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Sheff uses imagery throughout Beautiful Boy. One example of this imagery is found in his description of Nic. He describes Nic as wearing his, "clown pajama top with polka dots, lime green, and sky blue and cherry red. He's wearing fluorescent, swirly blue-green-pink rain boots" (Sheff, 21). Sheff purposely uses bright colors to describe Nic. These colors capture the innocence and liveliness of Nic. As the story progresses and Nic begins using, the colors and description change with him. Now as addicted Nic meets his dad for lunch he's described very differently. David sees him, "Walking toward me, but
looking down, his gangly arms limp at his sides, he looks more than ever like a ghostly Egon Schiele self-portrait, debauched and wasted." David continues, "We tentatively hug, arms wrapping around his vaporous spine, and I kiss his cheek. He's chalk-white" (Sheff, 194). Nics description has gone from being full of color and life to dull and just barely alive. Sheff uses this imagery to help the reader find a deeper meaning. By using color and description he can really make the characters and story feel real to the reader.

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The most prominent relationship is between Nic and his Dad, David. Throughout the book, both Nic and David struggle with contrasting feelings for one another. David explains this feeling by saying, "I try not to blame Nic. I don't. Sometimes I do"(Sheff 182). This quote explains how their feelings change throughout Nic's battle with addiction. Sometimes Nic will hate David because of the drugs, and sometimes David will blame Nic for his addiction. They ultimately always love each other, however, when Nic's recovery faces a bump in the road, their relationship tends to as well.

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One example of beautiful words comes after Nic calls from the hospital. They fight about what the best rehabilitation plan is for Nic, but finally they break down and, "Together we weep. It's a startling moment for me. In the trenches these past months, I have held back tears, but now they pour forth. Nic is in the hallway of a hospital somewhere, leaning against a wall, and I am on the kitchen floor crying" (Sheff, 290). In this moment Nic and David are not only transparent with each other, but also transparent with the reader. Sheff's words paint a picture that the reader can visualize and make it such a meaningful moment. The way Sheff is able to explain all of the emotions he and Nic have built up over the past few months in a single scene is truly beautiful.

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Another example of beautiful words is right before Nic leaves for New Mexico. David calls Nic one last time before the flight and they exchange the words, "everything". After this exchange David thinks to himself, "Fortunately there is a beautiful boy. Unfortunately he has a terrible disease. Fortunately there is love and joy. Unfortunately there is pain and misery. Fortunately the story is not over" (Sheff 290). Starting this passage with Nic and David saying "everything" strongly impacts the reader. By this point in the story, we know the significance of it, and how much they truly mean through one word. The words David then uses to explain how he feels are just as powerful. David chooses to use a simple sentence structure to get his point across. Even though the sentences are not long, they are just as impactful, and the reader understands exactly how he's feeling, even when put in its simplest format.

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Nic's relapses serve as obstacles throughout the entire book. One of these relapses occurs before Nic is about to leave for a trip with his current girlfriend, Julia. David and the family are crushed when finally, "Nic confesses the truth: that he has been using the entire time he's been home, using throughout the entire semester" (Sheff 170). These relapses are always emotionally devastating, especially in this case where it had seemed like Nic was sober and thriving. Not only is this an obstacle for Nic, now having to fight even harder to get sober once again, but it is also an obstacle for the whole family. David puts a pause on his life, trying to make sure Nic stays alive and stops using. David is reminded constantly that, "relapse is part of the recovery", however every relapse faced is a huge obstacle for Nic and David to face.

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Another important relationship is between Nic and his siblings. Nic has been struggling with addiction for most of Jasper and Daisy's lives. Even though Nic's addiction is constantly explained to them, it's hard for them to completely understand because they are just kids. Jasper explains it like this, "It's like in cartoons when some character has a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. The devil whispers into Nicky's ear and sometimes it gets too loud so he has to listen to him (Sheff 227). Jasper and Daisy's relationship with Nic is a little bit more complicated because of how little they see him. They know Nic is their brother and that he's addicted to drugs. They also know Nic has broken into their house and stolen from them. However, whenever Nic does return home from rehab, Jasper and Daisy express the same kind of undying love for Nic that David shows. Jasper and Daisy are a big motivator for Nic to get clean, and this is clearly shown through their love for one another.

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Another obstacle for Nic was rehab. While rehab is a step in the right direction, it was very challenging for Nic. While talking with his parents about rehab, Nic says, "'I don't think this is going to work for me any better than last time,'" (Sheff 153). Even though Nic was willing to go to rehab, he couldn't seem to find anything that made him want to stay clean. The programs he had been at weren't working for him and therefore made the process even harder. Finding the best program and outlet to keep him sober posed another huge obstacle on the way to recovery.

