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 talks to Keith, the person he reaches at the suicide hotline number, admitting that he recently stopped taking his medication. Keith offers to lead Craig in a five-step exercise to manage anxiety. At the end of their call, Keith suggests calling the national 1-800-SUICIDE number. Craig calls it. The woman on the line listens patiently, then tells Craig that suicidal feelings can be a medical emergency and that he should consider going to the emergency room. Craig puts on his clothes to go to the hospital, and the woman congratulates him for being brave.
In keeping with the novel’s realistic tone, Craig’s experience of calling the suicide hotline number is not big and dramatic. The people on the other end of the line speak to him calmly and walk him through the process of what he needs to do next. This passage strives for realism while also showing that fighting against a suicidal urge doesn’t have to be a complicated process and that there are resources in place to deal with anyone who feels similar to Craig.
Themes
