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Symbols
In It’s Kind of a Funny Story, maps symbolize a way for Craig, who has been obsessed with maps from a young age, to navigate a path forward in life by managing the symptoms of depression instead of feeling “lost” and alone in his struggle with mental illness. One of Craig’s big breakthroughs at the psychiatric hospital happens during the art class that he takes with Joanie. Initially, Craig feels stuck and unsure of what to draw, but when he thinks back to his childhood and the things that used to give him joy, he decides to start drawing maps that look like the human brain. Drawing these maps helps Craig to better understand not just himself but also the people around him, as Craig draws brain map portraits of his fellow patients in the hospital, which deepens his relationship with them.
The process of drawing these literal maps also helps Craig to metaphorically begin to map out the rest of his life. After a conversation with Dr. Minerva, he realizes that perhaps the root cause of his depression has something to do with the ultra-competitive high school that he currently attends. He realizes then that he has the power to navigate his own future, rather than always listening to his mom and dad, and decides to look into attending an art school where he can continue the artistic journey he began when he started drawing the brain maps. Craig’s brain maps symbolize navigating mental health can be difficult, but they also point to how art and self-reflection can be ways to improve and learn to manage symptoms.
Maps Quotes in It’s Kind of a Funny Story
The It’s Kind of a Funny Story quotes below all refer to the symbol of Maps. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 3
Quotes
She got me some thick paper—white construction paper. Later on I grew to prefer straight computer paper. I went back under my fort and turned the light on and started on my first map. And I did that for the next five years—whenever I was in class, I didn’t doodle, I drew maps. Hundreds of them. When I finished, I crumpled them; it was making them that was important. I did cities on the ocean, cities with two rivers meeting in the middle, cities with one big river that bent, cities with bridges, crazy interchanges, circles and boulevards. I made cities. That made me happy. That was my Anchor. And until I turned nine and turned to video games, that was what I wanted to be when I grew up: a mapmaker.
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Chapter 32
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It’s depressing, though. I mean, this room is what I expect a mental hospital to look like. Adults reduced to children, sitting with finger paints; a jolly supervisor telling them that everything they do is great.
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Chapter 38
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“Ha! Listen, for real, here’s my card.” Neil pulls out a simple black-and-white business card that identifies him as a Guitar Therapist. “Whenever you’re out of here, and I’m sure it’ll be soon, give me a call and we can talk about volunteering, and—I’m serious—I might like to buy some of these.”
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Chapter 41
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“You were the one who suggested I do stuff from childhood,” I continue. “I used to do these when I was a kid, and I forgot how fun they were.”
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Maps Symbol Timeline in It’s Kind of a Funny Story
The timeline below shows where the symbol Maps appears in It’s Kind of a Funny Story. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
...and living in a small Manhattan apartment with Mom and Dad. He was obsessed with maps of Manhattan and used to try to draw them himself, getting frustrated whenever he failed....
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Chapter 4
Craig tells Dr. Minerva that he liked making maps specifically by hand. Dr. Minerva reminds him to keep taking his medicine and seeing his...
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Chapter 32
...to draw, so everyone else in the room shouts out suggestions. Craig eventually draws a map that looks like a brain, which impresses all the other patients. Noelle leaves a note...
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Chapter 38
Neil compliments Craig on his rhythm. Craig shows Neil some of the brain maps he’s been drawing: he now has about 15 or so of them. Neil offers his...
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Chapter 46
...that afternoon, in preparation for him leaving the next day. Craig starts with a brain map for Armelio, who gives Craig his phone number at the adult home he’ll be going...
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Chapter 47
...and finds Mom, Dad, and Sarah waiting for him. He tells them about the brain maps he was doing for the other patients. His Dad wants to talk about Craig transferring...
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