FIGHT CLUB
BY CHUCK PALAHNIUK
Themes
Chuck Palahniuk uses many different themes in his novel Fight Club, these themes are used as universal ideas in order to connect itself to other texts, and larger social issues that are present on a global scale. A major theme that is constantly brought up is man and the natural world. This theme is significant as it gives men from today’s complex and “civilized” society to escape the suppression in order to relive their primitive instincts that they once utilized thousands of years ago when “civilization” did not exist. The Fight Club was the only place in which a man's self-worth was based on physical prowess and dominance, not his social stature.
Chuck Palahnuk uses many different themes in his novel Fight Club, these themes are used as universal ideas in order to connect itself to other texts, and larger social issues that are present on a global scale. A major theme that is constantly brought up is man and the natural world. The significance of this theme is that it allows man from today’s complex and “civilized” society to escape the suppression in order to relive man’s basic instincts that they once lived thousands of years ago when “civilization” did not exist. The Fight Club was the only place in which a man's self-worth was based on physical prowess and dominance, not based on his job or the amount of money he has.
Today’s society imposes neurotic commands on it’s people that are completely inhumane, and are against human natural tendencies and expression. This imposement is a mental prison that suppresses man and causes them to hold in many emotions that man naturally needs to release as society deems these expressions as inappropriate. This is the reason behind the main character’s insomnia, and the only thing that allows him to sleep is joining different support groups in order to feel better about himself due to the fact that the people around him are slowly dying or are facing certain dearh. The role of the support groups in the protagonist’s life is that these support groups were a method of self-help that allowed him to become something he wasn’t.
These support groups allowed him to cry and allow his emotions to be released in order for himself to live like primal man, and allow him to sleep due to it relieving society’s suppression and finally allowing him to escape who he is to society, a product recall specialist. This is proven furthermore by the character himself when he discovers something that is far closer to basic human instincts than any other activity he found, and this activity allows him to get over his insomnia, this is when he and tyler create “The Fight Club”.
The Fight Club was a place in which nothing in life mattered, except the human body itself. “For this moment, nothing matters. Look up into the stars and you’re gone. Not your luggage. Nothing matters. Not your bad breath” The significance of this passage by the main character is that this place even gets rid of all mundane worries that should not be consuming such precious time in people’s lives, as all primal man needed to worry about was reproduction, and surviving. “You aren’t alive anywhere like you’re alive in the fight club.” This passage once again addresses the close connection between the fight club and primal emotions as it allows man to connect with the fighting parts and survival of the fittest mentality from thousands of years ago.
This theme is also seen in the movie Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola. In the very beginning of the movie, the main character Willard talks about how life back at home is even more nightmarish than when he was at war. When Willard was at war, his inner primitive instincts were clearly evident as his actions involved killing many innocent people who seemed suspicious to ultimately to keep himself safe. Upon his return, these instincts were suppressed by himself due to the rules implemented by society, and all he wanted to let out what was being suffocated within himself. Society around him had made all this suppressing unbearable and nearly made him insane. Willard eventually forces himself back to war voluntarily in order to relieve himself despite knowing that there was a strong chance of mortality at war, thus demonstrating how desperate man is in order to let out their inner primitive instincts.
Another scene that depicts this theme is when Willard inspects a Vietnamese boat; in the process the US troops start shooting everyone on the boat as if the Vietnamese were worth nothing to the American troops. When they find out that the woman was only protecting a dog many members especially Lance pays much attention to the dog, and it is evident how much more he values the dog. This demonstrates to the audience that man has a very strong connection to animals, as man and dogs both share animalistic instincts.
Not only is the theme of man and natural world evident in both texts, but it is a large issue that doesn’t seem to be acknowledged enough around on this world. Many people do share a mentality that is the same as the character in Fight Club. Man’s connection with nature and primitive life is very important, but a large amount of people have been so caught up in this suppression (minding and stressing over work, money, fashion, technology, and all the little things in life) they don’t even realize that they are being trapped by the rules and regulations that society has created for itself. No matter what one’s ultimate goal is, movement capacity is ultimately their crowning achievement. One’s ability to move, one’s ability to perform is the reason they’ve been given their body, and have their body. That’s how their bodies have evolved, in order to perform. Performance at one time was through the function of being able to feed, go out and hunt, go out and build, and go out and physically fight. Movement was essentially life, all basic physiological functions are predicated by the movements within life. It’s not that human ancestors had different bodies from ten to thousands of years ago, infact human bodies have remained the same for all these years. It’s what humans no longer do with their bodies due to the chores(work and expectations) society has given, and due to all the technological advances they create in order to make time for these chores. Because of these advances, humans no longer run to catch their food, they no longer drag food back home, man has went from doing everything with their body back thousands of years ago into sitting all day and having little performance within their lifestyle in society. In the novel, the main character works an office job and is constantly told what to do by his business, he does not get a chance to ever let out his true feelings until he created The Fight Club, thus having him suffer for all the past years.
