Don Birnam

E315130

Don Birnam is the alcoholic, self-destructive protagonist of the novel and film "The Lost Weekend," whose binge drinking over several days exposes the harrowing realities of addiction.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Don Birnam canonical 1

Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf fictional character
film character
literary character
appearsIn The Lost Weekend
surface form: The Lost Weekend (1945 film)

The Lost Weekend
surface form: The Lost Weekend (novel)
attempts to pawn his belongings for alcohol
centralThemeOf addiction
despair
self-destruction
characterArc from denial of alcoholism toward acknowledgment of the need for help
conflictsWith his brother's attempts to help him
societal stigma around alcoholism
contemplates suicide
createdBy Charles R. Jackson NERFINISHED
experiences delirium tremens
hallucinations due to alcohol withdrawal
firstAppearance The Lost Weekend
surface form: The Lost Weekend (1944 novel)
genreContext psychological drama
hasAddiction alcohol
hasTrait alcoholic
charming
depressed
intelligent
self-destructive
influencedBy Charles R. Jackson's own struggles with alcoholism
knownFor exposing the realities of addiction
harrowing depiction of binge drinking
medium cinema
literature
narrativeRole protagonist of The Lost Weekend
notableEvent four-day drinking binge in New York City
occupation aspiring novelist
writer
portrayedBy Ray Milland
relationshipType brother of Wick Birnam
romantic partner of Helen St. James
relationshipWith Helen St. James
Wick Birnam
residence New York City
settingOfKeyEvents Manhattan
strugglesWith alcohol addiction
writer's block
symbolizes the mid-20th-century alcoholic intellectual
themeEmbodied shame and secrecy around addiction
the destructive cycle of alcoholism
triesToHide bottles of alcohol in his apartment

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

The Lost Weekend character Don Birnam