The movie “Fight Club,” which is based of the novel of the same name, is directed by David Fincher and stars Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. In this novel the viewer is forced to explore their own materialistic tendencies as well as delve into the ambiguity of reality and truth. The movies title comes from a Tyler Durden’s (Brad Pitt) belief that that previous generations were defined by the battles they fought, more specifically WWII and Vietnam and that our generations lack of a great war took that definition away from us. In the absence of that being, we are a consumerist society fixed on distraction. Enter the nameless narrator, played by Edward Norton. He is the epitome of a consumerist particularly after uttering the quote “I flipped through catalogs and wondered: What kind of dining set defines me as a person?”
A defining quote of existentialism is that “existence precedes essence” which was coined by Jean-Paul Sartre. Norton’s character is completely dominated by his essence, but Tyler eventually reveals to him his existence is not his own choosing but rather a list of things he has been sold and eagerly waited to buy. Later in the movie it is revealed that Tyler is Norton’s alter-ego which makes the existentialist struggle between him and his own soul all the more interesting because it is played out between two men. But because “man chooses his own self” Tyler was created to force Norton into becoming the man he wanted to be. By choosing his own existence and struggling to define his life as he wishes it to be, Norton is faced with the realization that he is also responsible for the way he lives his life. It is with this in mind that the climax of the movie occurs and a fight breaks out between Tyler and Norton’s character and he becomes aware the Tyler is himself, so in the final scene of the movie, he shoots himself (in order to shoot Tyler). In this final moment, Norton comes to terms not only with his essence, but his existence.
No comments:
Post a Comment