Many people who suffer from this suppression or do not acknowledge this often suffer from many mental diseases such as insomnia, this is because they have so many worries that many people with a “man and natural world” mentality to not suffer from because they realize releasing all their primitive emotions help the mind and that all these worries serve no purpose, which nonetheless improve the bodies physical state. Society has forced the human lifestyle into something it was not designed for. Life now is no longer based on movement and performance, instead it is based on doing anything to get money(sitting on a chair all day).
Chuck Palahnuk uses many different themes in his novel Fight Club, these themes are used as universal ideas in order to connect itself to other texts, and larger social issues that are present on a global scale. A major theme that is constantly brought up is man and the natural world. The significance of this theme is that it allows man from today’s complex and “civilized” society to escape the suppression in order to relive man’s basic instincts that they once lived thousands of years ago when “civilization” did not exist. The Fight Club was the only place in which a man's self-worth was based on physical prowess and dominance, not based on his job or the amount of money he has.
Today’s society imposes neurotic commands on it’s people that are completely inhumane, and are against human natural tendencies and expression. This imposement is a mental prison that suppresses man and causes them to hold in many emotions that man naturally needs to release as society deems these expressions as inappropriate. This is the reason behind the main character’s insomnia, and the only thing that allows him to sleep is joining different support groups in order to feel better about himself due to the fact that the people around him are slowly dying or are facing certain dearh. The role of the support groups in the protagonist’s life is that these support groups were a method of self-help that allowed him to become something he wasn’t.
These support groups allowed him to cry and allow his emotions to be released in order for himself to live like primal man, and allow him to sleep due to it relieving society’s suppression and finally allowing him to escape who he is to society, a product recall specialist. This is proven furthermore by the character himself when he discovers something that is far closer to basic human instincts than any other activity he found, and this activity allows him to get over his insomnia, this is when he and tyler create “The Fight Club”.
The Fight Club was a place in which nothing in life mattered, except the human body itself. “For this moment, nothing matters. Look up into the stars and you’re gone. Not your luggage. Nothing matters. Not your bad breath” The significance of this passage by the main character is that this place even gets rid of all mundane worries that should not be consuming such precious time in people’s lives, as all primal man needed to worry about was reproduction, and surviving. “You aren’t alive anywhere like you’re alive in the fight club.” This passage once again addresses the close connection between the fight club and primal emotions as it allows man to connect with the fighting parts and survival of the fittest mentality from thousands of years ago.
This theme is also seen in the movie Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola. In the very beginning of the movie, the main character Willard talks about how life back at home is even more nightmarish than when he was at war. When Willard was at war, his inner primitive instincts were clearly evident as his actions involved killing many innocent people who seemed suspicious to ultimately to keep himself safe. Upon his return, these instincts were suppressed by himself due to the rules implemented by society, and all he wanted to let out what was being suffocated within himself. Society around him had made all this suppressing unbearable and nearly made him insane. Willard eventually forces himself back to war voluntarily in order to relieve himself despite knowing that there was a strong chance of mortality at war, thus demonstrating how desperate man is in order to let out their inner primitive instincts.
Another scene that depicts this theme is when Willard inspects a Vietnamese boat; in the process the US troops start shooting everyone on the boat as if the Vietnamese were worth nothing to the American troops. When they find out that the woman was only protecting a dog many members especially Lance pays much attention to the dog, and it is evident how much more he values the dog. This demonstrates to the audience that man has a very strong connection to animals, as man and dogs both share animalistic instincts.
