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.
3 comments:
James Frey must be a really strong person to never touch alcohol again, after going through such a heavy dependence on the substance. Although he will technically always be deemed an alcoholic, he has made a huge transformation.
I also read this book and was really glad that even though James went about his recovery in a different way than usual, it still worked. Although for most people it helps to have a strong support network and specific guidelines to follow, James shows that you can get by on your own determination as well.
I agree that it takes a very strong person to give up an addiction like Frey did. It does take a huge amount of determination, and I think that reflecting on his life and confessing to a priest helped him a lot. By considering the negative effects alcohol had on his life, he would be more hesitant to try it again. Also, confessing to someone else- even though confession in itself can't solve the problem- it made him accountable to another person.
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