Fight Club Analysis
Fight Club is a 1999 American psychological drama film adapted from the 1996 by Chuck Palahniuk. The film conveys a powerful message about the worth of man and his decline in society over time. It follows the life of the narrator that struggles with insomnia and feelings of inadequacy as he tries to find his purpose in ife. In the beginning the film creates a feeling of sympathy for the Narrator. With dim and gloomy lighting, the movie has scenes showing the day-to-day life of the Narrator.The scenes give the audience an idea of how miserable and exhausting this mans life has become.
He is drained by the pressures of society, living in an apartment that owns him more than he owns it. His life is characterised by possessions. “like so many others, I had become a slave to the Ikea nesting instinct what kind of dining set defines me as a person? ” The narrator seeks to fill the emptiness that has become him. He joins support groups for people with disabilities, faking that he is diseased.The emotional release at these meetings cure him of insomnia.
He finds a sense of belongingness in the groups, where people give him the attention and love that is missing from his life. “When people think you’re dying, they really, really listen to you instead of just waiting for their turn to speak. ” The support groups are the first step in Jack’s journey to enlightenment, and they introduce him to meditation. The theme of enlightenment and other aspects of Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism will re-occur throughout the novel. One of the principal aspects of Buddhism is that life is suffering and that only by giving up everything and becoming free of desire will one be able to achieve enlightenment. ” As the Narrator continues to go to the support groups he notices that he may not be the only one faking it.
A woman named Marla Singer attends the same support groups that he does. When she is there he is unable to cry, so he can’t sleep. Marla Singer is a threat to The Narrator, and her character symbolises society. Her relationship with The Narrator is a metaphor of society and how it has feminised and gained control over men.
