Crazy (Mental Illness)

Book Title: Crazy by Han Nolan

Topic:  Mental Illness, Friendship

Thoughts: Jason's mother has died, his father has a mental illness, and Jason has four voices talking in his head: Crazy Glue--"the kid who Krazy Glued the fingers of his left hand together"; Sexy Lady, who tells Jason he is hot all the time (what teenage guy doesn't want this?); Aunt Bee from the Andy Griffith Show; and Fat Bald Guy (FBG) with a mustache "who sits in the back of the theater writing movie reviews" (2).

Nolan writes the novel like a play with these four voices in Jason's head talking to him and providing advice.  Even without looking to see who was talking, the voices have definite personalities that I had no problems remembering who is whom.

I like several lines Jason gives his teachers on why he writes the way he does, but I know I would not be happy if one of my own students used those lines on me.  Jason does this to be invisible, but he ends up having to go to a therapy session during lunch where he meets other students with problems: parents' divorce, parent dieing, or a parent's drug addiction.

I like the judge's statement to Jason about his role in life:  
"Going to school, studying, learning new material, advancing—this is your job. . . . And when things are falling apart in your life, that does not give you permission to let it all go to hell. . . . If you have disaster in one part of your life, you make extra sure the rest of it is working.  Otherwise you have to work twice as hard later to make up for the total mess you’ve put your life in.  Your father’s condition is, for the most part, out of your control.  Your schoolwork isn’t” (321). 

My mother sort of said the same thing when she was diagnosed with cancer, and I worried about her instead of my school work.  She told me I had to focus on my schoolwork, but Nolan said it in a more poetic way. You can replace "Your father's condition" with anything in your life that bothers you, and this quote is still relevant to you as a student.  At least Jason does take the judge's advice, but I fear, in the real world this advice goes in one ear and out the other.  How many of my students do let their schoolwork go and then have to work twice as hard to make up for it.  Why do you want to have to take two English classes or two math classes at the same time because you do not like the class?

When my brother failed his first semester of English in high school, he told me he didn't like the class.  I told him that was really smart because now he has to take the class he hates all over again.  Why not pass it the first time and get out of there?  From then on he made sure he did and turned in all his work to pass with at least a "D-."  I'm on my soap box: The more you put into your education, the more choices you will have later.


What personality will you give your "imaginary audience" aka voices in your head?  I think we are all a little "crazy" but that doesn't mean we are insane.