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 is afraid to make phone calls at the ward because Bobby and his friend Johnny use it a lot. Finally, he gets a chance on the phone and calls his voicemail. The first is from Nia, saying she’s worried about him after their last conversation. The second is from Aaron asking to hang out. The third is from his science teacher, saying he’s missing some lab assignments.
When Craig checks his voicemail, he tentatively reconnects with his old life, including the social ties that caused him to feel inadequate and depressed in the first place. While these messages cause anxiety for Craig, they also reassure him that he doesn’t have to leave his old life behind just because he’s in the hospital.
Themes
Craig calls Sarah and asks for her to give him the numbers of Nia, Aaron, and his science teacher out of his cell phone. In the middle of the call, a man named Solomon introduces himself to Craig and asks him to be quieter. When Craig calls Nia, he tries to act normal at first. He eventually admits that he was thinking about killing himself, but he doesn’t reveal his location.
Craig’s phone call to Nia shows how he is more willing to open up to other people about his problems, but it also suggests that he still can’t help but hide part of himself from others. His inability to admit that he’s in the hospital shows that he still feels shame about his condition and is unwilling to admit that he needs help.
Themes
