It's kind of a funny point of view

By I. Forgot D. Byline

First person narration is  most commonly used in young adult fiction novels. There are many advantages to writing in first person. First, the reader is able to get a better idea of the main character's personality. They are not only exposed to the narrator's thoughts and actions, but also to how they feel and how they speak.

First person point of view is also a great way to make the reader feel more connected to the story. Reading a first person story can let the reader get to know the main character and live the story through them.

 "It's Kind of a Funny Story" is narrated by Craig Gilner- a depressed teenager seeking for psychiatric help. Ned Vizzini's use of first person in Craig's story creates a more believable and realistic experience for the reader. Real life is experienced first hand, and by being written in first person the reader can feel as though they are experiencing Craig's story first hand too.

Most of Craig's character is seen through his thoughts and what he does when he is alone. He doesn't even allow his friends to know how he is feeling most of the time, but he lets us know with first person.

Craig is constantly fighting battles within himself. For example, he has trouble eating a lot of the time. Every time he is supposed to eat he imagines a man in his stomach, pulling on a rope. When this rope is pulled, he feels the passage to his stomach close off and he throws up anything he eats.

We get to see his battles more directly from his point of view as opposed to seeing him go through them from an unidentified third party.

This particular book is especially well written in first person due to the fact that it is partly autobiographical. It gives us an intimate look into the main character's life and into the author's life.