Not only is the theme of man and natural world evident in both texts, but it is a large issue that doesn’t seem to be acknowledged enough around on this world. Many people do share a mentality that is the same as the character in Fight Club. Man’s connection with nature and primitive life is very important, but a large amount of people have been so caught up in this suppression (minding and stressing over work, money, fashion, technology, and all the little things in life) they don’t even realize that they are being trapped by the rules and regulations that society has created for itself. No matter what one’s ultimate goal is, movement capacity is ultimately their crowning achievement. One’s ability to move, one’s ability to perform is the reason they’ve been given their body, and have their body. That’s how their bodies have evolved, in order to perform. Performance at one time was through the function of being able to feed, go out and hunt, go out and build, and go out and physically fight. Movement was essentially life, all basic physiological functions are predicated by the movements within life. It’s not that human ancestors had different bodies from ten to thousands of years ago, infact human bodies have remained the same for all these years. It’s what humans no longer do with their bodies due to the chores(work and expectations) society has given, and due to all the technological advances they create in order to make time for these chores. Because of these advances, humans no longer run to catch their food, they no longer drag food back home, man has went from doing everything with their body back thousands of years ago into sitting all day and having little performance within their lifestyle in society. In the novel, the main character works an office job and is constantly told what to do by his business, he does not get a chance to ever let out his true feelings until he created The Fight Club, thus having him suffer for all the past years.
Many people who suffer from this suppression or do not acknowledge this often suffer from many mental diseases such as insomnia, this is because they have so many worries that many people with a “man and natural world” mentality to not suffer from because they realize releasing all their primitive emotions help the mind and that all these worries serve no purpose, which nonetheless improve the bodies physical state. Society has forced the human lifestyle into something it was not designed for. Life now is no longer based on movement and performance, instead it is based on doing anything to get money(sitting on a chair all day).
As a result of the unorthodox narrative and the usage of self – narration as the method of transmitting the plot of the Fight Club, it is often very difficult for the reader to find any profound meaning to the unconventional actions and thoughts of the narrator and his companions. Several solely assume that the plot was formulated to introduce nihilism and the absurdity that society retains. Nevertheless, these thoughts can only be reached after accessing society’s captivation with material possessions and its irresistible authority is recognized.
A prime example of the narrator’s allure for material possessions is epitomized when he indicates that he has fallen victim to the “[…] the Ikea nesting instinct.” All of the furnishings that he owns were solely purchased after feeling obliged to do so, “If I saw something clever, like a little coffee table in the shape of a Ying Yang, I had to have it.” In addition, each purchase begins to define his personality, his life’s value was determined on certain key acquisitions. The narrator has been ensconced of visualizing his future by pondering through Ikea catalogs. Self – betterment can only truly be achieved through the purchasing of home goods. “I had it all. I had a stereo that was very decent, wardrobe that was getting very respectable. I was close to being complete.”
Nonetheless, the sole method that the narrator was capable of combating the culture of consumerism was through the process of experiencing veritable emotions. Anger, resentment and angst gave way to reality. He seeks refuge from the consistent bromidic culture that inundates his every thought. His escape from conventional consumerist society is initiated by attending support groups that allow his emotions to overtake the need of conforming to society that is overly attracted to the thought of materialism. Therefore, it can clearly be noted that the narrator only began to truly enjoy life once he disregarded his consumerist tendencies.
The manner in which the narrator was incapable of enacting any original cerebration when his thoughts solely pondered over purchasing the next item, is similar to how the members of the Wu – Tang Clan feel tyrannized by being incapable of enacting true change, as result that society’s consumerist inclinations allow those who are affluent to oppress the poor.
The Wu – Tang Clan song C.R.E.A.M (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) was composed in order to demonstrate that money characterizes power. Those who are wealthy are those that capable of formulating major decisions that everyone most abide by. However, the less fortunate are not recognized by society and are thus mistreated. Therefore, the writers of the song are ultimately detailing that money is the root of all evil. This thought of critiquing money is peculiar for rappers to be referencing. Commonly stereotyped as individuals that are only driven by money and not the forward progression of their art, this thought details that the members of the Wu – Tang Clan want everyone to be open to new original ideas, rather than be burdened by consumerist thoughts and the need to be rich, ideals that the narrator in the Fight Club only acquires after letting true emotions detail his actions.
Finally, the anti – consumerist principles that are present in the two aforementioned texts have found traction in real life movements, namely the hippy evolution that emanated in 1960`s in the United States in order to oppose the Vietnam War practiced voluntary simplicity. They did not degenerate to primal instincts, but examined their relationships with money and material possessions and came to the conclusion a simple life free of constant spending, allows one to discover freedom, independence and the happiness that is associated when uncovering consumption has reached its limit.
