Boyd Vizzini Change

As I read the second half of Ned Vizzini’s It’s Kind of a Funny Story, the way the talented author ended the novel with his straightforward, relatable voice made this story about such a serious topic just another young adult book with a grave meaning hidden inside. At the same time, the heart-warming book made typical teenagers, like me, marvel at the wonders of life as Craig went through his treatment from depression. During my intense reading of the last few chapters, I realized an important theme that the skilled Vizzini tried to portray: sometimes, change can be for the best. The biggest change Craig goes through is checking himself into the mental hospital. Making this decision leads to many minor outcomes that work together to benefit him in the long run. In the hospital, he makes friends with the patients, one of which who helps him re-discover his passion by suggesting “that he draw something from [his] childhood, ...[which] made [him] remember the maps” (Vizzini 306). One change leads to another, and each benefits Craig. Getting help from the mental hospital leads to Craig getting treatment and making new friends, which leads to one of them suggesting drawing something from his childhood, which leads to him drawing maps again and finding something that he truly enjoys. If he …show more content…
At first, Craig thinks that the change is awful and is ashamed of being in a mental hospital. When his friends find out about his condition, they make fun of him, and in return he shouts, “Fuck you” (257). Fed up that everyone knows about his condition now, he thinks to himself, “I can’t function in this life” (258). The fact that a foul conversation with his friends can make Craig upset at his life shows the negative effect that peer pressure can have. Because of his changes, like being in the mental hospital, the pressure of an unfamilar location adds on to peer pressure, leading to him feeling even worse about