Character: Myra

Myra is a complex and significant character in The Trick is to Keep Breathing. She is an older woman who embodies both compassion and frustrating obliviousness.
She is Joy’s colleague at the school where they both teach, yet their relationship extends outside professional boundaries.
Myra attempts to offer her support to Joy during her time of mental illness, despite not fully understanding the gravity of Joy’s situation.

Myra’s compassion is evident in her repeated attempts to reach out to Joy. Despite her sometimes clumsy approaches, she genuinely cares for Joy’s wellbeing.
She is a somewhat oblivious character who fails to fully grasp the extent of Joy’s internal struggle, often resulting in her unintentionally trivialising Joy’s depression.
Ultimately, while Myra lacks the understanding needed to truly aid Joy, her heart is undeniably in the right place, showing a side of her as a compassionate and loyal friend.

Myra tries to help Joy by inviting her to social events, demonstrating her lack of comprehension about the severity of Joy’s mental state. These actions unintentionally place additional pressure on Joy as she feels obligated to pretend to be okay.
Somehow, Myra’s insensitivity actually resonates with Joy, who perversely appreciates Myra’s normality and the opportunity to engage with the typical, everyday world that Myra represents.

Myra serves as a contrast to Joy’s character, revealing the gap between Joy’s internal turmoil and how it is perceived by those who are not experiencing mental health issues.
Despite her blindness to Joy’s true state, her actions inadvertently reflect on the broader societal misunderstandings of mental health, making her a key character in discussing the book’s themes.

Understanding versus Ignorance: Myra’s ignorance of Joy’s mental state helps discuss the societal ignorance of mental health.
Compassion: Myra’s role elucidates the theme of compassion and the various forms it can take in the narrative.
Friendship: Myra represents the importance of friendship and support during challenging times.

“Steer clear of sad books for a while.” - This Myra’s advice showing her lack of understanding of depression.
“Why always so serious Joy?” - This quote highlights Myra’s constant attempt to uplift Joy, revealing her ignorance yet good intentions.