It's Kind of a Funny Story

Blog Post #1: Due September 12, 2012

     I'm currently reading a book called It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. In this book, the main character, Craig, is depressed. He stops taking his medication when he thinks he's better, but then plans to commit suicide a few months later. On the night he plans to kill himself, he makes the decision to call the suicide hotline for help. They tell him to go to the emergency room, which he does. I think that the decision to go to the emergency room was an important decision and had very important motivations that can help you decipher Craig's personality.

     I think the fact that he went to the emergency room and called the suicide hotline shows that part of him still wants to live. It shows that he appreciates life, but he thinks that his life at this point is so miserable that it might not be worth it. It also shows that he wants to get better, and still has hope that "the shift" is coming ("the shift" is the change that he believes will come where he feels happy again).

     I think that the buried desire to live was due to Nia and his family. I think this because he was thinking about his family on the day he planned to commit suicide. He said it would be the last time for when different things happen, like sleeping in his mom's bed. He also called Nia that night. I don't think that his decision was out of hope that Nia and him would be together, but because he just wanted to have her as a part of his life.

     The decision to get help also shows that Craig is a hopeful and strong person. He is hopeful because even though he's at "rock bottom", as Craig claimed in the book, and he feels unbearably miserable, he still has the ability to hold on to the belief that it will get better.

     I think that you could tell by this decision that Craig is strong because he admitted to others that he wanted to end his life- even though those people would look at him differently. But most of all, I found he was strong because he admitted it to his family. He told them himself, even though they might treat him like china for the rest of his life, thinking that anything would make him snap.

      In conclusion, I think that the decision to go to the E.R. showed that he is hopeful and strong. It may have been because he still had hope for himself and because he might've found something that will make his life a happier life.