A prime example of the narrator’s allure for material possessions is epitomized when he indicates that he has fallen victim to the “[…] the Ikea nesting instinct.” All of the furnishings that he owns were solely purchased after feeling obliged to do so, “If I saw something clever, like a little coffee table in the shape of a Ying Yang, I had to have it.” In addition, each purchase begins to define his personality, his life’s value was determined on certain key acquisitions. The narrator has been ensconced of visualizing his future by pondering through Ikea catalogs. Self – betterment can only truly be achieved through the purchasing of home goods. “I had it all. I had a stereo that was very decent, wardrobe that was getting very respectable. I was close to being complete.”
Nonetheless, the sole method that the narrator was capable of combating the culture of consumerism was through the process of experiencing veritable emotions. Anger, resentment and angst gave way to reality. He seeks refuge from the consistent bromidic culture that inundates his every thought. His escape from conventional consumerist society is initiated by attending support groups that allow his emotions to overtake the need of conforming to society that is overly attracted to the thought of materialism. Therefore, it can clearly be noted that the narrator only began to truly enjoy life once he disregarded his consumerist tendencies.
The manner in which the narrator was incapable of enacting any original cerebration when his thoughts solely pondered over purchasing the next item, is similar to how the members of the Wu – Tang Clan feel tyrannized by being incapable of enacting true change, as result that society’s consumerist inclinations allow those who are affluent to oppress the poor.
The Wu – Tang Clan song C.R.E.A.M (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) was composed in order to demonstrate that money characterizes power. Those who are wealthy are those that capable of formulating major decisions that everyone most abide by. However, the less fortunate are not recognized by society and are thus mistreated. Therefore, the writers of the song are ultimately detailing that money is the root of all evil. This thought of critiquing money is peculiar for rappers to be referencing. Commonly stereotyped as individuals that are only driven by money and not the forward progression of their art, this thought details that the members of the Wu – Tang Clan want everyone to be open to new original ideas, rather than be burdened by consumerist thoughts and the need to be rich, ideals that the narrator in the Fight Club only acquires after letting true emotions detail his actions.
Finally, the anti – consumerist principles that are present in the two aforementioned texts have found traction in real life movements, namely the hippy evolution that emanated in 1960`s in the United States in order to oppose the Vietnam War practiced voluntary simplicity. They did not degenerate to primal instincts, but examined their relationships with money and material possessions and came to the conclusion a simple life free of constant spending, allows one to discover freedom, independence and the happiness that is associated when uncovering consumption has reached its limit.
Palahniuk used the split personality disorder in Fight Club on the narrator with his "alter ego", Tyler Durden. When the narrator is awake, he is his normal self of which his name is unknown to the reader. When the narrator decides to go to sleep, physically he never actually goes to bed, instead he becomes Tyler. This concludes the question of why the narrator is going through such difficulty trying to locate Tyler. The speculation for this is slightly noticeable throughout the novel, but the readers denouement occurs when the narrator asks Marla what his name is. Eagerly awaiting his real name to be revealed, we find out that the narrator and Tyler are one-and-the-same.
However, this approach is not unique to Fight Club. Several films and novels have used this character trait for a certain plot twist, but one film was more intriguing than most. The popular film of the 80's, Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes can be evaluated alike Palahniuk's novel. The film explains the story of a teenager named Ferris Bueller, who goes through the tedious task of skipping school with his best friend Cameron, and his girlfriend Sloane.
Bueller fakes an illness to convince his parents to let him stay home, he then proceeds to take an adventure around downtown Chicago, with help from Cameron's father's 1961 Ferrari GT California. Bueller manages to arrive back home before his parents, despite being interrogated by his principal. However, Cameron's fate is not as favorable, when in the efforts to remove the mileage from the odometer by jacking up the rear wheels and putting the car in reverse does not work, in frustration, Cameron kicks the front of the car inflicting damage. On top of that, while he leans on the car reflecting on the fact of how he needs to stand up to his father, the car is knocked off the jack and the ongoing spinning wheels result the car crashing through the garage and plummeting into the gully below. Bueller briefly sums up to Cameron what he did by saying, "You killed the car."
The main reason for the connection between the two texts, is Cameron. His traits are those of someone unpopular, anti-social, and depressed. Cameron decides to make up Ferris, who is most likely based on one of his popular classmates, to give himself some sense of companionship. However, there are more reasons for Cameron to invent Bueller. For example, "Bueller's" girlfriend Sloane is most likely the girl that Cameron has feelings for, but he believes that he is not cool or popular enough to date her. Just like in Fight Club, how Marla is sleeping with "Tyler" when the narrator is "sleeping".
