A Million Little Pieces~OR# 7

James Frey's character is beginning to mature. Since Frey has been off drugs and alcohol for some time now, he obviously, has a clearer mind. Frey is starting to see life in a fresh and somewhat adult-like perspective.

Frey is maturing as a character by expressing his thoughts on his addiction and what he knows he is capable of doing/not doing. Frey realizes that he has to make the most out of his situation in rehab; because, like the doctors warned him, Frey will die if he takes another hit of a drug. For now, Frey decides that it's best that he stays in rehab. As it is, I'm glad that Frey is still in rehab due to him being more of a risk-taker (it's almost as if he's now a rebellious adult).

As a reader, I'm a little skeptical as to if Frey's maturing is for better or for the worse. I believe that Frey's newly aquired independence is going to end up hurting him. It would be much better if Frey lets professionals take care of him, as opposed to Frey taking care of himself. Frey's stance on where he plans to be after rehab, quite frankly; scares the bejesus out of me!

Frey says, "I don't believe in Higher Powers and the Twelve Steps or anything related to them, and that is all they teach in Halfway Houses. It'll be a waste of my time"(326).

In other words, Frey opts to NOT go into any kind of halfway house because he thinks that it would be a waste of his time! All that was running through my mind when I read that passage was, "What a ludicrous idea, good luck with that one, Frey!" It's bad enough that 85% of people that come out of intense in-patient rehab relapse within the first year of getting out; so Frey deciding to NOT have further life-long treatment for his disease is absoulutely positively absurd!

As frustrating as it is, I hope that my predictions on Frey do not come true, and, he instead, matures into a drug-free professional and dignified man. From Frey's actions in this part of the novel, I would be very surprised if he were to be successful in life after rehab.