The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions

Michael and Jonathan are represented as foils in the memoir. How is each one characterized? What do they have in common, and how do they differ?

Trace the evolution of Michael and Jonathan’s friendship over the years. How do the dynamics between them change? How do their dynamics reflect the memoir’s key themes and ideas?

Analyze the impact of Michael’s paranoid schizophrenia on his life and those around him. How do Michael’s experiences differ from mainstream cultural depictions of schizophrenia?