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Sheff uses the figurative language strategy of repetition throughout the story. Sheff starts the story off by introducing Nic, "Nic is born at dawn - our beautiful boy" (Sheff, 19). This sentence begins the repetition of the phrase "beautiful boy". This phrase describes the innocence of young Nic. It's everything beautiful David sees about Nic, his creativity, his presence, his smile. However, as the story goes on, David begins to see this version of Nic disappear as he becomes addicted to drugs. Sheff uses this piece of figurative language to make the reader feel something. Because the phrase is such a distinct reminder of Nic's innocence, he uses it, again and again, to provide as a comparison. He wants the reader to feel the difference between drug-addicted Nic versus the Nic he knows, his beautiful boy.

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A very emotionally significant part of the story is found at the end. David had just explained all of the events that had occurred after beautiful boy was written. He ends the story by saying, "As a write this, Nic is thirty-six years old. After what we went through, thirty-six feels miraculous" (Sheff, 332). This ending sentence leaves the reader with a sense of hope. Throughout the entire story, there was a sense of fear and anxiety for the reader, not knowing when Nic might relapse again. Now hearing that Nic has made so many milestones gives the reader a strong feeling of hopefulness.

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A momentous part of the emotional journey comes after Nic meets Randy. We hear in this section how much success Nic has had with his new sponsor, David shares, "Sometimes he reports successes that for other people are no big deal but to him are Herculean. Little things: he has a bank account and secured a credit card. He is saving some money. He buys a fifthhand four-hundred-dollar Mazda and, later, a new bike. He moves into an apartment, renting a room from Randy's sponsor, an extremely kind, silver-haired and bearded man who walks with a cane. Ted has been in recovery for thirty years and has helped many young addicts" (Sheff 212,213). In this section the reader feels a sense of hope and relief. Hearing that Nic has accomplished so many things with everything he had been through so far felt like a huge accomplishment. The support system that Nic has in this moment makes the reader feel that even if he does lose his way again, he'll be able to come back, and that is extremely relieving.

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An extremely devastating moment is Nic's overdose. Nic is in New York when David receives the call hearing, "Nic is in a hospital emergency room after an overdose. 'He is in critical condition and on life support.'" (Sheff, 200). This is Nic's first encounter with an overdose and is a terrifying word to hear. Overdose's ofter can end in death so this is a frightening moment for both the reader and Nic's parents. The reader is able to feel David's immediate worry through the text and it translates to what they feel.

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Another example of the repetition of, beautiful boy, occurs right before Nic leaves for New Mexico. This is a very different version of David's beautiful boy. He describes Nic as, "frail, opaque, ill—my beloved son, my beautiful boy" (Sheff, 290). This quote showcases the contrast David is trying to express. Nic goes from being his son who is booming with life, to his son who is barely still standing. This repetition evokes emotion in the reader and clearly gets the point across.

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Another example of beautiful words is found at the end of the story. Sheff ends the story by explaining, "But I am open again, and as a consequence I feel the pain and joy of the past and worry about and hope for the future. I know what it is I feel. Everything" (Sheff, 305). I think this specific quote is so beautiful because of how many people it can relate to. Even though Sheff is specifically talking about the parents of addicts, anyone can interpret it to relate it to their own lives. Not only that, but this line perfectly summarizes the story. Sheff is able to explain everything he and the reader felt. This line was a perfect representation of the ups and downs his roller coaster of a journey took.

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Throughout Beautiful Boy Sheff focuses on the theme that when searching for something to blame, people often turn to themselves and are faced with guilt. When David has no one to blame for Nics addiction he begins blaming himself, "if only I had set stricter limits; if only I had been more consistent; if only I had protected him more from my adult life; if only I had not used drugs; if only his mother and I had stayed together; if only she and I had lived in the same city after the divorce" (Sheff, 177). David begins on a downward spiral of self-blame. He can not find an answer so blaming himself is the easiest thing to do. This self-blame will only become more destructive. Because he feels he is the reason for Nic's addiction, this blame will turn into guilt and end up making him feel worse. The truth is Nic could have become an addict even if David did everything differently, so blaming himself is not the answer to Nic's addiction, it's just the easiest out.

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One piece of King's advice that Sheff used was on description. King advised writers to try and find the perfect balance between too much and too little description in their writing.  Sheff describes Nic's nursery, with a, "white crib, lightblue dresser, bookshelves stocked with Maurice Sendak and Dr. Seuss, and, sitting sentinel on either side of the doorway, a pair of enormous stuffed panda bears, early baby gifts from a friend. Another friend has loaned us a family heirloom, a buttery yellow cradle in the shape of a new moon. It hangs from a chain in the corner of the living room, appearing to float above San Francisco, which glitters in the distance" (Sheff, 19). Sheff doesn't explain with any more than two sentences, however, this is enough to set the scene and help the reader understand what he's describing.