"Fight Club" marked its 20th anniversary of publication this year, and Chuck Palahniuk's debut novel would continue to fascinate (and divide) readers. The native of Pasco, Washington could be compared to Dan Brown, as both novelists intended their works for readers who don't have a stack of paperbacks on their bedside. It wouldn't be surprising, then, that high-brow readers would have a few words of praises for Palahniuk's book. (In Brown's case, it might be a case of damn you do, damn you don't.) But Palahniuk could teach aspiring novelists a very important rule in writing. Don't use adjectives and adverbs too often.
“I held the face of mister angel like a baby or a football in the crook of my arm and bashed him with my knuckles, bashed him until his teeth broke and through his lips."
Palahniuk used verbs, as his characters were always on the move. There would be lots of happenings, there won't be any shortage of energy. It could remind some readers of Indiana Jones and his nine lives. Geeks should look up to their superheroes, but the anonymous narrator was anything but those larger-than-life movie characters. Insomnia led to his suffering. There must be a support group who could help him alleviate his struggles. He encountered Marla Singer instead. He also met Tyler Durden, a charismatic extremist. Marla pretended to have troubles, which might prompt readers to wonder if "Fight Club" would be a case of knights in shining armor rescuing damsels in distress. The author could have blurred the lines, as the novel was released before the Internet could allow book quotes to be posted in social media (like Pinterest). As a matter of fact, Marla would give readers a faint suspicion that the narrator was walking from the real world to his subconscious world (and vice versa). It won't be the same effect as a Salvador Dali painting, as Tyler presented another intriguing aspect in this book.
Tyler embodied all the provocative themes that Palahniuk forcefully put into readers.
“Tyler gets me a job as a waiter, after that Tyler's pushing a gun in my mouth and saying, the very first step to eternal life is you have to die."
Palahniuk was talking about male identity. There was no doubt about his motive behind the depiction of violence. Father gods would represent these traits, even philosophers like Nietzsche. Politics, which the narrator and Tyler talked without end. The former seek a cure for his insomnia, but he found a therapy culture instead. Terrorism could be the only means. Anything about the guy would lead to political questions. David Fincher wouldn't be interesting in crossing this terrain, though.
The celluloid version of "Fight Club" was blood and gore galore, with Brad Pitt playing Tyler Durden. He could be miscast in this motion picture, as it was hard to get the heartthrob out of the actor. He tried his earnest, but someone like Viggo Mortensen would be able to give this contradicting character some gravitas. After all, the "Lord of the Rings" star had the ability to immerse himself completely in the role. It doesn't mean that Method acting would be required to master a character like Tyler Durden. "Fight Club" requires imagination from the readers, and much of it was lost on the big screen. Maybe Palahniuk knew it, as the novel earned a cult following.
