Nonfiction Analysis "A Million Little Pieces" By James Frey

Topics and Events

1. My book is about the struggle to overcome drug and alcohol addictions. It's about falling in love in strange places, going through rehabilitation and staying strong for yourself and others. James gets checked into rehab after finally scaring his parents into realizing that he needs help. He is forced to get multiple root canals, without any anesthesia because he may have a negative to reaction to the excessive use of drugs. He uses tennis balls to help him cope with the pain. He would use them by digging his nails into them and squeezing as hard as he could. Despite the strict rules about talking and communicating with other females, he falls in love with a woman drug abuser. He eventually recovers and is released from the rehabilitation center, James never relapses. 
2. I believe my author chose to write about this part of his life to share what a struggle it is to keep from relapsing. To show off his strength and prove that it is possible to overcome addictions if you want to, and if you have help.
3. I chose this book for multiple reasons. One reason was because I had been recommended to read it by different friends who had already read it and enjoyed it. I also chose this book because after reading the first couple of pages I was hooked to it. James Frey starts his book off with a little bit of a mystery by saying "I have a hole in my cheek, my nose is broken and my eyes are swollen nearly shut." I immediately felt almost obligated to find out what was going on. My prediction of him having been in some sort of accident was wrong. He was addicted to drugs and that was such a plot twist I had to continue reading this mans story. 
4. I found this book very realistic. I have some family member who have tried to overcome drug addiction and I have witnessed some of the same struggles Frey went through. 

People

1. I find it interesting that the author always found everyone so ugly and almost not worthy of speaking to. He was always very negative when dealing with anyone, except the woman he ends up falling in love with. He makes her out to be very beautiful and perfect, but I think she was perfect and beautiful for him, not for anyone else. I think he liked her because he was kept in the clinic for so long and he was just searching for something to love. I think this action says a lot about the author. He wasn't happy and didn't feel loved, and once he felt he had it, he was able to recover from his use of drugs and alcohol. 
2. Lilly is a fragile, petite woman whose mother sold her into prostitution and that's how she becomes addicted to drugs. Lilly and James end up falling in love and when Lilly is about to relapse James is there to help her. Lilly is James's inspiration to get better, to recover and I find that very enchanting on Lilly's part. She was just sincere with James. Lilly is very unloved until James, they save each other.                                                                                                                                                               Another character I found interesting is Leonard. I did a little research on Leonard and I didn't even     know he was a mafia boss. The book never mentions that, and if I were the author, I would mention   that. He doesn't really fit the gangster image to me though, he would wear flashy clothes and was         always trying to brighten the mood at the clinic. Leonard was one of the other people who kept James from leaving the clinic. Leonard is father figure to James. Leonard eventually dies from AIDS and he   never relapsed. 
3. These characters are both interesting to write about because they both play a huge part in Frey's life. They both give him reasons to stay at the clinic to get better. 

Style

1. James uses a lot symbolism. He talks about not being able to look himself in his eyes because eyes tell a lot of things about a person. After a couple of weeks, he is finally able to look himself in the eyes and this is a big deal for James. 
2. James focuses more on dialogue which gives the book a more realistic point of view. You get to here his thoughts and the conversations he had. This style of writing, is one of my favorites styles. 
3. James uses pathos, appeal to emotion, very often. He uses it to get you emotionally attached to himself and it has you wanting him to recover, it gets you cheering for him to do better. 
4. I think the authors attitude was negative, he wrote the book as if it were occurring as you read it. He made you feel like it was happening to him as you read it. Like he was currently struggling, but by the end the tone gets more positive and you feel almost relieved that he doesn't relapse. It's as if you are fighting the addiction with Frey.