Fight Club Analysis

            Analysis of Fight Club, a novel by Chuck Palahniuk & film directed by David Fincher .
            
             The novel Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk was published in 1996, and released as a motion picture starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton in 1999. It is an important piece of literature because it portrays the problems experienced by the modern day male who feels trapped in a world of the gray-collar working-class, a world filled with materialism and distractions, a group of men raised in single-parent families often devoid of a male role-model, in a world where there is no great cause to fight for. It is a story in which my generation can relate to, which probably led to the success of both the novel and motion picture. .
             Fight Club is written as a limited omniscient narrative. As the story begins, we meet the main character, and narrator of the story, whose name is unmentioned. In the credits of the movie he is referred to as Jack, so this is what I will call him throughout this essay. Jack refers to himself as a "thirty-year old boy" employed as a recall coordinator for a major automobile company. He lives in a condo, and defines himself through his possessions. Jack also suffers from a severe case of insomnia. The cause, which is unknown to him at this time, is due to a split personality disorder. His other personality takes over when he thinks that he is sleeping.
             When Jack asks his doctor for drugs to help cope with his suffering due to his insomnia, the doctor tells him that if he wants to see real pain, he should attend some of the support groups at a local church. So Jack starts to attend these support groups religiously using aliases. These support groups give him a sense of belonging, and suddenly Jack can sleep again. .
             Jack soon meets Tyler Durden, his other personality. Jack is still unaware of the fact that Tyler isn't real, and idolizes him. Upon his returning from a business trip, Jack discovers that his precious condominium, containing all of his possessions, has been destroyed in an explosion.