Junk, Junkies, and Addiction

By any estimation the dominant theme of the novel is junk; that is, opiate narcotic drugs including, most often, morphine or heroin. In essence, the novel can be viewed as a nearly biographical rendition of life as it appears to a junky, deeply connected with the illicit world of drug use, drug sales and purchases, and addiction. All aspects of the narrator's life throughout the bulk of the novel are suppressed entirely beneath the crushing need to obtain and inject junk. Anything which prevents or even mediates junk use is viewed as expendable, objectionable, and wrong. Anything which assists and enhances junk use is presented as enjoyable, worthwhile, and right. This devastating need goes beyond simply contrivance—friends are enjoyable but expendable, lovers are enjoyable but expendable, even immediate family is enjoyable—but expendable.

The author's original introduction establishes this dominant theme of...