Summary Of Now Is Not The Time To Panic By Kevin Wilson

Kevin Wilson uses two “fugitives” as main characters in his story, “Now is Not the Time to Panic” to have deeper conversations about the dual-edged weapon that is one’s mind. Wilson’s work is a modern investigation of the role of emotion, thoughts, and health in the lives of adolescents. More specifically, Wilson delves into the lives of two teenagers, Zeke and Frankie, as they navigate through love, hate, and everything in between. In his story “Now is Not the Time to Panic,” Wilson explores the topic of mental health and the drastic impacts of ignoring and leaving mental health struggles unaddressed, while simultaneously showing the power of addressing it. Kevin Wilson explores the impact of mental health through the various shifts in Frankie’s

Frankie has frustrations with her father as well since he cheated on his mother and has a child named, Frances. Frankie struggles with emotions related to abandonment and loneliness, which she expresses through the controversial poster that caused panic throughout the nation: “I could take all my baby teeth, which I’d kept in a plastic baggie, and drive to my dad’s house and give them to her [Frances], like a gift.I thought about the book I was writing, the girl criminal mastermind.She [Frankie’s novel character, Evie Fastabend] was always calling her hideout, this little abandoned shack in the woods, the edge” (37 Frankie expresses struggles with abandonment when she thinks about wanting to give her half-sister, baby teeth, symbolizing the loss of her baby teeth, or childhood, that her father didn’t experience. Additionally, she uses Evie Fastabend as an escape from reality, where she can control the narrative. Secondly, Frankie expresses her struggle with mental health after she breaks her arm: “Also it felt like my life was ending, like the best part of it was gone forever, and maybe I wondered if it was worth it to keep living”

Lastly, the song, “She’s lost control“ by Joy Division, delves into the concept of mental health, and its effects on self-restraint. The artist sings, “And she gave away the secrets of her past And said, ‘I've lost control again’.” The artist's descriptions are similar to Zeke in the story, who has shown multiple outbursts where he lost control. Concurrently, Zeke expresses instant remorse over these and acknowledges his struggles like the character in the song. This further outlines the impact of mental health struggles, as they can lead to outbursts and struggles with restraint. Through the characters of Zeke and Frankie, Kevin Wilson explores the impact of mental health, and leaving it unaddressed; this interpretation from Wilson is further backed by various research, along with lyrical information from the artist, Joy Divison. Wilson’s emphasis on the idea that addressing mental health can yield large benefits is prevalent throughout his story, as is his fear that ignoring it can be harmful. By showing optimism around the idea that mental health problems can be addressed, Wilson allows readers to leave the novel with a positive