Turtles All The Way Down
Spoilers are ahead for Turtles All the Way Down .
Discussions of the master character ’s experiences with obsessional - compulsive disorder ( OCD ) , including intrusive thoughts ( obsessions ) and compulsions , as well as the treatment she seeks to help get by her OCD .
Summary
When John Green’sTurtles All the Way Downwas released in 2017 , readers were get by the book ’s peculiar title . For newcomers , the movie ’s title is similarly sibylline . AlthoughTurtles All the Way Downfeatures a lizard - like New Zealand reptilian called the tuatara , it does n’t feature any literal turtles . Instead , the movie and Bible ’s title is something much more metaphoric . Director Hannah Marks ' adaptation centers on Aza Holmes ( Isabela Merced ) , a teenager who dwell with obsessive - compulsive disorder ( OCD ) . Often , Aza grappling iron with intrusive thought spirals , especially where the very idea of the human microbiome is concerned .
Performing the related compulsions only provides temporary relief from state anxiousness …
One of Aza ’s most persistent and all - consuming intrusive idea stems from her anxiety about being diagnosed with C. diff . To cope with the obsessional cerebrate spiral , she performs compulsion — namely , cleansing the never - in full - mend callus on her finger in an effort to run out out any suggestion of animation - threaten C. diff . Although Aza knows that her helix are irrational , OCD is an anxiousness disorder;there ’s no manner to think her way out of the outpouring of intrusive view . Performing the related compulsion only bring home the bacon temporary relief from said anxiousness , thus perpetuating Aza ’s harrowing experiences with her OCD .
“Turtles All The Way Down” Is An Old Philosophical Joke
The Phrase Connects To The Problem Of Infinite Regress
Throughout the motion-picture show , Aza describes her most acute experience with intrusive thoughts as " think spirals . " Although some of thebiggest book differences inTurtles All the Way Downstem from Aza ’s connection to Davis Pickett ( Felix Mallard ) , the film still portrays Davis as a compassionate person who tries his good to understand Aza ’s thought patterns and trigger . Even Davis ' picture of a helical draws Aza in as it lastly feels like a manifestation of her brain ’s fashion of navigating anxiousness . That say , the statute title is actually a perfect encapsulation of Aza ’s experience , even if it refers to a philosophic trick .
A polo-neck repose on the back of a bigger polo-neck , which itself rests on the back of an even bigger turtle …
The phrase " turtle all the way down " express the problem of infinite reasoning backward , which is well described as a " series of appropriately related elements with a first fellow member but no last member , where each chemical element leads to or bring forth the next in some good sense " ( viaStanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy ) . Visually speaking , a turtle rests on the back of a bigger turtle , which itself rests on the back of an even bigger turtle , and the individual turtles are all part of a column of turtles that stay on on indefinitely . The phrasal idiom also references the mythological World Turtle , which carries the human race on its back .
Custom Image by Kate Bove
An adaptation of John Green ’s novel of the same name , Turtles All the Way Down boasts an eclectic soundtrack that charm both Aza ’s anxiety and joy .
Professor Abbott Shares The “Turtles All The Way Down” Story With Aza
Aza Is A Huge Fan Of The College Professor
In theTurtles All the Way Downmovie adaptation , Aza is taken with a college philosophy lector mention Professor Abbott ( J. Smith - Cameron ) , who is able to take " dusty " old concepts and make them sense unbelievably relevant . When Davis learns that Aza has trouble navigating unexampled experience , which may impact her dream of going to college in Chicago , the billionaire ’s son flies her to Professor Abbott ’s latest lecture . Afterward , Aza approaches Professor Abbott , saying she ’s a huge fan . But she also expresses an overwhelming concern : Aza fears that she is n’t real .
The teenager likens the experience to nesting dolls that go on and on — hollow forever with no upstanding ending .
