A Million Little Pieces: A Story of Addiction and Recovery

This article discusses James Frey's addiction and recovery journey in his book A Million Little Pieces. It highlights how his pride hindered his recovery and how his father contributed to his improvement. The writing style is conversational, making it easy to connect with the narrator.

Running Head: A MILLION LITTLE PIECES
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A million little pieces
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Institutions
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For a long time James Frey has been using alcohol and other drugs, ruining relationships,
running from the hands of the police and harming his life. The life of James has no purpose and
he has caused much suffering and pain to those who are close to him. James has lost hopes in
living a worthy life (Frey, 2013). It has become difficult for him to part from alcohol and other
drugs, and he only depends on them. He is lost, hurt, pathetic and angry. He is very proud and
this attributed hindered him from recovery. After his parents took him to rehabilitation center,
James attempts to kill himself after he is told not to use drugs again. The counselors try to use the
12-Step Method of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) but he adamantly refused their help (Aubry,
2007). Most of his time was spend fighting with other patients and complaining how AA was
not helping him. His stubbornness and proud in accepting the information provided in the
rehabilitation center made him take long time before recovery. I will give two examples of how
his proud hinder his recovery from addiction. First example, he does not get along with drinking
and taking drugs. For instance as after his father stops his car as they get from filling station,
what he need is bottle of alcohol and smoke. He does not care about his situation. Another
example is indicated by how he did not listen to the advice of his parents. He takes alcohol to
bedroom and takes sips as he gets to a sleep landing him to more of the stomach ups. His proud
help he recovers from the same by accepting to be in clinic. This is just after he does all what he
need but the condition becomes worse as he takes whisky which brings much of the
complications. It is now about accepting to be rehabilitated other than struggling with the pains
in his body.
Similarly, Frey’s writing style is following conversation aspects. It is full of the
consciousness. The method helps me to connect with the narrator. In fact, it just likes a

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conversation through what he was undergoing right from the plane to Wisconsin (Frey, 2016).
Using the examples, the writing gives me exact figure on his physical outlook and how the drugs
have affected his proceeding. For instance, in the plane, through the conversational way of
narrating style, I can see his physical inquires blood all over his body, four teeth missing, and his
body in mess dues to the effects of the drugs (Dahmen, 2010). Another example is an encounter
with his parents, the way he avoids the hug from his parents is a clear indication that he is
affected by the drugs. He takes drugs anyhow even at the peak worse mess in his body.
Additionally, just as the Frey’s father has affected his recovery from the additions, by
contributing to his improvement from the same, I also encounter the same in my life. Some
years back I had no interest in education. In fact, going to school was kind of poison to me. My
only mother had to take all initiative to make sure I understand the importance of going to
school. I had to join the college by then, but following the life I encountered in my lower
learning levels, I had no interest in proceeding with education. It took my mum; about a year is
convincing me of what benefits will come there after I finish all my learning levels. Again my
mother had to take me to a couple of trips trying to explain to me the wonders of the world and
all that it requires for one to be successful. Out of his struggle, I had to regain and get back to the
sense on what he said, and today I am proud that if it were not for my mom, I could not be an
engineer as I am today. The same happened to Frey’s addiction life through his father especially
contributed so much to his recovery.

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References
Aubry, T. (2007). The Pain of Reading A Million Little Pieces: The James Frey Controversy and
the Dismal Truth. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies, 22(2), 155-180.
Dahmen, N. S. (2010). Construction of the truth and destruction of A million little pieces:
Framing in the editorial response to the James Frey case. Journalism Studies, 11(1), 115-
130.
Frey, J. (2013). A million little pieces. Anchor Books.
Frey, J. (2016). A Million Little Pieces, 2003. New York: Anchor.