Depression isn't a fun thing to talk about. As will grayson puts it, it's "depressing as hell." But since a lot of people, including teenagers, suffer from some form of mental illness, it's a super important thing to address head-on. In Will Grayson, Will Grayson, will grayson suffers from depression and takes medication for it, though it's not a topic he's wild about discussing—it affects his life, but doesn't define who he is. In the end, there's some hope that he can overcome all the negativity and find a road to a healthy, happy life. Yay for mental health.
Questions About Mental Illness
- Do you think will's depression affects his cynical outlook on life? Why or why not? Give evidence from the text.
- How does will make light of mental illness? Is he actually joking when he says he's going to kill himself or do you think that's something he's seriously considered? Why or why not?
- Why does will shy away from talking about his mental health issues?
Chew on This
will refuses to be defined by either his mental health or his sexuality. He just is who he is.
will might be depressed, but Will's no picnic, either. Because of this, this novel identifies and counteracts some of the misconceptions people have about depression.