Analysis Of Lauren Oliver's 'Delirium'

Amor deliria nervosa. The disease of love. In Delirium by Lauren Oliver, a dystopian novel, love is a fatal disease. The disease comes in four phases whose symptoms include, but are not limited to: preoccupation; difficulty focusing... reduced mental awareness; racing thoughts; impaired reasoning skills... periods of euphoria... obsessive thoughts and actions... paranoia; insecurity... difficulty breathing... complete breakdown of rational faculties; erratic behavior; violent thoughts and fantasies; hallucinations and delusions... emotional or physical paralysis..., [and] death (Oliver 102).

When residents of Portland, and other isolated cities in the United States, turn eighteen, they have a simple surgical procedure called the Cure.

Not only is it beautifully written with unique imagery, it discuses an important subject, love. While many of the books we read this semester mention romantic attractions or love, it is not the focus of the books. The main characters in most of the books we read develop a romantic relationship with another character; however, the subject of love itself never arose in discussion. Many books about love are sappy and are often not well written. However, Delirium, is not only a love story, but a critique of love. It explains that while love is vital, it can also drive people to do things out of

This quote shows both. She explains that it has completely changed her life. After she has fallen in love, her world has changed. And while absolutely for the better, the pain is still there and her world changes. Nothing is or can be as good as it was before contracting the disease without the Cure. While when Lena first starts to notice symptoms she is terrified. She has grown up learning that love is a horrible disease, the disease that caused her mother to take her own life. But eventually, she learns that however much pain love causes, it is worth it in the end for those moments of pleasure. This can bring up other topics: selfishness and selflessness. Most people think of love as selflessness. There are stories on the media of people who love one another saving each other’s lives, sometimes at the expensive of their own. Often parents say they would do anything, including give up their life for a child. However, when people are in love they can become incredibly selfish. They develop a tunnel vision only for the one they are in love with and everything else falls by the wayside. They care about protecting their partner, but only because of the benefits that their partner brings them. This is an interesting discussion