Impulse By Ellen Hopkins: An Analysis

Mental illnesses are a constant battle between mind and human. Some people survive, some people win, some people lose their fight. In the book Impulse written by Ellen Hopkins, we meet our characters Vanessa and Conner. They meet at Aspen Springs, in hope of surviving the war that continues in their head. Vanessa suffers from self harm and bipolar disorder, while Conner suffers from depression, suicidal thoughts and emotional from his former lover. Having attempted suicide, they both meet and create an unlikely friendship. Conner is the typical rich playboy that swoons the girls, and Vanessa keeps to herself and allows her emotions to run free in her head. At Aspen Springs, they’re faced with opening up their darkest thoughts including how …show more content…
Some people need a simple push to get back on their feet, and try to live life like it was normal. Vanessa O'Riley kept to herself and did not allow people to enter her mind. From family problems to trust issues, she has a different way of getting by. Vanessa’s mom gave up on her and her brother, which led to their Grandma taking care of the,. She’s been through the deepest parts of the world, and has scars to show it. Vanessa has a weird and sick way of being happy. She does not smile, or laugh. She causes herself pain. “So I gave myself to the knife, asked it to bite a little harder, chew a little deeper” (Hopkins 21). Vanessa uses self harm as a way of pleasure, and being able to control her mind. She’s self harmed many occasions before, but this time her brother found her. “The blade might have reached bone, but my little brother, Bryan, barged into the bathroom… (Hopkins 22). Her naive brother, has been exposed to her new world and is mortified. Bryan loves his big sister, and seeing her in a state like that made him go into a minor shock episode which resulted in his loud scream. This notifies their Grandma, which is also a nurse. She runs in, sees the situation and addresses the wounds as she dials