His narrations of his previous life include several episodes from his childhood, a day at the horse races spent with his good friend Vincent, a traveling vacation with a former lover named Joséphine, and his days at the offices of Elle magazine, of which he was editor-in-chief. These include his former partner Sylvie, the mother of his young children Théophile and Céleste, and his assortment of close friends. He also depicts the medical staff that cares for him, the travails of his new life, and the tender, wistful joy that characterizes his continuing relationships with his loved ones. Bauby relays episodes from his former life in crisp, vibrant detail and recounts the imaginary musings and vivid dreams which take his mind on flights of fancy while his body lies in his hospital bed. The book then launches into a series of vignettes, which cover a range of topics. He likens his physical state to being inside of a diving bell, while a butterfly symbolizes the intact agility of his mind. The book begins with a prologue that details Bauby’s physical and mental state. In this manner, he was able to both carry out labored conversations and compose his memoir. Using a special alphabet ordered according to the frequency that each letter is used in the French language, Bauby’s interlocutors (his various visitors, Claude, and some hospital staff) read out the letters and wait for Bauby to blink in correspondence with the letter he desired. Bauby suffered a massive stroke on Decemthat left him with locked-in syndrome: almostcompletely paralyzed, save for a limited ability to move his head, and to blink his left eye, the faculties of his mind were nonetheless left completely intact.
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