The Silver Linings Playbook (2008) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

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• Pat Peoples: Add a description of this character.
• Tiffany: Veronica's sister. She is a dancer who also suffers from mental illness. She is introduced into Pat's life by Veronica and Ronnie.
• Nikki Peoples: The object of Pat's affection, and his wife.
• Jackie Peoples: Pat's mom. Pat's primary care-giver and supporter.
• Jake Peoples: Pat's only brother who is well-off. He is an entrepreneur who leads a successful life.
• Ronnie: Pat's best friend and high school buddy who still lives nearby Pat's parents' house.
• Veronica: Ronnie's wife and Tiffany's sister.
• Dr. Cliff Patel: Pat's therapist.
• Scott: Jake's friend- attends Eagles football games with Jake and Pat
• Emily: Ronnie and Veronica's toddler daughter.
• Thomas Reed: Tiffany's husband.
• Caitlin: Jake's wife.
• Donovan McNabb: Eagles' quarterback.
• Dr. Timbers: Pat's therapist/doctor at his mental institution.
• Mrs. Webster: Tiffany's mother.
• Ashwini: Cliff, Pat's therapist' friend, who drives the Asian Invasion bus to Eagles games
• Dr. Lily: Tiffany's therapist.
• Sonja: Cliff's wife.
• Danny: Pat's closest friend in the mental institution.
• Hank Baskett: Pat's favorite player on the Eagles football team
• Mr. Peoples: Pat's father; arguably one of the story's antagonists; suffers a damaged relationship with Pat.
• Kenny G: Fictional character in Pat's mind; causes much distress for Pat throughout the story.
• Scott: Nikki's new husband; cause of Pat's admittance to the institution.

Quotes edit see section history

• “The world will break your heart ten ways to Sunday. That’s guaranteed. I can’t begin to explain that. Or the craziness inside my self and everyone else.””

  Pat Peoples

• “When life reaches out with a moment like this, it’s a sin if you don’t reach back.””

  Pat Peoples

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Philadelphia: Pat's home town.
• Baltimore: Where Pat spent his time in the mental health facility.
• North Philadelphia
• Collingswood, New Jersey: Lots of references to South Jersey and the Philly-NJ bridges

Organizations edit see section history

• Philadelphia Eagles: Add a description of this organization.

First Sentence edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Mental illness: Both Pat Peoples and Tiffany suffer from mental illness, which is inevitably what brings the two so close to each other and allows them to connect on such a personal level. They are using one another as support systems to identify with and work through their problems with.
• Healing: Pat is both trying to heal from his illness and heal from the guilt and hurt he feels from his past; his troubled marriage and relationship with his life has left him feeling inadequate as both a husband and a person. He is trying to find, all at once, a re-connection with his wife as well as closure to their relationship and the life they led together. Throughout the story, Pat and his father work to reconcile their troubled relationship. Pat feels his father is not proud of the man he is, and that he is not the son that his father wanted. Mr. Peoples blames Pat's illness on him and pins the blame of Pat for much of their family's issues and conflicts. Tiffany is healing from the sudden death of her husband who was killed while on duty as a police officer. Having had a fight with him before he left that day for work, she is left with a haunting guilt that that was the last moment she had with her husband. and they spent it arguing. Tiffany sees a therapist just like Pat does, and is working towards closure in her husbands death, and lessening the guilt and depression she carries with her from the experience. With Pat in her life, she is finding that closure, whether Pat finds the same level of comfort in her or not.
• Loss: Pat is suffering the loss of his wife, Nikki, as well as the loss of years with his family and friends, having missed important events like his only brother's wedding and his best friend's daughter being born. They are, whether Pat is aware of it or not initially, things and time he can never get back. Tiffany is suffering the loss of her husband, Tommy. Mr. and Mrs. Peoples are going through a rough time on their marriage and are experiencing a loss of connection to one another. They have conflict because of Mr. Peoples' ignorance towards Pat, as Mrs. Peoples believes they need to be as supportive as they can for Pat as he recovers, as well as his ignorance towards Mrs. Peoples' emotional needs; he is a tired, arrogant, and grumpy old man who doesn't answer when he doesn't feel like talking and doesn't do anything around the house. Mrs. Peoples has every responsible on her plate.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Matthew Quick (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813.6

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Add a note to help parents select a book for a child.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Women's Fiction › Single Women
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Literary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Matthew Quick's Website

Movie Connections edit see section history

• Silver Linings Playbook (IMDb)

More Books Like This edit see section history

Books Cited by This Book edit see section history