Another main point of the novel, in which Palahniuk attempts to get across is anti-consumerism. This comes out through Tyler's minimalist, stick it to the man, personality. Anti-consumerism is a topic which is spoken upon regularly through music, and one song that shows this, along with being targeted to the same audience as the novel is "Wing$" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
This song starts off by telling the story of when Macklemore bought his first pair of Air Jordan shoes. He mentions how they made him jump so much higher, and how everyone thought he was so cool because he had them. He also says how one of his friend's brother's was murdered for his Jordan Fours and his Starter jacket. It shows what people will do to have nice possessions and they will even kill to have them or to make a easy money.
The song proceeds to explain how consumerism is a fast way to obtain happiness, or the illusion of it. It also shows how idiotic it is by saying, "Are you stupid? Don't crease 'em! Just leave 'em in that box!" People will buy something like shoes and will not use them in order to keep them nice looking. They are so valuable that you don't want to use them, to make sure that they stay valuable. It is just like buying an expensive sports car, but rarely driving it to make sure that nothing happens to it, and the mileage stays low.
Macklemore then argues how his possessions are a part of him, which is classic consumerism talk, and he says, "this is the source of my youth." He then, ends the song with the statement, " Consumption is in the veins, and now I see it's just another pair of shoes." He finally realizes after all the years that shoes are shoes, and they are meant to protect and provide comfort for the feet. They are not what make you cool, or a better person and they do not make you truly happy.
However, this approach is not unique to Fight Club. Several films and novels have used this character trait for a certain plot twist, but one film was more intriguing than most. The popular film of the 80's, Ferris Bueller's Day Off directed by John Hughes can be evaluated alike Palahniuk's novel. The film explains the story of a teenager named Ferris Bueller, who goes through the tedious task of skipping school with his best friend Cameron, and his girlfriend Sloane.
Bueller fakes an illness to convince his parents to let him stay home, he then proceeds to take an adventure around downtown Chicago, with help from Cameron's father's 1961 Ferrari GT California. Bueller manages to arrive back home before his parents, despite being interrogated by his principal. However, Cameron's fate is not as favorable, when in the efforts to remove the mileage from the odometer by jacking up the rear wheels and putting the car in reverse does not work, in frustration, Cameron kicks the front of the car inflicting damage. On top of that, while he leans on the car reflecting on the fact of how he needs to stand up to his father, the car is knocked off the jack and the ongoing spinning wheels result the car crashing through the garage and plummeting into the gully below. Bueller briefly sums up to Cameron what he did by saying, "You killed the car."
The main reason for the connection between the two texts, is Cameron. His traits are those of someone unpopular, anti-social, and depressed. Cameron decides to make up Ferris, who is most likely based on one of his popular classmates, to give himself some sense of companionship. However, there are more reasons for Cameron to invent Bueller. For example, "Bueller's" girlfriend Sloane is most likely the girl that Cameron has feelings for, but he believes that he is not cool or popular enough to date her. Just like in Fight Club, how Marla is sleeping with "Tyler" when the narrator is "sleeping".
Another main point of the novel, in which Palahniuk attempts to get across is anti-consumerism. This comes out through Tyler's minimalist, stick it to the man, personality. Anti-consumerism is a topic which is spoken upon regularly through music, and one song that shows this, along with being targeted to the same audience as the novel is "Wing$" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
This song starts off by telling the story of when Macklemore bought his first pair of Air Jordan shoes. He mentions how they made him jump so much higher, and how everyone thought he was so cool because he had them. He also says how one of his friend's brother's was murdered for his Jordan Fours and his Starter jacket. It shows what people will do to have nice possessions and they will even kill to have them or to make a easy money.
The song proceeds to explain how consumerism is a fast way to obtain happiness, or the illusion of it. It also shows how idiotic it is by saying, "Are you stupid? Don't crease 'em! Just leave 'em in that box!" People will buy something like shoes and will not use them in order to keep them nice looking. They are so valuable that you don't want to use them, to make sure that they stay valuable. It is just like buying an expensive sports car, but rarely driving it to make sure that nothing happens to it, and the mileage stays low.
Macklemore then argues how his possessions are a part of him, which is classic consumerism talk, and he says, "this is the source of my youth." He then, ends the song with the statement, " Consumption is in the veins, and now I see it's just another pair of shoes." He finally realizes after all the years that shoes are shoes, and they are meant to protect and provide comfort for the feet. They are not what make you cool, or a better person and they do not make you truly happy.