Everyone is miserable with their lives and will eventually die a tragic death. OK, so that isn’t completely the case in this collection of stories, but it isn’t that far off. This is genuinely what the audience is left feeling after reading Bullet in the Brain, Safari, and Happy Endings. In these essays, you get a glimpse at how truly tragic human life is and the frightening realization that there is no such thing as happily ever after. All three stories look at how truly flawed and tragic human life really is.
In Bullet in the Brain, the main character Anders has a very cynical and bitter view of life. He is critical of everything and everyone around him. He has a negative view about life and doesn’t think very highly of anyone. While waiting in line at the bank, he has an unfavorable opinion of everyone around him, from the bank tellers to the customers, and even the bank robbers. Anders noted, “...his own towering hatred of the teller, but he immediately turned it on the presumptuous crybaby in front of him” (Wolff 1). Anders is so judgmental of others that he will find fault in even …show more content…
He has a normal and typical relationship with his sister Charlie. He likes his father’s girlfriend Mindy, unlike Charlie. As the story progresses, his opinion of his father changes. Rolph innocently repeats to his father an interaction between Mindy and Albert, an employee at the resort. Which makes Lou want to claim Mindy. He doesn’t take kindly to Albert usurping what he perceives is his territory. He doesn’t care about Albert, but he wants to make sure that Mindy realizes this. Rolph doesn’t completely realize the complications of his disclosure he shared with his father. But he does notice how critical and judgmental Lou is, especially of women. Rolph has a particularly adverse reaction to his father’s usage of the word “cunt”. He struggles to deal with who his father really is and how disillusioned he has
In Bullet in the Brain, the main character Anders has a very cynical and bitter view of life. He is critical of everything and everyone around him. He has a negative view about life and doesn’t think very highly of anyone. While waiting in line at the bank, he has an unfavorable opinion of everyone around him, from the bank tellers to the customers, and even the bank robbers. Anders noted, “...his own towering hatred of the teller, but he immediately turned it on the presumptuous crybaby in front of him” (Wolff 1). Anders is so judgmental of others that he will find fault in even …show more content…
He has a normal and typical relationship with his sister Charlie. He likes his father’s girlfriend Mindy, unlike Charlie. As the story progresses, his opinion of his father changes. Rolph innocently repeats to his father an interaction between Mindy and Albert, an employee at the resort. Which makes Lou want to claim Mindy. He doesn’t take kindly to Albert usurping what he perceives is his territory. He doesn’t care about Albert, but he wants to make sure that Mindy realizes this. Rolph doesn’t completely realize the complications of his disclosure he shared with his father. But he does notice how critical and judgmental Lou is, especially of women. Rolph has a particularly adverse reaction to his father’s usage of the word “cunt”. He struggles to deal with who his father really is and how disillusioned he has