Conflict is a central part of every work of literature. Be it a short story, a novel, an anthology, etc, every story has some type of conflict. A character can be plagued by an internal conflict, where an event such as a death chips away at said character's mental state. External conflicts, on the contrary, usually deal with physical things, such as drugs, money, and guns. In Jay McInerney's novel, Bright Lights Big City, the main character, who remains nameless throughout the entire story, faces both internal and external conflicts while trying to get his life back on the right track. McInerney paints a vivid picture of how these conflicts lead to the crumbling of a man.
The main character, who will be known as the protagonist, is faced with intense internal conflicts. In all of these internal conflicts, a different protagonist arises. One of the key internal conflicts that the protagonist struggles with is the loss of his model wife, Amanda, who left him out of the blue. He believed that all was well, and that it couldn't get any better, and then it hit him like a truck. Throughout the story, he speaks of Amanda in both positive and negative ways, although mostly in negative ways, for as the story progresses, so does his realization of the circumstances surrounding his loss of Amanda. But most of all, he speaks of the hurt that Amanda has inflicted upon him. "You .
reminded her that she had said that they were all fags. She said "Au contraire, Pierre," ripping the last strained tissues that held your heart intact." (McInerney 76-77). .
Another internal conflict that the protagonist silently fought was the passing of his mother. At present time for the protagonist his mom has been dead for a year. He doesn't talk about it much throughout the story, until a visit from his brother brings out buried emotions. The two talk about their mutual love for their mother, and the protagonist brings it one step further in a late night phone call to Vicky.
In Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City the narrator acts like an immature fool throughout most of the novel. ... He goes out basically every night of the week with his friend Tad Allagash and snorts lines of cocaine in shady and run down New York City clubs. ... The narrator in Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City is an immature fool throughout most of the novel. ...
Remembering Paris The most exciting adventure sally ever took was to the city of lights: Paris, France. ... As the plane reached the runway, She heard the sound of the wheels drop and land with a great, big ker-plop onto the hard pavement. ... Here, she took wonderful pictures of the brightly lit city below and wondered at the lights over France. In the distance, the hills peeked out, and the bright lights glimmered as the sun began to set in the Parisian sky. She thought her first day in the "City of Lights" was something she would never forget. ...
As children, we wonder just how big the universe really is as we look up at the night sky. ... Light pollution affects encompass more than just brightness at night. ... Recently, many cities have been replacing the old high-pressure sodium vapor lights with newer LEDs in street lamps. ... Turn off lights when you leave the room. ... All these minor changes might prevent a brighter future and allow balance to return to the night....
The car drives through many different areas, at last reaching the city. ... The bright lights are reflected in the car window, contrasting with the ice blue colour cast across the son and car. ... The camera angle can make the car seem bigger and more spacious, which is done in many scenes. ... As it enters a deserted city, darkness falls and it begins to rain. ... The city is spooky, dark shadows and bright artificial lights - a shop alarm shows us it's a dangerous area. ...
Raves are now held in pretty much every city or town, whether it be heavily populated or in the middle of cornfields. ... Raves are held in just about every major city in the United States especially in California, New York, and Florida, as well as Canada, UK, and Japan. ... Nearly everything worn is bright and neon so it can be illuminated underneath the flashing lights. ... Many clothing articles are often glow-in-the-dark to gain a great visual affect under black lights. ... Candy jewelry is often worn, as well as any brightly colored beaded necklaces, multiple glittery bracelets, brigh...
Everything was so beautiful, bright lights everywhere. ... I started to look out of the window and saw that we are about to land and you could see so many bright lights and hotels. ... This hotel took up a whole city block and in the back of the building there was a big amusement park. ... We also, rode on the Race to Atlantis, and the lost city of Atlantis. ... Inside this hotel it looks just like if you were actually in New York City, we saw the Statue of Liberty and Greenwich Village. ...
The Narrator in Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City, and Holden Caulfield in J.D. ... In Bright Lights, Big City, the Narrator escapes family and marriage problems, coupled with his monotonous career, through the use of drugs and participation in the infamous New York City nightlife of the 1980's. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden escapes problems at school and the societal pressure to grow up by running away to New York City. ... Clearly, it seems as if the Narrator's maturity has regressed since he moved to New York City. ... The Narrator feels shortchanged, explaini...
Bright Lights, Big City and Model Behavior are two stories, which effectively convey a theme of self-discovery. Specifically they illustrate the lives of characters that can't come to terms with the problems in their lives. Until we as individuals and as a society come to realize our faults and trib...