The film "A Beautiful Mind" is based on the events and life of John Nash. The film begins with John Nash arriving at Princeton University to sharpen his mathematical skills. During his time at Princeton we learn that John is incredibly intelligent but lacking in the social department. After graduating from Princeton he is offered and accepts a position with MIT as a Department of Defense contractor. With his new position as a Department of Defense contractor and teacher, he eventually meets his future wife in one of his classes. As the film progresses, we see John's schizophrenia progress to the point that he ends up in a mental institution receiving advanced psychiatric care. It's at this time that we learn that Charles, his roommate at school, was actually a hallucination the whole time. We also learn that William, his top secret case manager for the government, is also a hallucination. We eventually learn that Charles' niece was a hallucination. John eventually gets his illness under control with treatment, medicine and a loving wife and is able to return home. He remains healthy for a while, but eventually falls back into his life as a codebreaker for the government. He and his wife refuse treatment this time and decide that they will deal with his illness without the help of drugs. Background History Family John Nash grew up in West Virginia with his mother and father, both of whom died when John was 20 years old. Growing up, John was an only child and had shown no signs of schizophrenia other than a lack of social skills. His parents had attributed his lack of social skills to his intelligence being superior to all other children his age. John meets Alicia, his wife, while teaching at MIT. Alicia, aware of John's lack of social skills, made the... medium of paper... the United States. This need to belong to something important is what brought William into his life. Prognosis In my professional opinion, John will respond positively to his treatment if he: 1) maintains a positive relationship with his wife and son, 2) remains an important member of the mathematical community, and 3) understands that he cannot communicate with his hallucinations , even if they will always be present. John is fortunate to have a strong family life, especially his wife who has spent so much time with him. Alicia is the most important part of John's recovery. As with most schizophrenic patients, it is the surrounding environment that will lead to positive treatment. With John's new important role at Princeton and a family that loves and supports him, he has a better chance of living a normal life..