Outside Reading Post 6 (Q2)

By the end of the novel we have seen a complete revolution in the character of James Frey. After writing a reflection of his past, and then confessing to a priest, he is released from the clinic. As soon as he leaves, he tells his brother, Bob, and his brother’s friend Kevin, to take him to a bar. He asks his brother for forty dollars and buys a pint of whiskey. Upon receiving the whiskey Frey examines it carefully. He puts his fingers in it, smells it, and stares at his reflection in it. Ultimately, Frey tells the bartender to pour the whiskey out. Frey writes: “I touched it and I smelled it and I felt it, but I didn’t drink it. I’m done drinking. Won’t ever do it again” (430). Frey’s action, and resistance to the alcohol, shows that Frey has finally overcome  his addiction to alcohol. It reveals to us that James Frey’s strength and determination paid off.

The last page of the book gave a short list of what happened to the people mentioned throughout the book. The majority of the patients in the clinic died, including Lilly, who committed suicide, and Frey’s friend Leonard. The very last sentence of the novel tells us that James Frey has remained sober to this day. It simply states: “James has never relapsed” (432). Frey’s ability to remain clean even after all of this time since he has been at the clinic, shows us that it is possible to change our ways. Frey started off as someone who was given only a short time to live if he did not change. He ended as someone who successfully became, and remained, sober. 

Outside Reading Post 5 (Q2)

Further along James Frey's journey to recovery we see how much he has changed, and learn about his values, as he has to make a tough decision. Frey is faced with the decision of whether to leave the clinic and chase after Lilly, or stay there and focus on his own needs. Lilly has run away after hearing that she and Frey cannot see each other anymore. Frey remembers Lilly and his conversation about suicide and decides it is more important to run after her. He states "I stand at my door hoping she'll come back, hoping this is all a nightmare, hoping for the sake of hoping"(339). These words show Frey’s strong desire to help Lilly, and how much he has grown to love her. It seems now as if Frey needs Lilly in his life above everything else. Frey again states: “I love her and love is more important than Rules and Regulations” (340). These words are what empower Frey to go after Lilly. These words show that he finally has something in his life worth living for and someone he can love. By placing Lilly above all else we see that Frey has learned to accept others needs ahead of his own. Frey is faced with a tough ethical decision, to take care of his own needs, or another’s. We will all be faced with a similar decision at one point or another and we will have to make a choice just as Frey did.

  In addition to his love for Lilly, we see another change in the character of James Frey. It is something he has worked on throughout the book, but we are finally able to see a very dramatic change. Upon finding out that his Grandfather was an alcoholic he says: “If an individual is fat but wants to be thin, it is not a genetic disease. If someone is stupid, but wants to be smart, it is not a genetic disease. If a drunk is a drunk, but doesn't want to be a drunk anymore, it is not a genetic disease. Addiction is a decision” (308). This quote shows that Frey understands his mistakes, and blames no one else for them. He will not make any excuses for his actions, which shows us he has a great level of maturity. Again Frey shows his acceptance to us: “I did everything I did. I made the decisions to do it all. The only way I’m going to get better is if I accept responsibility for the decision to either be an Addict or not be an addict” (306). This shows that not only does Frey realize that where he is now is because of his own actions, but it also shows he understands what he must to do to help heal himself.