This section we learned more in depth about Craig's problem. The new school he was accepted into stressed him out with the mountains of homework he was given. He was also tied up with his interest in Nia, who is in a relationship with Aaron. We also read about Craig's first "party" encounter, and the power sex, and drugs can have on a person, especially a teenager. "The papers piled up in my room, and every day whenI came home I looked at them and knew that I could handle them, that if i just opend that first one i'd be able to get through them all and get the assignment done. Instead i lay in bed and waited for Aaron to call" ( 94-95). He realized how easy it was to "party" and how hard it is "work". It may come easy for Aaron who can smoke and mess around all he wants and is still incredibly smart "Aaron, who ended up in eight out of my nine classes, fot an 100 on the start-of-school reading quiz" but it seems hard for Craig to realize that he can't always be as 'up-to-par' as his best friend ( Craig recieved a 70 on his quiz). He admires Aaron, he's older, does well in school; "he was smart fearless, with a flop of brown curly hair and the sort of glasse that made girls like him" (53). Craig's also jealous Aaron has Nia. Craig's expressed and attraction to Nia, and is jealous of Aaron ability of charisma towards girls.
Reading this section reminded me of the Beatles song, "Nowhere Man", so to spice up our blog a little;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1BVzNfqP0U
Reading this section reminded me of the Beatles song, "Nowhere Man", so to spice up our blog a little;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1BVzNfqP0U
Literally fought with this website to post this entry for some reason :/ but basically the song explains that the issues Craig is facing are not that unusual, which Nia and Mr. Barney, for example try to explain to him. Nia tells her about her mental issues, and Mr. Barney tells him that he's dealt with the same problem. Also from previous posts, we can all agree that school can cause a great deal of stress on anybody. His depression takes such a toll on him that suicide is an option. This song expresses realizing the help around him and not hurrying his life away:
ReplyDelete"He's as blind as he can be,
Just sees what he wants to see,
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?
Nowhere Man, don't worry,
Take your time, don't hurry,
Leave it all till somebody else
lends you a hand!"
Yes this song is perfect! Also he says, "I liked to think about me. I didn't want to be part of some trend. I wasn't doing this for a fashion statement" and Nia continues to say, "See? This is what I mean. You put these walls up" (120). He is a nowhere man in many ways-the way you said, and in the way that he wants to be unique and change the world and impact people. Instead he feels like he is not special at all, being depressing like a ton of others his age. He wants to be special, putting himself in a different spot and talking to Nia differently, and she tells him that he puts up walls. It's true-he is a nowhere man!
ReplyDeleteThe lyrics "He's as blind as he can be/
ReplyDeleteJust sees what he wants to see" fits perfectly to the state Craig is in when he contemplates committing suicide. He tells the Maritsa from the Brooklyn Anxiety Management Center, "I'm clinically depressed, you know...It's gotten to a point where it's the worst it's ever been and I just don't want to deal with it anymore" (123). Craig is blind in the sense that he thinks killing himself is going to be the best option to cure all his symptoms of depression. He's loosing sight of trying to rehabilitate himself because his so tired of trying things that don't work (Tae Bo, acupuncture, yoga, feng shui, etc). He can only picture himself dying because that is the most peaceful thought in his mind; it's a quick fix. Although his condition is hard to cope with, I think he should have a little bit more motivation to stay alive and become healthy again. Being a 'nowhere man' is not going to get him anywhere, but rather further his state of depression.
Yes, he's completely lost it. He just wants to let go. He can't wait. It's quite sad, actually, reading the book makes me pretty sad. And mad! It makes me want to slap him in the face and get some sense into him and tell him to stop being a nowhere man and get somewhere with his life!!
ReplyDelete