Mental Illness

The basis of Audrey’s conflict is that she must learn to cope with her mental illness. Audrey’s sense of humor and wit make her seem “normal” to the reader, which emphasizes the fact that people with mental illness do not always present the typical symptoms that make their problems obvious. The first person narrative builds a bond between the reader and Audrey so that the reader becomes a trusted friend who gains first-hand knowledge of the problems Audrey faces due to her mental illness.

To complicate matters, Audrey must also overcome the stereotypes others place on mental illness. She is appalled at how little her own best friend knows about mental illness and realizes after talking with her that there are many stereotypes to overcome. Hiding behind her dark sunglasses and quitting school for the semester only worsens public suspicion of Audrey’s...