A Million Little Pieces Analytical Paragraph#2

Discussion Question: Analyze Lily's behavior toward James. Do you think she is trying to fill a void?

James Frey

  Lily is a girl in her mid-twenties that is in the rehab facility with James. At the rehab facility, communication with the opposite sex is highly frowned upon, and can result with the two individuals who are speaking, to be kicked out. As James continues his stay at the facility, he becomes more interested in the young girl Lily, and Lily becomes interested in James. Lily and James meet up in the woods off of the trails outside of the rehab facility, staying hidden among the trees and bushes. Lily tells James that she used to rely on men and their needs for her, to validate what she was worth and that she was happy. As an addict, Lily has a need for something. Without the drugs or alcohol to fill that void that something is missing, she turns to men. It is not only Lily that feels this way, it is every addict. Lily is trying to fill that void with James, and trying to make herself happy, and possibly, make James happy. However, the rule for the facility is in place for a reason. Being in a relationship with an addict is a hard one, that can cause many problems. Being in a relationship with two addicts is not healthy for a recovering addict. The chances of relapse are raised, and the individuals in the relationship will rely too highly on the other person for happiness, causing stress and tension. Lily is tired of being alone, and has turned to James to try and make her happy and to give her freedom. " 'Freedom. However we can find it.' 'And you think one of those forms could be each other?' 'Maybe.' "(214). Lily is no longer wanting to follow the rules. She thinks she can find happiness in another addict, which will never end well because of all the addicts needs and wants. Lily is setting herself up for a broken heart, disappointment, and possibly, a relapse.  

Essential Question Blog Post

Topic: Addiction 

A man drinking alcohol 

Essential Question: Is alcoholism a disease?

Claim: Alcoholism is a disease that requires medical treatment to be cured.

Reason (Physical Withdrawal): To have a healthy and successful recovery, an alcoholic must seek medical treatment to prevent dangerous and uncomfortable physical withdrawals. A withdrawal is when an individual becomes sober and experiences physical or emotional pain. A physical withdrawal is when one's body shuts down due to no longer having the substance of alcohol in the body, causing the body to go into shock, leaving the individual with cravings, fatigue, and pain. For a recovering alcohol, medical treatment is necessary. If one does not seek help after unhealthy drinking for a long period of time, the alcoholic may experience seizures, increased heart rate, the shakes, delirium tremens (DT's), anxiety, and fever. If an alcoholic does not seek help during one's recovery, they may die due to these withdrawal symptoms, which must be treated by a doctor. If a so called "addict" does not experience these symptoms, the individual was not abusing alcohol and does not need treatment because they are not addicted. 

A Million Little Pieces analytical paragraph

The Twelve Steps


Evaluate James's attitude toward the Twelves Steps, discuss why you think he is so against the steps.

The Twelve Steps, are a set of steps, given to an addict who is trying to become sober and stay sober. These steps, are told to save addicts lives and to help them stay on the path of a good and healthy recovery. These steps include admitting that you are powerless to your disease, to believe in a higher power, to have a spiritual awakening and so on. Many addicts who come into rehab are not open to the Twelve Steps, especially the preaching of God and prayer can make many feel as if they are involved in some sort of cult. James Frey is very against the Twelve Step Program because he thinks the steps are a waste of time. Frey also disagrees with the steps because they have not worked for him in the past. Frey is very against trying to call upon his "higher power," because he thinks there is none. James Frey is also not good with change. The way Frey would deal with change was to drink until he blacked out, or did cocaine until he couldn't feel his nose anymore. All of these things that were once a cushion for change, are no longer there for him. As one of the counselors of the rehab called him into her office, they began to discuss the Twelve Steps and what Frey needs to do to become sober. The counselor begins to explain that her sobriety is all due to the Twelve Steps. James immediately shuts down and is not open to the idea of participating in the Twelve Steps. "*You can have that too, you just have to do what we tell you and trust us, even if you think it's ridiculous. *If it involves the number Twelve, it's not gonna happen.*"(150). Frey shows that he is resistant to his counselor and her views of the Twelve Step program. Frey does not acknowledge the fact that the steps have worked for almost everyone. If a patient did not agree with a step they would simply skip it. Frey sees no compromise like others have seen, and will not even try the steps, not knowing that they might affect him differently than they did the last time he had tried them. James Frey is an addict and drugs, that disagrees with the Twelve Steps and does not enjoy change. For an addict, change is necessary, and the way Frey reacts to the steps and not wanting to do them, a healthy living style is no where in sight.

