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Chapter 12
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in It’s Kind of a Funny Story, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Mental Health
Art and Self-Discovery
Peer Pressure vs. Self-Empowerment
Friendship and Romance
Summary
Analysis
Craig feels that the Zoloft works instantly. But he soon realizes that it’s only a “Fake Shift” and things haven’t really improved for him. Even at his best, he struggles with self-esteem. One day at a movie-watching session, when Aaron is out for coffee, Nia asks Craig if something’s wrong, and he admits that he’s been on anti-depressants. Nia says she’s also on anti-depressants and sees a therapist. She agrees not to tell Aaron, even though she thinks it’s normal to be on medication. She gives Craig her new phone number in case he ever needs it. Craig feels good and decides not to refill his Zoloft when the prescription runs out.
Although Craig focuses on how he feels inadequate compared to the people around him, this passage reveals that maybe Craig isn’t as alone as he thinks—people like Nia are also struggling with their own problems, even if those problems aren’t visible on the surface. This helps Craig understand more about depression, but he still has serious gaps in his knowledge, as his decision not to listen to his psychopharmacologist and instead make his own decisions about his medicine demonstrates.
Themes
