Fight Club

I never had any intention of reading or watching “Fight Club”. I heard about it of course. The movie quickly became such a phenomenon that still today stores sell t-shirts with “Paper Street Soap Company” and a fist printed on the front. I never understood what the big deal was. From what I understood it was just about a bunch of guys fighting. It didn’t help that most of the individuals who raved about the movie were men. I just thought it was another one of those “movies for men” that you see all the time on Spike TV. What could I possibly learn from a movie like that?

My naïveté surprises even me at times. Although clearly a book/movie targeted for male audiences, the broader theme is for everyone. It is clear that Fight Club is a statement about society and more specifically, awakening the power we all possess as individuals to change how society perceives those of the middle class. Although I enjoyed both the movie and the book, I liked the book more. Maybe it’s because I read it first, but the book seemed to hold so much more weight. Each chapter is written with such a sense of boldness that forced you to take an honest look at your own life. Plus it seemed a little hypocritical to watch famous movie stars act like “the middle children of history”. It’s easier to relate to the characters’ hardships if you’re not thinking about Brad Pitt’s million dollar house you saw last night on MTV’s Cribs. Both Brad Pitt and Edward Norton did a wonderful job acting, it just wasn't as believable.

Unfortunately I knew the ending prior to watching the movie and reading the book. (My family is full of spoilers). But I was still surprised by many of the scenes in the book. I loved the scene with Raymond K. Hessel (and not just because I hope to get into vet school one day). For some reason when the narrator (in the novel) or Tyler Durden (in the movie) stated “Raymond K. Hessel, your dinner is going to taste better than any meal you’ve ever eaten, and tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of your entire life” it really resonated with me. It’s such a powerful statement, but it also got me thinking. Are we really that afraid to follow our dreams that we have to have a gun to our head in order to do it? What happened to the Dead Poet's Society and Carpe Diem?