Objective Summary #4

Objective Summary: Tweak by Nic Sheff

Nic Sheff 

      In pages 172-202 of Tweak by Nic Sheff, Sheff is on his way to a healthy, sober life with the help of his sponsor, Spencer. When Spencer comes home from a family vacation very ill, Sheff is put to the test when he is asked to take care of Spencers young daughter, Lucy. This opens Sheff's eyes and shows that he really does want recovery and to start a family. Sheff soon realizes that since he is not able to exercise due to watching Lucy, he feels overwhelmed and extremely anxious. Sheff figures he needs to see a physiatrist  to figure out how to control his wild  mood swings. Nic Sheff explains that he has been on many antidepressants since he was 18, and feels that being back on medication, could help him to no longer be overwhelmed and depressed. After he goes to a see the physiatrist, he becomes more relaxed knowing that everything is going to be okay. Sheff feels complete and satisfied, especially since he has been helping Spencer and his family during the hard times they are having, with Spencer being ill and Michelle, (Spencer's wife), having to be at the hospital with her husband. Sheff feels he has a purpose when he has to take care of Lucy, which is something he has been searching for. Instead of searching for a high, he has started to search for meaning, and is trying to help others that have always been there to help him.

  



Citation: Sheff, Nic. Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines. Waterville, Me.: Thorndike, 2008. Print.

Objective Summary: Tweak by Nic Sheff

Objective Summary: Tweak by Nic Sheff

Tweak by Nic Sheff

In Tweak by Nic Sheff, Sheff begins his life as a drug dealer with his drug addict "friend", Gack.  Sheff turns to the drug dealing world because it is what he has always wanted to do, the thrill of being high and living on the edge. Sheff feels that drugs and alcohol give a feeling of not being hopeless or in despair, which is how he has felt his whole life. Like he does not belong or fit in. Sheff focuses on selling drugs as his way of life, trying to sell crystal mixed with Vitamin B, but when Sheff and Gack's batch of drugs don't turn out the way they want, they continue to try sell it, stating that the drugs are "Pure and unprocessed." Sheff explains that he has been in therapy his whole life. He states that he knows what is wrong with him, but he does not care. All he wants is  the drugs to take him out of the real world, to forget the bad things that are going on, drugs are his escape from his reality. Drugs make Sheff feel invincible, like he can do anything. He finally feels like he belongs and doesn't need to impress anyone. The reason Sheff feels the need to share his life story with people is not only to make them like him, but also to share the hardships that he has encountered in his life, but being open in the drug world can be very dangerous. Nic Sheff takes the reader on a wild roller coaster of the drug dealing world and how hard it can be to stay clean and sober once you have started using drugs.

Citation: Sheff, Nic. Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines. Waterville, Me.: Thorndike, 2008. Print.

tech friday

Symbolism of the "Fire" in Lord of the Flies





The boys use a signal fire in the hopes of being rescued.

      The boys rely on the fire to maintain order and give hope to each other on being rescued off the island. Without fire, the boys will resort to savergy. During Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the fire is maintained on the top of the mountain, in the hopes of being rescued by a passing ship. Once the boys have trudged up the mountain, they must figrue out a way to create light and warmth. The boys also want the fire to send out a signal fire, in case of a passing ship in the distance. With the help of Piggy's specks, the fire is bright and aroar, sending out puffs and puffs of smoke into the darkening sky. The boys were overjoyed with hope and the very thought of being rescued off the abondoned island. "We've got to have special people for looking after the fire. Any day there may be a ship out there.."(42). Ralph is making it clear that in order to be rescued, the fire must be kept lit. The fire represents the boys burning hope of being rescued off the island, and being taken back to civilization.The human nature of wanting to be with family and friends, and not be isolated from other people, creates the need to be off the island.The human nature of wanting to fight to stay alive will take control, but sometimes, only for a certain amount of time, before they have given up hope.  Despite the excitement of fire and smoke, the longer the boys stayed on the island, the more they turn to savergy. The fire does not become as big of a priortity. The boys would rather be hunting and killing pigs, growing farther and farther away from the civilized English boys they once were. "Ralph spoke again, hoarsley. He had not moved. You let the fire go out,"(70). The fire in the beginning was the boys main priority. As savergy became more of the obvious route, the boys forgot their need to be rescued. The boys lost hope in the fire, and let there animalstic, vicious ways show, instead of being the civilized, English boys they once were. As humans we eventually will give up hope on something that never seems to go our way or never seems to be looking up. Once the boys realized this, they stopped fighting to be rescued, and let the islands dark, unknown secrets, take over them. As the author writes Lord of the Flies, Golding shows the boys transition of well behaved boys to savage hunters, that would stop at nothing for the taste of meat. Golding starts this transition with loss of the fire. As the light dims, so does the boys hope of being rescued.