a-blue-bubble: I really loved this about the book as well, it truly is such a good feeling to see this character who I love struggling with the same thing as me. Also, Toby takes care of him in the meantime, as best he can. It's present in the show but more obvious in the book, the way Toby reacts to Jim's anxiety.
That lets you know Jim’s been struggling with anxiety for a decent amount of time too, for Toby to be able to recognize when Jim’s getting overwhelmed and know how to help him. Those indicators are familiar to Toby, and that can take years to learn and familiarize yourself with.
And that makes it better imo. It’s rare to see mental illness even suggested in an adventure story, but when it is it’s usually after traumatic events befall the character. Jim’s anxiety is present before anything even happens. It’s just there, while he’s leading a normal life, and it’s beautiful. That’s really relatable and validating and important, I think, because that’s how it is for a lot of people and that’s not the kind of representation you usually get in stories like this.
Man, I would’ve loved to have a character like Jim to connect with when I was younger. The Adventure Begins novel is the closest I’ve ever seen an author get to accurately depicting persistent anxiety. Jim’s head is a mess. He’s distracted, tangled in his thoughts, dreading the day before it even begins, constantly frustrated that the “anxious voice” won’t leave him alone, and frequently trying to escape it all, his mind, his thoughts, himself. And that is exactly what it’s like. Every single day. Dealing with that. While trying to live your life. And that’s so fucking validating to see.
It’s also super validating that a published author picked up on Jim’s anxiety in the show and seemed to take the time to accurately portray that anxiety on paper. I almost want to know if they just observed his character on TV, or if they also consulted the Trollhunters team before writing him in a way that heavily suggests he has an anxiety disorder. I know it’s probably a long shot, but I hope its confirmed in the show, that that representation is made official. I would legitimately cry.
Jim struggling with anxiety gives a heavier meaning to the grit-shaka too, especially after reading the novel and seeing how desperately he wants his anxiety to go away. To have that impossible wish fulfilled, God, he’s so stupidly happy. “Lose myself? I found myself, and I wasn’t even looking for me!” He’s on Cloud Nine. But he’s looking for relief in the wrong place. It’s like being heavily drugged, more so because Jim doesn’t remember what happened when he finally comes to, and he’s scared. “Toby! Where am I? What’s going on?”
(I heard in the Guide thing Jim tries to get his hands on another grit-shaka even after what happened, and if that’s true that’s like. Really alarming. He wants to be totally unaware of what’s going on and what he’s feeling except for joy and confidence because whatever he’s normally feeling, that crushing anxiety and fear, is that bad, that unbearable for him...Someone help him.)
But it also makes every good thing Jim does more powerful. That he’s able to do all these great things despite struggling with anxiety, that’s empowering to watch. Anxiety is a constant battle with yourself. He has to fight that internal battle with himself every day along with external battles with external enemies, and he does it. Not without stumbling and panicking and failing sometimes, but that never deters him. He proves himself a hero, and that’s so great. I hope the kids watching who can relate to him take comfort in knowing they can be heroes too.
