When any person asks what is the good life, their answers have one similar aspect. The good life is something they want, and don’t have. Regardless of the commodities they have, there is always something they are without. Humans yearn for what they lack, and believe in winning it will give them satisfaction. Roth’s satire on the notion of the good life is it’s all about finding a way to win. He suggests that the good life is being the best of the best at everything. All members of the Patimkin family exemplify this, especially through sports. From the moment Neil first meets Brenda she is trying to defeat Laura Stolowitch. “’Hello Neil. One more game,’ she called…Brenda was ahead five games to four, and her cocksureness about there
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Julie is not skilled at ping pong compared to Neil. This is because Neil is in his early twenties, has more experience and a strong desire to win. In result, she makes excuses to win. That’s how Julie has learned to get an advantage in games: if her skill fails she gives herself a crutch. This is like how Brenda continued to play more games with Laura to secure her winning streak. But, yet the side effects to the addiction of winning includes rage in the event of losing. “’You’re a cheater!’ she (Julie) screamed at me. ‘You cheat!’ Her jaw was trembling as though she carried a weight on top of her pretty head. ‘I hate you!’ And she threw her racket across the room and it clanged off the bar…’” (page 45) A rich family, like the Patimkins, value superiority and in result, loss of superiority makes Julie feel inadequate. In response to loss, Julie experiences grief, starting with denial. Rather than accepting her defeat she immediately denies it. Julie accuses Neil of cheating and proceeds to the next stage of grief, anger, by throwing a tantrum. What is most interesting about Julie’s fit is that she doesn’t even allow the game to finish. She left Neil before he could have …show more content…
The realization of losing was enough to throw her over the edge. Someone like Julie could never forgive themselves for letting someone else dominate them. Ron Patimkin is a dominator and he takes pride in his victory. He reminisces in his glory days with a record that stores his college triumph. The records title is “Goodbye Columbus” and it has unmistakable value to Ron. “He extracted a record from its case, and like a giant with a sea shell, placed it gingerly on the phonograph.” (page 102) The record plays a commentary of Ron’s last basketball game in Ohio, where he was the king of the court. “’And here comes Ron Patimkin dribbling out. Ron, number 11, from Short Hills, New Jersey. Big Ron’s last game, and it’ll be some time before Buckeye fans forget him…’ Big Ron tightened on his bed as the loudspeaker called his name; his ovation must have set the nets to trembling.” (page 104). Ron's athletic career makes him the poster child of the Patimkin family. Because of this, he is trying to follow in his father’s footsteps. Ron does this by helping out at his father’s company Patimkin Kitchen and Bathroom Sinks. But Ron doesn’t seem to be doing well and he doesn’t seem to care how he’s doing either. “Ron left Mr.Patimkins side and went back
Julie is not skilled at ping pong compared to Neil. This is because Neil is in his early twenties, has more experience and a strong desire to win. In result, she makes excuses to win. That’s how Julie has learned to get an advantage in games: if her skill fails she gives herself a crutch. This is like how Brenda continued to play more games with Laura to secure her winning streak. But, yet the side effects to the addiction of winning includes rage in the event of losing. “’You’re a cheater!’ she (Julie) screamed at me. ‘You cheat!’ Her jaw was trembling as though she carried a weight on top of her pretty head. ‘I hate you!’ And she threw her racket across the room and it clanged off the bar…’” (page 45) A rich family, like the Patimkins, value superiority and in result, loss of superiority makes Julie feel inadequate. In response to loss, Julie experiences grief, starting with denial. Rather than accepting her defeat she immediately denies it. Julie accuses Neil of cheating and proceeds to the next stage of grief, anger, by throwing a tantrum. What is most interesting about Julie’s fit is that she doesn’t even allow the game to finish. She left Neil before he could have …show more content…
The realization of losing was enough to throw her over the edge. Someone like Julie could never forgive themselves for letting someone else dominate them. Ron Patimkin is a dominator and he takes pride in his victory. He reminisces in his glory days with a record that stores his college triumph. The records title is “Goodbye Columbus” and it has unmistakable value to Ron. “He extracted a record from its case, and like a giant with a sea shell, placed it gingerly on the phonograph.” (page 102) The record plays a commentary of Ron’s last basketball game in Ohio, where he was the king of the court. “’And here comes Ron Patimkin dribbling out. Ron, number 11, from Short Hills, New Jersey. Big Ron’s last game, and it’ll be some time before Buckeye fans forget him…’ Big Ron tightened on his bed as the loudspeaker called his name; his ovation must have set the nets to trembling.” (page 104). Ron's athletic career makes him the poster child of the Patimkin family. Because of this, he is trying to follow in his father’s footsteps. Ron does this by helping out at his father’s company Patimkin Kitchen and Bathroom Sinks. But Ron doesn’t seem to be doing well and he doesn’t seem to care how he’s doing either. “Ron left Mr.Patimkins side and went back