Mental IllnessThroughout the book, we see that Finch is constantly struggling with the desire to die. There are times that he loses hold on reality and doesn't even realize that he isn't present. He calls these times 'sleeping' and when he is present and conscious, he calls it 'the awake'. This is a for sure sign of mental illness, and it is something that should have been dealt with and not ignored.
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BullyingFinch is bullied by people who think that he is a freak just because he acts different than everyone else. He is constantly call 'Theodore Freak', people shove him in the hallways, knock books out of his hands, and even though he can stand up to them, he doesn't and he just deals with it. At home he hears the same words. 'Outcast', 'misfit'... these all effect him in different ways, and all of them are bullying.
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FriendshipFinch befriends violet in order to help himself, and to help her. He shows her how to live, and in the process, his mental illnesses are suppressed, but not completely treated. If he hadn't met Violet on the bell tower, he would have jumped. He helps her and they become fast friends until he dies.
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