It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

The desire for independence turns out to be a sign of insecurity, not strength, in his case. Ironically, it is only by following a treatment regimen and acknowledging his problems that Craig will be able to make progress. Here we see Craig's desire for independence he is aware that treatment for psychological issues can carry a social stigma with it, and refers to history and culture to convince himself that he should be stronger. 122Īfter spending some time following a regular treatment schedule, Craig becomes critical of his own practices. We were already so fat in America did I need to be part of the problem? Craig, p. Some days I wouldn't eat, but back in Biblical times people did that all the time-fasting was a big part of religion, Mom told me. What, because I threw up? I wasn't throwing up anymore. I probably never needed to go to a doctor in the first place.

Anyone could have a problem starting a new school. What was I doing taking pills? I had just had a little problem and freaked out and needed some time to adjust. Indeed, Craig is not the only character who is massively dependent on the Friday get-togethers. Yet Craig detects a deeper meaning to his friendship despite Aaron's apparent confidence, Aaron may need Craig just as badly as the more timid Craig seems to need Aaron. This routine is such a part of his life that, even when he scores a major victory, his instinctive reaction is to seek out Aaron. Here, Craig describes his routine of going to Aaron's house every Friday afternoon. And now, a year later, I was in my kitchen holding my acceptance letter and wondering if he had one too. Whatever he was, he became the one person I wanted to stay in touch with after junior high. but on Fridays Aaron would call and ask me to watch movies. As It's Kind of a Funny Story progresses, Craig works backwards and re-captures this childlike, inspired attraction to art.

The younger Craig proves to have trouble drawing Manhattan, but this quotation captures his initial excitement about the possibility of creating an artwork of his own. In this early passage, Craig discusses one of his childhood attempts to create a map image. The streets were crazy down there they didn't have any kind of streets and avenues they just had names and they looked like a game of Pick-Up Sticks. So I asked Mom for tracing paper and she got it for me and I brought it into my fort and I pointed the light right down on the first map in the Hagstrom Atlas-downtown, where Wall Street was and the stock market worked.

I should be able to draw the place where I lived. As soon as I saw the Manhattan map, I wanted to draw it.

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini