Discussion Questions
- Why do you think that it says, “People are always asking, did I know about Tyler Durden” in the first paragraph of the book?
- What is the significance of the narrator engaging in dialogue with Tyler about napalm?
- What does Bob’s character, (the enormous man from the support group) represent?
- What is the irony about Bob from the support group?
- What could the author be suggesting throughout theses chapters as foreshadowing for the reason that Tyler has a gun pointed at the narrator?
- Why does the narrator go to support groups?
- What is the irony about going to the support groups with Marla?
- What is the significance of the narrator’s job?
- What does the fact that Tyler and the narrator didn’t spend time with their fathers while growing up mean?
- What is the significance of the way the narrator and Tyler meet?
- What does the fact that Tyler puts pornographic frames in children’s movies show about his character?
- Why doesn't the narrator see Tyler and Marla together?
- What is the point of fight club?
- What is ironic about the rules of Fight Club?
- Why do the members of Fight Club fight?
- What is the flaw in the first and second rules of fight club?
- What does the Fight Club say about dominance?
- How does the theme of destruction come up throughout these chapters?
- What is the significance of the narrator's name never being mentioned?
- What is the significance of the authors style of writing?
- What does Tyler Durden emulate in the mind of the raconteur? Why does the narrator establish this fictional character to cope with his lack of self – esteem, specifically regarding his relationship with Marla Singer?
- As a result that the depravity illustrated by the novel is consistently taken into consideration due to the negative consequences that it bestows upon each member of Project Mayhem and is never genuinely eulogized. How is this brutal commodity utilized as a means of self – discovery?
- Under the strict guidelines established by Tyler Durden, all participants of Project Mayhem are mandated to become equals, and ultimately stripped of their individuality. Has the new combative ideology that is emplaced given way to deliverance, or have the members solely substituted one evil for another (consumerism for nihilism)?
- Why are explosives continuously referred to as "soap" ?
- Men that join the Fight Club are commonly seeking an escape from reality that fails to appease them. Why is connecting through a sense of masculinity allow them to disassociate with the consumerists?
- There are solely two female characters present throughout the narrative. What is their role in advancing the plot?
- Why aren’t there additional female viewpoints found in the novel to counteract the overpowering masculine need to unite?
- Commonly the Narrator finds it necessary to utilize violence as a means of liberation from a difficult predicament. Why is he always quick to assume that brutality perpetually the answer?
- As the ideals of Project Mayhem worsens, murder becomes a fundamental act that members are forced to part take in. Tyler Durden mentions that this would enable the men to regain their primal instincts, advocating the importance of returning to “old ways,” where a man’s self – worth was measured through his physical aptitude and survival instincts, not material possessions. However, is murder part of human nature?
- Why are the characters consumed over the idea of death?
- How does the absence of a father figure play a compelling role in the narrative and how the Fight Club was created?
- Is possible for the members of Project Mayhem to maintain romantic relationships.
- Is the protagonist a trustworthy or a deceptive narrator?
- What opposing qualities and peculiarities are detailed between masculinity and femininity throughout the novel?
- Is the Narrator/Tyler Durden a bigot?
- Why are solely men of the middle class members of the Fight Club? Why do affluent individuals seek no need to be a part of this monumental movement?
- Is Tyler Durden only infatuated with his own personality or does he yearn for someone else?
- Is Tyler Durden the salvation for the men that feel marginalized by consumerism?
- Is Project Mayhem a religious movement or a cult that retains strict regulations?
- Throughout the course of the novel it is made evident that Palahniuk is disparaging advertising and how it enables companies to flourish. Detail the negative results that advertising retain and how they in turn negatively impact the population.
- Explain how it is ironic that “You’re not your own problem.” in fight club for the narrator.
- What lesson does our narrator learn after his near death experience with the mechanic after they wreck their car?
- In chapter 19, we see our narrator talk about the significance of society hitting bottom, what problem from our generation is it addressing?
- What is the message the narrator tries to send Raymond K. when he tells him to stop wasting his life and let’s him go instead of killing him?
- What does the narrator mean when he tells Ramond K. Hessel “Tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of your life?”
- How does the narrator begin to react when he starts to slowly find out he’s in fact Tyler Durden?
- How does the narrators insomnia cause him to realize that he and Tyler “use the body at different times?
- Why does Marla find our narrators split personality fascinating?
- Why does our narrator think that Marla will be able to help undo all the damage Tyler caused?
- Explain the significance of our narrator being kicked out of the fight club?
- Why does the narrator use “for years now” when he says how long he’s been trying to fall asleep?
- What is it that causes Tyler to tell project mayhem to castrate the narrator even when they are the same human?
- How is the narrator affected when he is put to sleep by a ether-covered cloth?
- Why does Tyler order project Mayhem’s members to catch our narrator?
- Why don’t the cancer patients react or mind when Marla begins exclaiming that our narrator is a murderer?
- Our narrator quotes “Tyler and I just happen to have the same fingerprints, but no one understands.” Why is it so difficult for the narrator to understand that he and Tyler are the same person in everyone’s eyes?
- What is the significance of the narrators flashback killing Patrick Madden as Tyler? Is this a sign that our narrator has finally hit rock bottom?
- What does the deserted and empty Paper Street house symbolize?
- Why does the entire cancer group follow Marla to prevent our narrator from killing himself when they all know everyone is eventually going to die?
- Why does our narrator lie about Tyler dying when he is in “heaven” (a mental hospital)?
- People in the hospital still have bruised eyes, and broken noses. They also tell our narrator “Everything is going according to plan.” Is Tyler really dead?