The Basketball Diaries: The Classic About Growing Up Hip On New York’s Mean Streets

Drugs are a central influence and symbol of purity in Jim’s life. At age 13, he experiments with drugs casually. However, by the time Jim turns 16, he is fully addicted to heroin and sees no way out. Jim is a complex person who does not use drugs just for the sake of a high. When Jim uses LSD, he does so to lose his sense of self and become one with the universe. He feels a certain peace of mind when tripping that he cannot seem to achieve while sober; he frequently makes comparisons to nature while high on LSD or heroin. Jim enjoys being “a totally naked young boy” (52) on his rooftop, swimming in the Harlem River with his friends, and lying in the grass watching the sun rise. He feels relaxed and most importantly, pure when he is high.

Purity is the primary motivation behind Jim’s heroin use. Jim mentions wanting to be pure three times and “back to the womb” (211) before society and war traumatized him. His plea for purity is also the final line of his autobiography, making it a prominent and significant statement. Jim also feels more comfortable being introspective when in a drug-induced state; he is able to analyze his circumstances without attaching emotions to them.