Due in bombastic part to her OCD , Aza feels that she is n’t the one check her thoughts or military action . When she reckon for the mastermind of her thoughts , Aza ca n’t seem to pinpoint her " material " ego . The teen likens the experience to nesting dolls that go on and on — hollow constantly with no solid ending . Professor Abbott then shares an anecdote about a famous scientist . While explaining the layout of the universe , the scientist is scoffed at by a char who claims that the universe actually reside on the back of a giant polo-neck . The scientist then asked her to explicate what the turtle is resting on ; it could n’t possibly be in devoid tumble , after all .
It’s not easy being Aza, but she’s trying… trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, and a good student, all while navigating an endless barrage of invasive, obsessive thoughts that she cannot control. When she reconnects with Davis, her childhood crush, Aza is confronted with fundamental questions about her potential for love, happiness, friendship, and hope.
The woman explicate that the World Turtle rests on the back of another , declamatory turtle . According to the woman , the pattern goes on and on . In impression , " it ’s turtles , all the way down . " Professor Abbott explains that Aza is envision a tidy sum of turtles with one terminal turtle at the bottom , but that , or else , she should figure the turtleneck pillar as infinite . " You ’re suppose the true self , the ego that be independent of circumstance , but perchance it ’s turtles all the way down — maybe you ’re infinite , " Professor Abbott tells Aza .
Daisy Uses The Phrase In John Green’s Turtles All The Way Down Book
Professor Abbott Was Added To The Movie
In John Green ’s novel , the story is n’t shared by Professor Abbott . or else , Aza ’s best friend , Daisy Ramirez ( Cree ) , recalls the phrase as something she see her mama ’s friend say once . By including Professor Abbott inTurtles All the Way Down ’s cast of characters , the movie version put a greater emphasis on these existential radical . The scene is fantastically empowering for Aza — even if that feeling is momentaneous . For a import , she can visualize herself assist college and experiencing newfangled things . For a moment , she take in a bully understanding of herself .
The Turtles All The Way Down Idea Helps Aza Understand & Manage Her OCD Symptoms
The Metaphor Emphasizes There’s No “Getting Better”
Part of what pull in Aza ’s experiences with OCD so challenging is thatthe disorderliness causes Aza to doubt her own mind . During a thought spiral , she tries to assure herself that she cleaned her callosity and applied a bracing Band - Aid , but the attempts at self - assurance only worsen her anxiety . While Aza ’s intrusive thoughts center most often on the human microbiome and unseen bug , they also turn experiential when she wonder if she is n’t tangible . For Aza , her OCD seems to " commandeer " her mind and eubstance , and she ca n’t rule reliever from her own anxious mind .
What ’s so powerful about Professor Abbott ’s anecdote , however , is that she helps reposition Aza ’s perspective .
In turn , this make her doubt her sense of self , because she ca n’t parse out what ’s really troubling and what ’s an intrusive , obsessive reverence bear from anxiety . The ocular tending of a column of never - ending turtles perfectly captures Aza ’s thought spirals . What ’s so powerful about Professor Abbott ’s anecdote , however , is that she help shift Aza ’s perspective . Professor Abbott does n’t assay to assure Aza that she ’s real , but posits instead that Aza — like the newspaper column of turtle — is infinite , and intimate that feeling tentative makes her more real — not less .
Although there ’s no thinking her mode out of anxious thoughts , obsessions , or compulsions , Azacanshift her position and manage these symptoms . by and by on , this kind of shift appears when Aza select to tend into her support system and con more about Dr. Singh ’s ( Poorna Jagannathan ) management tools , including using prescribed medication and commit picture and response bar ( ERP ) therapy ( viaInternational OCD Foundation).Turtles All the Way Down ’s endingis so powerful because it does n’t paint a picture that Aza will magically " get well . " Instead , the pic render that she can ascertain to manage her disorder , and that , despite the challenges , she has a whole future ahead of her .
polo-neck All the Way Downis streaming on Max .
It ’s not well-to-do being Aza , but she ’s essay … trying to be a dear daughter , a in effect friend , and a unspoiled student , all while navigating an endless bombardment of invasive , obsessive cerebration that she can not master . When she reconnects with Davis , her puerility compaction , Aza is confronted with fundamental questions about her potential for love , felicity , friendship , and hope .
Sources : Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy , International OCD Foundation
