Reading Reflection #1

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey is a memoire I am currently reading. I have learned that James is a 23 year old male. In his own words he says “I am an Alcoholic and I am drug Addict and I am a criminal.” I have found this book does a good job at pulling the reader into the story. The author uses so much description that a reader can find some kind of connection to the writing. In one part James visits the dentist to get his front four teeth reconstructed. He goes into graphic detail about his nerves and the pain he has to suffer though. For example, “…I try to prepare for the sander and the sander hits the fragment of my left outside tooth. 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 top down and every muscle in my body flexes…” (Page 65 – second last paragraph) With this chapter about James’ visit to the dentist I easily make a text to self-connection. After I got my braces off, the orthodontist pulled out this sander to sand down my front teeth. I could hear the sander get closer until I felt the bounce against my tooth. Instantly I clench up due to the sander hitting the nerves on my teeth. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling and I was greeted with that memory while reading this chapter. I am still in the dark about how James became to be a drug addict and alcoholic. I am starting to read a couple of blurbs about this mystery girl who at one point was his friend Lucinda’s roommate. Did he lose his way because of his love for Lucinda’s roommate?