Dan Maloney Character Analysis in Still Alice

A linguistics doctoral student who Alice is advising as he finishes his dissertation research. Alice and Dan are close friends in addition to their student-teacher relationship, and she insists on staying on as his advisor even after her worsening Alzheimer’s symptoms force her to step down from teaching and speaking engagements. Alice attends Dan’s graduation, but her memory has worsened and she no longer remembers him. Dan tells Alice how much he appreciates what she’s done for him and that she is the best teacher he ever had. When Alice thanks him and tells him she’s glad he’ll have good memories of her, he gives her a paper printed with everything he said so she can read it and remember him.

Dan Maloney Character Timeline in Still Alice

The timeline below shows where the character Dan Maloney appears in Still Alice. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Alzheimer’s, Quality of Life, and Happiness Theme Icon

Alice enters her office with one of her graduate students, Dan, right behind her. Dan is working on his thesis research and Alice is helping him... (full context)

...a cream puff and goes in search of John. As soon as she finds him, Dan comes in with his new wife, Beth, who is wearing a bright red dress. Alice... (full context)

Alice finds John having a conversation with Eric, Dan, and a woman in a red dress. When the conversation between John and the others... (full context)

Illness, Marriage, and Family Theme Icon

...of what she doesn’t realize what else she’s forgotten, John suddenly remembers the incident with Dan’s wife. He tells her needs “to do some reading” and walks out of the room. (full context)

...agrees to his plan with the caveat that she be allowed to stay on as Dan’s adviser and continue attending meetings. Eric agrees, but tells her she also shouldn’t speak at... (full context)

...in, Alice knows that many are choosing to stand rather than sit by her. Suddenly Dan comes running in, sees her, and sits next to her himself. (full context)

In December, Alice struggles to read through Dan’s thesis when she gets an email from Denise, who tells Alice that she’s talked to... (full context)

Alice soon forgets Dan’s “thingy” as she thinks about what her new group of friends will be like. Alice... (full context)

...her way, she sees that she has three new emails, all from Cathy, Mary, and Dan Sullivan telling her they’d love to come to her house to meet. When the day... (full context)

...soon over and John takes her to a nearby building where John says they’ll see Dan receive his PhD. (full context)

John points out Dan to Alice when Dan goes up on stage to get his diploma and Alice “applaud[s]... (full context)