Is “Homeland’s” Agent Carrie Anderson a “future” Aurora ?

In Showtime’s “Homeland”, the main character, CIA Agent Carrie Mathison (actress Claire Danes), has bipolar disorder. Though not a first in TV shows, it’s a first for the disorder to be a critical part of the storyline.

In another rare occurrence, a Young Adult novel is out that features a female protoganist dealing with the onset of bipolar disorder. Of course, I’m talking about Aurora in “Light Fixtures.” Though different in background and age, both Agent Mathison and Aurora show us something vital about having the mental illness: though there must be life adjustments, just because someone is bipolar doesn’t mean they are lacking in intelligence, creativity, reliability, or social skills.

In writing “Light Fixtures”, I wanted to make sure that was clear. Danes herself said about playing the character honestly. “I find the challenge is finding a way to play the truth of her being chemically unstable and also a really proficient, highly capable CIA agent.” I think Mr. Hematite, Aurora’s guide in the book, would agree that’s a Light-Fixtures way to approach bipolar disorder.

If any of you have any comments about the show, or my novel, please post it on the Comments page. Thanks!

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