A Million Little Pieces Theme of Suffering

Drug use might look like fun when Lena Dunham does it, but take it from Hannah Horvath: once the high wears off, it's just not that fun anymore. If you've ever seen a drug abuse movie or (ahem) memoir, you know it's all downhill from there: the pain is not pretty. Hangovers. Injuries you can't remember happening. Blackouts. Withdrawal dreams. Vomiting. Lots and lots of vomiting.

If the goal of A Million Little Pieces is to scare us off drug use forever, it sure succeeded. 

Questions About Suffering

  1. What is the most painful part of the recovery process forJames?
  2. Do all the patients suffer in the same way? What do some of the other patients go through that James does not?
  3. Is any of James's suffering self-inflicted?
  4. How does James use his suffering to motivate himself to get better? Does he do this at all?