Chuck Palahniuk: Fight Club

I would like to discuss every possible aspect of this book. From beginning to end including the hidden messages of this Life-changing, Eye- Opening book. The movie can also be brought up, however only people who have read the book and/but not or seen the movie should post here.

I would life to begin in the begging of the book and work towards the middle fully explaining the ideas and beliefs set before us.

First: This book is a romance. This is fact. You have to understand that this book is not simple about men fighting each other. It is about the everyday piles of meat. Us. It’s about casting aside all that you believe is right and truly deciding for yourself what you can and will do with your life. Remember as well, don’t think that because someone wrote this book and it sold millions that the author was the one with the original idea. Palahniuk even said that he “refused to believe that out of the millions of people that his idea was his own”. Now…..

First off, WOW! Is all I can sum up. This book has forever changed my life.
Let’s begin:

Throughout the book we are confronted with many ideas and beliefs that certainly challenge us to take a step back and truly picture our lives, our beliefs, society and how we live our life. Some quotes include,
"It’s only after we lose everything, that we are free to do anything."
"Our Father's are our model for God, if our fathers died or left us when we were young, what does that tell us about God?”
“You have to give up; you have to realize that one day you will die, until you know that you are useless”
And so much more…..
These books ideas are simple amazing….
It talks about how WE the current and previous and future for that matter, generations are raised by women. Tyler Durden makes a remarkable statement when he says “Do you know what a Devour is?” Now why do we need to know what this is?” “Is this essential to our life, in the Hunter- Gatherer sort of way?”

This is amazingly true. We are raised to know what some of the most feminine things are. And why? What is the point? Is it because men are supposed to know and understand what a woman goes through and understands? How and why are men supposed to know this?

(I am not and never have any intention of discriminating the female sex; however I am merely bringing up ideas that both male and female should help answer and understand)

I believe that yes it is true we are raised by women. We are set to believe that you can solve your problems with words and not actions. Even in my High School, I asked my principle (he’s is about 50 years old) about what High School was like in his day. He answered “In my days, narks (High School guards) would watch a fight go on until there was a clear winner. Fighting was just a natural activity. If something that you firmly believed in was violated you stood up for it. Now a days, because of laws and restrictions you are even suspended you decided to fight back to protect yourself.”

Amazing really….

Once again there is no sexist comment that I am trying to make, I simply want to share my ideas and hope to have a enlighten conversation.

Hey drewfox and welcome to the forum.

I have read this book two years ago, and have watched the movie several times. There are some differences between the plot of the movie and the book, though the book is better.

At that time (two years ago), I was crazy about Fight Club, I even did a presentation about it in my english class. As you said, there are many themes and ideas that are simply amazing. I don't remember all, but I'll mention some...

"It’s only after we lose everything, that we are free to do anything." I liked this one, it's like when you reach a state where you nothing to loose, you feel the freedom of doing anything without the sense of fear of things not going in the right direction. I loved the part when everyone was given the mission to go out and pick a fight, haha... in the movie it was sooo good and funny. I also loved the idea of by grouping all those working-class people, they controlled the high-class men, since they clean, drive, cook and do everything the high-class men are essentially dependent on.

I think after my final exams are over, I'll read this book again. I guess everytime I read it, I find something new.

This is the only book I've ever read where the movie goes more in depth than the book does.

Good book.

GREAT MOVIE!!

I love Chuck, but his best work is Lullaby and Survivor!

What is the main theme in Fight Club book by Chuck Palahniuk?

I have watched the movie several times in the past and just recently read the book. After reading the book I watched the movie again. What I am trying to do is distinguish between the major theme in the movie vs the major theme in the book. I think the movie is more about consumerism while the book is more about masculitity and the absense of a father figure. Can anyone help me with this?

"Doing one's own homework."

You can quote me on this.

It's about the Pequot War and how early colonists were really forced to defend themselves against what they saw as naked aggression by the native peoples. There are underlying themes of passion, harmony, how to build a better butter churn that force us to look inside ourselves for the real answers.

very funny thanks for no help

The endings were different and the protagonist's name wasn't Jack. Well, it might have been but I don't think it was.

The success and popularity of Mr. Palahniuk is something I do not understand. imo he is a thrill-seeking shock-writer, i.e. he writes - simply, exclusively - to shock. Fight Club is a vastly overrated novel (this applies, unsurpisingly, to the film also) and the same can be said of the rest of his prolific, albeit awful oeuvre.

He is deeply indebted to Bret Easton Ellis.

I believe that yes it is true we are raised by women. We are set to believe that you can solve your problems with words and not actions.

Once again there is no sexist comment that I am trying to make, I simply want to share my ideas and hope to have a enlighten conversation.

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Some have criticized Fight Club for having fascist ideas, however latent. I would agree with this criticism to a good degree. I don't believe that the point in the section you highlighted had to do with women per se, but rather, the perception of weakness and the loss of male identity. The fascist theme also comes out in the sublimating of the individual's worth and goals to only one thing-the state. This comes out when the recruits are working at the house and the bullhorn or PA system is repeating things like: "You are not special, you are not a snowflake...." The anti-weakness principle is a fundamental element of fascist theory and can be found in Nietzsche's The Will to Power. Palahniuk isn't a fascist, or crazy like Nietzsche. As others have pointed out, he is a shock-writer first and foremost.

drewfox never came back after he posted that.

SFG75 said:

I The anti-weakness principle is a fundamental element of fascist theory and can be found in Nietzsche's The Will to Power. Palahniuk isn't a fascist, or crazy like Nietzsche. As others have pointed out, he is a shock-writer first and foremost.

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BUT! - one hastens to say - Nietzsche should not be confused as someone who advocated fascism or national socialism. That he was crazy is well known as his mental health deteriorated toward the end of his life, but that does not make the realm of his philosophy dismissable.

Unfortunately I have not read the book but i think the movie was brilliant and yes it was a very romantic portrayal of what life should be all about instead of everyone living in boxes and not stopping to question for a minute the linear existance that we live. I think it makes us examine ourselves on various levels and a lot of positive things come out of the refreshing ideas put forward..

Chuck Palahniuk article; The Independent.

drewfox said:

I would like to discuss every possible aspect of this book. From beginning to end including the hidden messages of this Life-changing, Eye- Opening book. The movie can also be brought up, however only people who have read the book and/but not or seen the movie should post here.

I would life to begin in the begging of the book and work towards the middle fully explaining the ideas and beliefs set before us.

Click to expand...

Fantastic book, one of my favorites. (the movie is also a favorite) The "You are not special, you are not a unique snowflake" monologue sticks out in my mind as one of the best moments/themes.