Taking Responsibility free essay sample

When people take a look at the world around them, they see that people often are blaming others for their poor lack of judgement. Whether they are blaming their parents, friends, or a complete stranger, they should instead take the blame themselves to learn from the situation. In A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, the readers learn that it is easiest to take responsibility for their actions rather than blaming others. The main character, James, learns that it is easiest for him to take the blame for his actions rather than blaming others because doing so allows him for the most efficient recovery and life after rehab. While James is struggling to recover in rehab, he learns that blaming himself is the best throughout his past, present, and recovery experiences such as his neglected childhood, refusing to go to Alcoholics Anonymous, and finally being fully recovered from a harmful lifestyle. Throughout James’ life, he has always struggled with his anger issues that are commonly referred to as ‘The Fury’. During his last few weeks at the rehabilitation center, James learns that this is from his neglected childhood. At the beginning of the novel, readers learn that when James’ Fury takes over, he cannot control his actions or thoughts, the Fury completely takes over. â€Å"I turn and I walk back to my Room and it’s empty and I begin pacing and my body shakes and I try to control myself. half of me wants to go back to the Hall and fight whoever is there and either destroy or be destroyed, half of me wants to hide. † (Frey 50). This quote is significant to the theme because it is one of the first times readers realize how bad James’ anger issues are and how difficult it is for him to control himself. Towards the end of the novel, James has a family session with his family. When he has this confrontation with his parents, he figures out where his anger issues started. â€Å"He had ear problems. † (Frey 304). Since the first memories that James had as a child were of anger and pain, it has emotionally scarred him for the rest of his life and has also caused him to have immense anger issues that he has to learn how to control. These anger issues has made James realize that he cannot always blame others for uncontrollable events. â€Å"How do I get better? I take responsibility for myself and learn to deal with myself and I learn to deal with myself and I learn to control the Fury. † (Frey 303). This quote is significant to the theme of the book because this the true moment that James realizes that he is the only one who can fix his problems. James finding out that his past was the reason that he had issues with The Fury was helpful with his theory of blaming yourself instead of others. Since he decided to not blame his parents who were the main cause and instead just took the responsibility for learning how to control himself and The Fury. While his neglected childhood has made him learn how to take the responsibility and blame for his anger, his refusal of Alcoholics Anonymous taught him how to blame himself for his actions to allow him to have a better life. During James’ stay at the drug and rehabilitation center, the readers see him struggling with the issue of self-blame. While James wants to blame himself and only himself, but he is commonly advised to follow Twelve Steps. Twelve Steps is a set of guiding principles based on spiritual beliefs that outline a course of action for curing addictions or alcoholism. One of the common programs associated with Twelve steps is AA and it is highly recommended that all of the patients attend these meetings. â€Å"If what the Doctor says at the beginning is true, and joining AA is the only way to cure me, then I’m completely fucked. Fucked fucked fucked. † (Frey 78). This quote explains the way that James feels towards going to the AA meetings, he feels as if he should not be required to go since he does not believe that it will help his recovery process. James believes that AA meetings will help his recovery process because it is just replacing one addiction with another and he wants to live an addiction free life. â€Å"Too much whining, too much complaining, too much blaming. Too much bullshit about Higher Powers. There is no Higher Power or any God who is responsible for what I do and for what I have done and for who I am. There is no Higher Power of any God who will cure me. There is no Meeting where any amount of whining, complaining and blaming is going to make me feel any better† (Frey 76). This quote shows that James also thinks that AA meetings are for people who can’t accept the responsibility for what they did to themselves and want to blame it on a high power to be guilt-free. When James says â€Å"There is no Higher Power of any God who is responsible for what i do and what I have done†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Frey 76), he is saying that he does not believe in blaming somebody else for what he has done, instead, he can only blame himself for what he has done. While James’ past and present situations taught him that it is better to blame yourself rather than blaming them on others, such as a higher power, his future and his recovery teaches him and the readers of A Million Little Pieces that taking responsibility pays off in the long run. James truly learns the benefits of taking the blame for what he has created of himself when he is finally able to face himself and is completely recovered from being an addict of twelve years. â€Å"As I stand in front of the mirror with the razor, I look at my body. I am getting bigger. I am acquiring flesh. The veins on my arms are still blue, but they are a lighter blue. The bones of my cheek and the line of my jaw are less defined, the bruises the covered me are gone. There is a thin layer of fat over all of me and I am starting to get a belly I am becoming more like a human being. † (Frey 220). Not long after James realizes that he is the one who has to take the blame, he starts to notice the positive changes in his body. By taking responsibility for his actions, he is able to start the recovery process and become a healthier person. Towards the end of the novel, James is released from rehab and he has made the decision to test himself by going to a local bar and ordering a drink to see if he has control over himself or his Fury. â€Å"The Fury is screaming. Screaming like it has never screamed before. Its scream is stronger and more powerful, full of rage and need, of hostility and hunger. It is screaming for me to pick up the glass. Pick up the fucking glass. I have a decision to make. It is a simple decision. It has nothing to do with God or Twelve of anything other than twelve beats of my heart. Yes or no. It’s a simple decision. Yes or no. † (Frey 429) When James tests himself and his Fury, there is no way to tell if he will be able to control his Fury or not. Shortly after getting the drink, he tells the bartender to throw the drink down the drain. This decision is very important because James said â€Å" it has nothing to do with God or Twelve† (Frey 429), with that said, he is telling the readers that the reason why he is able to control his Fury and his desire to drink everything in sight is because he stepped up and took the blame his actions. Throughout James’ past, present, and recovery experiences, he was been able to recover completely and the only reason he was able to do this way by accepting the fact that he was the only one to blame for what he created of himself. It is the best decision to take the blame for your actions because it allows you to learn from your experiences. While James was unable to control what happened to him as a child, he decided not to blame his parents for what happened. Instead, he learned not to blame his parents for something that they could not control and to simply learn how to deal with his anger issues. This was James’ true first step to his recovery process and learning how to deal with his issues. James’ second step in his recovery process is when he learned that blaming others, specifically a God or Higher Power, wasn’t going to help him in any form. When James learns this, he discovers that he will have the best possible chances of recovery in his future. In his last step of recovery, James learns that what choices he made for himself, even though they went against what was highly recommended at the rehab facility, were the best possible decision for him. He learned that blaming himself would further his chances in life after rehab. This theme is important because everyone can learn from it. Whether they are young or old or anywhere in between, everyone can learn that by simply taking the blame for actions you have created that something positive will come from it.