Character Analysis Essay
"Bravery is not the lack of fear, but the ability to move forward in spite of fear." The main character, Craig Gilner, in “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini, checks into a hospital when contemplating suicide after being accepted into a prestigious high school. The stress causes him to be unable to sleep and eat and eventually causes him to consider killing himself. He checks into the hospital, and by doing so he is taking action even though he possesses a fear of constantly being judged. Throughout the story, Craig has to be brave, patient, and understanding in order to fight his depression.
Bravery can be interpreted in many ways. Saving someone else from an injury or just being a nice person can show
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Some of the other residents have a more difficult time explaining themselves and Craig knows this. “‘I’m like an animal.’ ‘We’re all like animals.’” (206). The response he chose for this made the patient feel as if they are not alone in the way that they think. Understanding other people and their emotions can lessen conflict and make people more trustworthy.
Some people may think deciding to get help for a problem of that magnitude is not hard, just get over it and get help. When faced with the judgment of others, many people struggle to speak out about problems being faced.
Bravery is shown by taking action even though the constant threat of judgment is always looming. Craig does this by calling the hotline and checking himself into the hospital. As a fifteen-year-old, Craig is scared to show the sensitive side of himself to others. He perseveres and faces the challenge which leads to positive results.
Everyone has faced some type of difficult battle in life. Throughout “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” Craig Gilner has to be brave, patient, and understanding to others in order to defeat his depression. In doing so, he manages to face the battle ahead leaving him with a feeling of triumph. Sometimes being brave is the hardest part of getting