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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume 4
Fall 2005
By Frankie Dintino
What then is one to make of the film's misogyny? My ignorance to this element of the film is due to the fact that I do not consider Fight Club 's depiction of brute masculinity and the misogynistic undertones to be integral to the plot, as some critics have. If anything, Tyler Durden's diatribes on the plight of contemporary males are simply part of a general reactionary element present throughout the film which threatens the revolutionary endeavor. Additionally, I find the practice of extending what is merely the authors' prejudice to the entire social field to be a dubious enterprise. I will be the first to admit that my paper does a certain "violence" to the film (no pun intended). Upon listening to the various commentary tracks that accompany the DVD of Fight Club , it becomes clear that the "Deleuzian century" was not a major factor in the film's inception or creation. However, I feel that the film's reception, especially among college-age students, is another story. Certainly there are many whose appreciation of the film does not extend beyond the gory fight scenes and all-star cast. In addition to these people, though, I believe there is a significant minority who feel a certain rapport with the film in an ineffable way. I took it upon myself to provide a theoretical framework for this rapport , and in so doing to draw parallels between the film and society at large.
Mr. Sharma aptly points out that the film is solipsistic - even excessively so- and he holds that this perhaps exposes my claim of social relevance to a fatal flaw. On the one hand, this solipsism is dictated by the plot: up until the last moments the film is filtered through Jack's perception, maintaining his delusions and hallucinations throughout. On the other hand, as a dark satire the film does not aspire to paint the characters in the film as anything more than caricatures. Thus, Mr. Sharma is correct in concluding that the interpersonal level of the film is completely lacking. However, if one accepts the notion that the concepts in the film resonate with people in an ineffable way then this must be the result of the political and historical elements of the film, since they are the only ones presented in any depth. This would seem to support my claim to social relevancy, rather than hinder it.
Upon careful reflection, though, I have come to the conclusion that I was perhaps over-optimistic in my initial reading of the final scenes of the film. Earlier on in the film, Jack describes Tyler 's various hobbies, among which includes film projecting. Tyler 's reason for taking on this job is because it "affords him other interesting opportunities," namely splicing single frames of pornography into family-films. In the last moment before Fight Club cuts to the credits, a penis is displayed for a split-second. This too has a dual interpretation: it can, for instance, be viewed as a final assertion of male dominance and misogyny. I, however, see it differently. To me it implies that the film just watched is not untainted, but that it has been contaminated by Tyler 's influence. In other words, it asserts that we may never be completely finished with Tyler Durden, despite our strongest hopes.
Works Cited
Diken, Bülent and Carsten B. Laustsen. "Enjoy Your Fight! - Fight Club as a Symptom of the Network Society." Journal for Cultural Research 6.4 (2002): 349-67.
Lee, Terry. "Virtual Violence in Fight Club: This is What Transformation of Masculine Ego Feels Like." Journal of American and Comparative Culture 25.3/4 (Fall/Winter 2002): 418-423.