It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
It's Kind of a Funny Story is about a boy named Craig Gilner, a student at one of New York City's top high schools, Executive Pre-Professional. But it's all too much for him, the stress and the homework and the pressure to do everything perfectly, and the anxiety developed into a depression that was taking over his life. He couldn't eat, he couldn't sleep, he couldn't manage to have a conversation with anyone or do his homework. It escalates to a point where Craig wants to kill himself, he is contemplating suicide when he take's 1-800-SUICIDE's advice and checks himself into an emergency room. Before he knows it, Craig has become a member of the community at 6 North, his local hospital's mental ward. There, he finds people who have the same problems as him, and others whose lives are considerably worse due to serious mental illnesses. He fits in with the people there, and they help him overcome the depression caused by all the stress and pressure he experiences at school. At 6 North, Craig is able to focus on himself, and what he wants to do with his life. He finds salvation in art and drawings and the new friends he has made and is able to sort out his life.
One of the lessons that Craig learns as he goes on this journey to overcome his depression is that sometimes your mental well-being is worth more than getting the best grades in the best schools. Craig teaches us that it is important to consider your own happiness as you go through life. Craig was miserable because all of the pressure made him think that if he didn't get into the Good Highschool, he wouldn't get into the Good College, and from there wouldn't get a Good Job, and wouldn't be able to raise a Good Family. Craig learns that sometimes it is more important to think about how all the stress and pressure makes you feel and how to do something about your life if you are in a rut or need to make a change.
I would recommend this book to anyone 13 and up because there is some explicit content and language, and the whole concept of contemplating suicide and how the depression affects you isn't for those looking for a light-hearted read. This book has an important message, and it is very powerful and moving. I really felt connected to the main character as he tries to pick up the broken pieces of his life. It is almost liberating to read as he overcomes his depression and is able to reclaim his life. I really think that lots of people would enjoy this book and that it is a very important one to read, but it isn't for those who aren't ready to stomach dark, heavy concepts. It is really beautifully dark in a way.
Comments
Excellent Reflection!
Dear Adela (sorry if I spelled that wrong) :
I really enjoyed your reflection, "It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini," because of how in-depth it is and how great the text reads. Through what you typed, I easily got the jist of the book, and it sort of felt like I was reading something like a top-rated review on Amazon.com. Also, I don't think there was a single grammar mistake in your reflection, and the vocabulary you used was great!
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is "Craig was miserable because all of the pressure made him think that if he didn't get into the Good Highschool, he wouldn't get into the Good College, and from there wouldn't get a Good Job, and wouldn't be able to raise a Good Family." I think this is interesting because I and many others can strongly relate to what you typed. For example, I remember that I was so worried that if I didn't get into a specialized high school, my life would be in shambles. However, even though I got into my specialized school of choice, I turned it down for BSGE and my life hasn't been destroyed. In all honesty, I feel that if you try your hardest, things will just work for you, and that perfection isn't needed for a Good Life.
Another sentence that I liked was: "Its really beautiful in a dark way." This stood out for me because I feel it is a creative, great conclusion to your reflection. It syntehsizes how the book is like by expressing that it is good from how serious it can be.
Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because just how excellent you are overall as a reviewer. In your reflection, all the main ideas about the article were perfectly expressed and organized, along with what meaning the book had. Everything was in detail, while not being the least bit boring to read. A lot of sentences were intriguing for me, so it was hard picking my two favorite lines. Plus, I like that nifty part where you stated how the book was worth reading, but may not be appropriate for some light-hearted readers.
First off, I thought your
First off, I thought your review of this book was great Adela! It was very detailed and really gives anyone who's thinking about reading the book a good overview.
I actually started reading this book about two summers ago, and I couldn't get through it because of how depressing it is! As I read your response though, and I found out that the main character soon realizes that mental well-being is more important than a lot of things in life, and I'm pretty happy that it ended this way. Maybe I had just ended at one of the harshest part's of the book.
Knowing this, maybe next time I read a book, I should hold onto it for just a little bit longer than I want, to see if it gets any better.