Suffering Quotes in A Million Little Pieces

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

I listen to Larry cry and pound on his pillow and curse God and beg for forgiveness. (1.5.251)

On James's first night in his room, he has to try to sleep while his roommate cries all night long. James isn't the only person suffering in rehab. Everyone is, in his or her own way.

Quote #5

The sander bounces slightly and white electric pain hits my mouth and the sander comes back and holds and pain spreads through my body from the top down and every muscle in my body flexes and I squeeze the [tennis] balls and my eyes start to tear and the hair on the back of my neck stands straight my tooth f***ing hurts like the point of a bayonet is being driven straight through it. The point of a f***ing bayonet. (1.7.266)

This is two sentences, if you weren't counting. James writes about pain and suffering in much the same way he writes about anger: in a frenetic stream of consciousness, which pretty much is the way you think when you're actually going through pain.

Quote #6

It hurts and I deserve it. (2.1.47)

James is talking about a too-hot shower here, but this self-destructive attitude could be applied to almost any of James's harmful actions.