As The Sad Story Continues, wk 4/4/07

Most of the thoughts and feelings I had in the previously blog are continued as I read through the rest of the book. I see so much of the different topics we have discussed in class, Eros, doubleness, the gaze, gender confusion, and socially constructed gender norms. All of this seems to collide in this novel.

I see more of the Eros in his desire and wanting. Not necessarily for a lover, but just in general. He knows he is lacking, so he is wanting to be someone else and he desires to be someone else. The bittersweet is that once he gets it, in a way, it’s not all that perfect. If anything is complicates his life anymore once he realizes his doubleness. He is two in the same with Tyler and Tyler is taking over. His other side is what attracts others like Marla. Without this personality would Marla have really been as interested for so long with him. Just like P.Burke once Paul realizes there is a double he leaves in disgust.

The gaze is obvious even in the novel, though the film definitely wins hands down with Brad Pitt. From the bad boy image and the early naked scene described in the novel I find myself attracted to Tyler. He is free, wild, and reckless. With the film using a half naked Brad Pitt my gaze is like a laser beam heading right in his direction.

I only mention gender confusion because of the main character and Marla. From the film and the novel I still in part feel that Marla shows some more masculine attitudes and emotions. The main character is the opposite, he shows some more feminine traits some of which I mentioned in my last blog. The topic of socially constructed gender norms was also mentioned in the previous blog as well. My feelings on this subject still haven’t changed.