The Stray Kids Library discussion

As the book deepens, the author reflects on relationships, self-image, and expectations. Which of these themes stood out most to you, and why do you think it resonates strongly in the context of her mental health journey?

The theme of expectations stood out to me the most. It felt like a reaffirmation of thoughts and feelings I’ve had myself. In her mental health journey, the author often measured herself against the standards of others, which led her into a negative spiral. As she tried to recalibrate that imbalance, she began to reconstruct her self-image and reexamine her relationships. But repeating this process created a cycle that gradually pulled her into a depressive state. This is why the theme of expectations resonated so deeply with me.

The word itself sounds positive, even hopeful—but in this context, it could be replaced with “societal norms” or “public image.” The author became exhausted by how common it is for people to freely judge others based on those general societal standards. For someone so young, it must have been incredibly lonely to try to stay true to her own inner compass in a world that constantly tells her otherwise.

Eventually, she begins to question: Do I have to meet these expectations? That inner conflict wore her down. But through meeting her doctor and opening up little by little, she started to listen to her own voice. Slowly, she began to free herself from the obsession with how others saw her, and started to discover what happiness meant through her own lens—not someone else’s.

What struck me deeply is how the author’s gentle conversations with her doctor showed that society is full of these “expectations” disguised as harmless images—images of what’s good, what’s bad, what success looks like. I don’t want to become someone who stubbornly rejects everything about society—but I also don’t want to become someone who judges others based on those superficial standards. The importance of kindness, is something I strongly felt through her journey.

The theme of expectations stood out to me the most. It felt like a reaffirmation of thoughts and feelings I’ve had myself. In her mental health journey, the author often measured herself against the standards of others, which led her into a negative spiral. As she tried to recalibrate that imbalance, she began to reconstruct her self-image and reexamine her relationships. But repeating this process created a cycle that gradually pulled her into a depressive state. This is why the theme of expectations resonated so deeply with me.

I felt that at the heart of this cycle was expectations. The word itself sounds positive, even hopeful—but in this context, it could be replaced with “societal norms” or “public image.” The author became exhausted by how common it is for people to freely judge others based on those general societal standards. For someone so young, it must have been incredibly lonely to try to stay true to her own inner compass in a world that constantly tells her otherwise.

Eventually, she begins to question: Do I have to meet these expectations? That inner conflict wore her down. But through meeting her doctor and opening up little by little, she started to listen to her own voice. Slowly, she began to free herself from the obsession with how others saw her, and started to discover what happiness meant through her own lens—not someone else’s.

What struck me deeply is how the author’s gentle conversations with her doctor showed that society is full of these “expectations” disguised as harmless images—images of what’s good, what’s bad, what success looks like. I don’t want to become someone who stubbornly rejects everything about society—but I also don’t want to become someone who judges others based on those superficial standards. That balance, and the importance of kindness, is something I strongly felt through her journey.