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby