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
On Monday, Craig can’t get over the idea that he should be in school. He checks his voicemail and has one from Aaron apologizing and one from Nia’s friend Jenna, who is going through an experience similar to Craig’s and wants to hang out when Craig gets back. Craig then gets a phone call from the principal of his school and is so startled that he hangs up. He doesn’t pick up when the phone rings again because he’s afraid he’ll be expelled.
The fact that Craig hangs up on his principal shows that all the new confidence he has gained in the hospital, he still doesn’t have the courage to face his old life. This passage also raises the possibility that perhaps Craig isn’t just struggling in school because of depression—his school may in fact exacerbate his symptoms of depression.
Themes
