Theme: Alienation

Central to the novel The Trick is to Keep Breathing by Janice Galloway is the theme of alienation.
The protagonist, Joy, consistently finds herself estranged from normal societal interactions and deeply isolated throughout the narrative.
Galloway carefully depicts a society that falls short in providing adequate support in understanding and addressing mental health issues, leading to Joy’s feeling of alienation.

Joy isolates herself physically by choosing to spend most of her time alone, cocooned away in her house.
Her psychological state further intensifies her alienation. Joy struggles to connect with others due to her severe depression and anxiety.
Joy’s relationships with other characters – like Myra and her sometimes-boyfriend Michael – further exemplify her alienation as they fail to fully recognise or understand her mental health struggles.

Joy’s alienation underscores the detrimental effect of societal misunderstanding and dismissal of mental health issues.
The theme heavily contributes to the exploration of loneliness, despair, and the desperate search for understanding and empathy experienced by someone facing mental health challenges.
Her alienation not just from people but also from society’s norms adds to the poignancy and relatability of the narrative by mirroring the experience of many individuals who face similar mental health struggles.

Isolation: Joy’s self-imposed isolation, both physical and psychological, is intertwined with her feelings of alienation.
Misunderstanding: The misunderstanding Joy faces from her close acquaintances, and society in general, accentuates her sense of being an outsider.
Resilience: Despite her feeling of alienation, Joy’s attempts to cope manifest the human spirit’s resilience.

“But she’s not crazy. She’s not. She’s just lonely.” – The narration itself highlights the effects of alienation.
“It’s like being the only person on the planet.” - Illustrates the depth of Joy’s isolation and alienation.
“I don’t know if I can live with myself. I don’t think I can live with myself.” - This internal dialogue showcases Joy’s alienation not just from society, but from herself.