A Beautiful Mind Scenes 46-50 Summary

Scene 46

  • John is sitting in their bedroom, looking at a handkerchief that Alicia gave him on their first date.
  • John doesn't want to go to the hospital with Rosen, who is waiting outside.
  • Alicia says that Rosen wants her to commit him if he refuses to go.
  • John is hoping that Alicia won't sign those papers and can give him some time to find a solution on his own.
  • He tells her that Rosen is right about one thing, though: she's not safe with him. He wants Alicia to have Rosen drive her to her mother's.
  • Alicia goes back downstairs, and we hear car doors slam. Is she gone then?
  • Nope, she comes back upstairs. Apparently, she's going to stick it out with him.

Scene 47

  • It's two months later, and John is back at Princeton. He's got that handkerchief with him.
  • Apparently, he's there to see his old frenemy, Hansen.
  • Hansen is shocked to see John. He's fairly welcoming, though.
  • Unfortunately, John starts having a Charles delusion right then, but he fights it off.
  • John then asks Hansen if would ignore what just happened, and Hansen says that's what old friends are for.
  • John launches into why he's there. He and Alicia think that being part of a community might help John force out some of these delusions he's been having.
  • To that end, he wants permission to hang around Hansen and his colleagues.
  • He's sure Hansen will say no, but Hansen just asks John if he'll need an office.
  • John says he'll just work out of the library. Well, that was easy.

Scene 48

  • Unfortunately, the library staff doesn't get the memo that John is allowed in, and a confrontation results that ramps up John's delusions.
  • Hansen intervenes, though, and calms the situation down.

Scene 49

  • Back at home, John tells Alicia what happened.
  • They've discovered that stress triggers the delusions. Apparently, Charles was "there" on the walk home, too.
  • John is considering going back into the hospital, but Alicia suggests he just try again the next day.

Scene 50

  • So, that's what he does.
  • We see Charles and Marcee following John in, and Charles tries to talk to him.
  • John basically thanks Charles for his friendship, but says he won't be talking to him again. He says goodbye to Marcee as well.
  • It's pretty sad, even though these folks are imaginary.
  • Parcher is also there, watching.
  • A professor comes out of his classroom and sees John talking to the air. Uh oh, is John about to embarrass himself in front of a new person?
  • John then asks the prof if he can audit the class, and the prof says it will be an honor. Whew—glad that was the professor's reaction.
  • Soon after, John is back in the library, drawing on the windows again.