Addiction In David Sheff's 'Beautiful Boy'

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Haley Edwards Ms. Parrott English IIH 10 May 2024 Symbols throughout Beautiful Boy In 2022, the American Addiction Centers reported that “46.8 million (16.7%) Americans (aged 12 and older) battled a substance use disorder in the past year.” Substance abuse is not a new issue. In America, the issue has been plaguing the nation for decades. The numbers do not lie, and when looking at the struggle with addiction as a whole, the results are horrifying. What is more horrifying than the multitude of numbers concerning the topic is the effect addiction has on a family or relationship. In Beautiful Boy, author David Sheff outlines the experience he had with his son’s addiction and the toll it took on the family as a whole. Throughout the book, …show more content…

“Nic has an eccentric, hip, and often fickle taste. He does not seem to tire of some discoveries, but otherwise, he is into the edgiest music and then grows bored with it” (Sheff 47). As Nic grows older, like any teenager, he begins to form his own identity. Nic enjoys music that is new and edgy, giving him a sharper personality. Nic’s music taste is constantly changing and evolving, symbolizing David’s feelings towards his son. During this time, Nic begins hanging out with a new crowd, listening to new music, and becoming more of an angsty teen. Nic’s music taste changes, as does Nic himself, making it difficult for David to keep up with his son. It is soon after this moment that Nic is caught using marijuana for the first time, cementing that David does not know his son like he thought. While the book uses music frequently, there is a long break before music is used again. As Nic’s addiction hits highs and lows, David and Nic’s relationship starts to crack. While David loves his son dearly, he cannot bear to witness what Nic eventually does to himself. After multiple trips to rehabilitation centers and Nic finally getting clean, the music appears once more. “Feeling hopeful about Nic’s future, I can …show more content…

Phones are used for communication, entertainment, and, in some instances, education. In Beautiful Boy, the use of phones has a deeper meaning; the phone in Beautiful Boy represents David Sheff’s own insecurity. David, after discovering Nic’s addiction was more severe than he initially recognized, became fearful of anything negative happening to Nic. He forms anxiety around the idea that his child could be in danger or slowly wasting away. While Nic is highly addicted, the main form of communication with his father is through the phone. The phone rings. My anxious reaction is recognizable. Who else would call this early in the morning? It must be “Nic” (Sheff 184). Nic and David communicate through the phone so much that David associates the phone with Nic. If the phone rings in David’s mind, it is either Nic calling or something is wrong with Nic. The phone becomes a symbol to the audience that something is wrong due to David’s own association of the phone with Nic. This association creates a damaging cycle for David, where he is in constant fear of the phone ringing. The phone makes David feel insecure about his son's status. “The phone, when it rings, brings on the same state of panic. I am always worried that there will be news of another crisis. Or it’s Nic, and I don’t know if he will be sane or high” (Sheff 293). David expresses to himself that there is a constant fear of Nic being hurt when the phone rings.

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