Chapter 8 Summary and Analysis

James wakes up, still extremely ill and weak from his dental surgery, and wanders out into the Clinic to find something to do. He picks up The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and begins to read it, as he has before. However, the AA message does not appeal to James. He believes that AA meetings themselves are an addiction, and the people who attend them fail to take personal responsibility for their choices. James's self-loathing plays a large role in his recovery, and it expresses itself first and foremost in his unwavering belief that his addictions are his own fault. His conflict with the core beliefs of Alcoholics Anonymous makes James realize that if the medical experts are right and AA is the only treatment the works on addiction, then he has little hope.

James cleans the group toilets, which have...