The idea of psychological paralysis in a world that exudes opportunity has been a common theme of modern literature, especially during economically booming times in America—like the pre-depression stock market era or the post-Cold War patriotic fervor. Indeed, many people liked to focus on the positives during these times; however, many authors felt the need to expose details of t-hose who could not advance themselves in these times through the forum of fictional novels. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club exemplify this exact type of exposition. Fitzgerald’s narrator, Nick Carraway, feels trapped in a city defined by its extravagant and thriving nature, whereas Palahniuk’s unnamed narrator, who for the
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These narrators do not necessarily lie to themselves about their lives, yet they cope with this emotion very similarly by choosing to conceal the whole truth. In Nick’s case, he chooses to ignore his true loneliness in his new home, as he says that he “[likes] New York, the racy, adventurous feel of it at night” , when in reality he followed women “to their apartments on the corners of hidden streets” in order to imagine himself entering their lives. The narrator of Fight Club also deceives himself by subconsciously conceiving of Tyler Durden, who preaches that one should “reject the basic assumptions of civilization, especially the importance of material possessions” , which is the exact opposite mindset of Jack. Both narrators rely on their imagination and their respective heroes to fill the emptiness in their lives derived from their similar, impersonal settings. Jack and Nick have similar insignificant jobs, as Jack frequently describes the monotony and lack of morality of his position while Nick’s occupation is simply diminutive in the scope of the typical West Egg financial jobs. For both characters, their self-acknowledged insignificance in their respective settings perpetuates a sensation of alienation among each narrator causing Nick to …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club both typify the impact of lacking purpose and feeling emotionally “trapped” in a setting with an abundance of opportunities to achieve normality. Both Nick Carraway and Jack, despite the stark fiscal differences in their respective settings, endure almost identical mental journeys in the sense that they both struggle to overcome the superficiality of their cities in order to distinguish their true identities. Nick initially is overwhelmed by the bustling nature of West Egg, yet ultimately assimilates to its insincere culture while Jack works to overcome the monotony and tastelessness of his society. Authors writing during economically booming times aimed to highlight these struggles, which were often overlooked by other members of society that simply focused on self-advancement and the admiration of those who had already “made it”. This type of “apostolic fiction” serves as an expression of the influence a “hero” can have on someone suffering from psychological paralysis due to the impersonality and fraudulence of the culture that they are surrounded
These narrators do not necessarily lie to themselves about their lives, yet they cope with this emotion very similarly by choosing to conceal the whole truth. In Nick’s case, he chooses to ignore his true loneliness in his new home, as he says that he “[likes] New York, the racy, adventurous feel of it at night” , when in reality he followed women “to their apartments on the corners of hidden streets” in order to imagine himself entering their lives. The narrator of Fight Club also deceives himself by subconsciously conceiving of Tyler Durden, who preaches that one should “reject the basic assumptions of civilization, especially the importance of material possessions” , which is the exact opposite mindset of Jack. Both narrators rely on their imagination and their respective heroes to fill the emptiness in their lives derived from their similar, impersonal settings. Jack and Nick have similar insignificant jobs, as Jack frequently describes the monotony and lack of morality of his position while Nick’s occupation is simply diminutive in the scope of the typical West Egg financial jobs. For both characters, their self-acknowledged insignificance in their respective settings perpetuates a sensation of alienation among each narrator causing Nick to …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club both typify the impact of lacking purpose and feeling emotionally “trapped” in a setting with an abundance of opportunities to achieve normality. Both Nick Carraway and Jack, despite the stark fiscal differences in their respective settings, endure almost identical mental journeys in the sense that they both struggle to overcome the superficiality of their cities in order to distinguish their true identities. Nick initially is overwhelmed by the bustling nature of West Egg, yet ultimately assimilates to its insincere culture while Jack works to overcome the monotony and tastelessness of his society. Authors writing during economically booming times aimed to highlight these struggles, which were often overlooked by other members of society that simply focused on self-advancement and the admiration of those who had already “made it”. This type of “apostolic fiction” serves as an expression of the influence a “hero” can have on someone suffering from psychological paralysis due to the impersonality and fraudulence of the culture that they are surrounded