TOW #4- "The Soloist" (Part 1)

          Portraying a complex nature of friendship, Steve Lopez recalls back to the time when he became friends with Nathaniel Ayers, despite their differences. When Lopez first met Nathaniel, he worked for the Los Angeles Times and was thirsty for story for his column. He was lucky enough to encounter Nathaniel, a homeless man playing an old, destroyed violin on Skid Row. Ayers at the time had more than just the ability to make music. He had a story. A story that eventually gave heart aches to thousands. Determined to find out what caused the talented man to live on the streets, Lopez decided to become friends with Nathaniel to find out his story. Discovering that Ayers used to be an ambitious, charming classical bass student at Juilliard that dropped out due to his mental disorder, Lopez believed that his story was perfect for a successful column. When his column was published, Lopez was attacked with companies sending him new instruments for Nathaniel to play. With an audience who wished for Nathaniel’s success as a musician, Lopez realized that he had the power to change Nathaniel’s life and decided to look for ways to help him. However, Lopez continuously faced crushing disappointment whenever he tried to convince Ayers to be treated at a hospital. In order to spread the awareness of mental disabilities, Lopez reveals his emotion in his memoir, The Soloist.

            By revealing his anger towards uncured mental disabilities that he witnesses during his journey with Nathaniel, Lopez evokes the feelings of readers to make them realize the importance of knowing about mental disabilities. For example, Lopez recalls back to when his aunt and uncle committed suicide and how he later noticed that he and his family didn’t recognize them as being “mentally sick” but as “depressed”. He shows remorse when he realizes that depression is a treatable medical condition and makes sure that the readers are aware of his realization. He also mentions the “unsolicited comment” made by Tom Cruise and criticizes his stereotypes about mental illness. By stating Cruise’s comment that said mental illness was caused by “chemical imbalance and lack of vitamins” (Lopez, 82), Lopez mocks Cruise saying that he would” like to give Cruise a tour of Skid Row and see if he thinks a vitamin deficiency explains the mad scene there” (Lopez, 83). By including his strong emotions towards mental illness, Lopez successfully calls attention to the awareness of the mentally ill and how it can be cured with help. He tells the readers of all age to stop being bystanders to mental illness and to make changes by educating others and by taking actions. Through his use of pathos, Lopez is successful in portraying his purpose.