Analysis of the Themes in Fight Club

2285 Words5 Pages

Analysis of the Themes in Fight Club

It is easy to understand how and why many who view Fight Club

(Fincher, 1999) would argue that is in essence a critique of post

modern consumer culture within America or indeed the western world.

After all we are faced with Character(s) Jack (Edward Norton) who

seems to gain no cultural sustenance from the world in which he

inhabits. More over it seems to do him harm in the form of insomnia.

This coupled with his obsession with Ikea and material goods leads to

the creation of Tyler (Brad Pit). Whose apparent goal is the

destruction of the capitalist system? The film seems littered with

examples of anti consumer, anti capitalist motifs. The blowing up of

credit card companies, the vandalising of coffee shops etc etc. But,

is there more to the narrative of fight club? Its extreme use of

violence on one hand might seem to represent the desperate act of

those trapped deep within the void of consumer culture driven to

violence in a desperate bid to escape; to re claim some sense of

individualism. This view does however ignore many key issues regarding

Fight Club and gender. Especially those of masculinity and femininity,

and the positions they occupy within the film.

Primarily using the work of Laura Mulvey and Henry A. Giroux I

believe that it is clear to see that the themes and issues which are

central to Fight Club are based primarily on gender. Additional to

this, the fragility of man and narratives surrounding masculine

supremacy are present throughout, and undermine any notions of

critical morality.

“Ostensibly, Fight Club Appears to be a critique of late capitalist

society…But Fight...

... middle of paper ...

...hic economy encourages male

violence against women. In short, male violence in this film appears

directly linked to fostering those ideological conditions that justify

abuse towards women by linking masculinity exclusively to expressions

of violence and defining male identity against everything that is

feminine. (2000:12)

Bibliography

Cohen, S & Hark, I R. (ed’s). 1993 Screening The Male: Exploring

Masculinities In Hollywood Cinema. Routledge: London.

Giroux, H A. 2000. Private Satisfactions and Public Disorders: Fight

Club, Patriarchy and the Patriarchy and the Politics of Masculine

Violence. Dr. Henry A. Giroux Online Articles. henrygiroux.com.

Mulvey, M. 1989. Visual And Other Pleasures. Macmillan: Basingstoke.

Nelmes, J (ed) 2003. An Introduction To Film Studies (Third Edition)

Routledge: London

Open Document