Table of Contents
Introduction
Speaking of Palahniuk’s Fight Club, one of the most prominent literary pieces, we’re sure that its role is mostly underestimated. The crucial point is that Palahniuk’s Fight Club has raised awareness over countless societal issues, including ones pertaining to social relations of modernity.
Anti-Consumerist or Pro-Consumerist?
It is often speculated that Palahniuk included somewhat a controversial and highly debated essence of the Fight Club itself. While some claim that Fight Club is genuinely a piece aimed to criticize the consumable modernity, others refer to differences between the novel and the film.
In particular, it wouldn’t be a big of a surprise to imply that the movie relies on anti-consumerism in more details. Obviously, the transition of the Fight Club into the Project Mayhem was apparently a sign of going off the predetermined rails.
Nonetheless, Palahniuk conducted drastic measures to emphasize the dissatisfaction of the club’s members with the essence of consumerism and modern societal relations.
So, should it be called an anti-consumerist novel? The answer to this question is varied so that its interpretation should be reviewed from multiple perspectives.
Fight Club as a Critique of Consumerist Culture
In some sense, Palahniuk’s Fight Club should be embraced as the title that criticizes cultural notions but not the societal ones. The used instrument for these intentions is a strong satire, which is best seen throughout the novel.
By appealing to the generations that were working in jobs they hate as well as a great revolution against culture, Fight Club aims to eliminate the dogma. This specific dogma relies upon the maintenance of the consumerist status quo, which is best seen through the lens of modern societal relations.
So, should we characterize Palahniuk’s novel as such that criticizes culture, but not the society? Well, considering the existential moods emphasized through the novel, the consumable culture is something that ought to be eliminated. For certain.
America or the World?
The so-called consumable universe of Palahniuk’s Fight Club is also often discussed from the perspective of nationality. Although the exact novel text utterly eliminates the notions of nationality, one might immediately observe the description of American modern life.
Hence, the notions of rampant consumerism, the unquenchable thirst for constant purchasing, and the degradation of social relations are best seen through the lens of the novel.
But whether these aspects rely upon a specific nation or the world as a whole? Basically, the novel stresses the American way of living by opposing it with a unique sort of protest. So, even the notions pertaining to beauty and perfection are believed as being the traits and actions of the American individuals.
And What About Perfection?
Speaking of perfection, which is another major element of the so-called consumable universe, Palahniuk’s novel stands out as a cultural artifact for assessing the community-based objective of aiming for perfection.
But why? Within the consumable universe of the Fight Club, the American obsession with beauty and exercise are something that best determines the road in the direction of perfection.
One of the most important insights revealed by Palahniuk is that American individuals are becoming the products themselves. By boosting and advancing their own bodies and physical traits, Americans, according to Palahniuk, are becoming the physical products for sale by themselves. In such regard, the stereotypical image of any American individual is deconstructed within the consumable universe of the Fight Club, as revealed variously in Palahniuk’s novel.
Value on Finances
Apparently, the US has a history of being the state that originally relied much on the finances. However, the consumable universe of the Fight Club raises awareness over the impossibility of accomplishing success without having the right amount of money.
And if to follow the aforementioned premise that consumerist American moods would never get it enough, nobody seems to achieve any success according to the American stereotypical social expectations.
Similarly, Palahniuk’s novel refers to the important aspect of financial debt. By voluntarily becoming a part of the global American financial system, most of the American individuals are taking into consideration the debt per se.
So, is the consumable culture of Palahniuk’s universe obvious? Well, if to perceive the notions expressed by Palahniuk’s characters and the created universe as a whole, nobody would disagree with these ideas.
Conclusion
So, should the so-called consumable universe of Palahniuk’s Fight Club be analyzed and assessed out loud? If to review the modern lives of the Americans, certain commonalities might be traced.
Although most of the analyses pertain to the cultural studies and the anthropological notions of culture, the consumable universe of Palahniuk is something that made the Fight Club a literary masterpiece for decades.
