The style in which Fight Club was written in was unique, because the events weren't narrated in a neat, chronological order. Instead, certain events that occur in the future are actually included within the early chapters of the novel. The greatest example of this was the very first chapter, which began with the climax and then in the next chapter started normally with the exposition. I enjoyed the way it was written, because it added more depth to the novel, in the sense that it felt more intense or mysterious. Starting with the climax immediately led me to wonder how it go to that point, and I found myself flipping page after page, not stopping for hours on end.
The plot will be analyzed using it's general structure, which in order, consists of:
1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Climax
4. Falling action
5. Denouement.
The plot will be analyzed using it's general structure, which in order, consists of:
1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Climax
4. Falling action
5. Denouement.
EXPOSITION
- The narrator describes the current state of his life, and how it's terrible living with insomnia. He also admits being a slave to materialism
- He starts attending support groups as psychotherapy for his insomnia, which soon stops working after Marla inadvertently exposes him of faking illnesses, causing him to feel guilty
- He meets Tyler who invites him to move in with him under one condition, which was to "hit me as hard as you can." (46)
rising action
- Fight Club is established, and more and more men begin joining who also can't help but keep breaking the first two rules
- Tyler begins preaching his ideals and goals to the narrator and members, they begin embracing it
- Tyler starts having an affair with Marla, leaving the narrator feeling uneasy about it
- Fight Club soon evolves into Project Mayhem, a terrorist cult hell bent on wreaking havoc as a means of opposing consumerism
- One rebellious activity results in a close friend of the narrator's, "Bitch Tits" Robert Paulson, and realizes how destructive Project Mayhem is becoming. The members show no remorse for Paulson's death, and instead brainstorm ideas for disposing of the body
- Tyler's true identity is revealed with the help of Marla. The narrator gets Marla to safety
- The narrator decides to take down Tyler, but Tyler gets the best of him and as a gun pointed at his head. He then tells the narrator that the building they're in will detonate in a matter of minutes, planning to die as a martyr for his cause
climax
- Marla barely arrives in time with support group members, and as she was approaching the narrator Tyler suddenly vanished, as "he was my hallucination, not her's." (204)
- The narrator now finds that he's pointing the gun at himself
- Marla and the narrator profess their love for each other, but the narrator realizes that while he is still alive and Marla is not around, Tyler can re emerge any second
- Marla and the support group members try convincing the narrator not to shoot himself, however he has already that it was the only way to get rid of Tyler for good. Making the first real decision of his own desire, he pulls the trigger
falling action
- The narrator has a fantasy in heaven where he meets God
- God asks the narrator why he has caused him so much pain, why he hasn't realized that everyone is a sacred, unique snowflake, and how we're all manifestations of love
- The narrator replies saying that none of us are special, but also, that we're not garbage either. Instead, "We just are." (207)
DENOUEMENT
- In reality, the narrator survives, and is recovering in a hospital bed
- The employees of the hospital reveal themselves to the narrator as Project Mayhem members
- The novel ends with the employees saying and whispering the following:
- "We miss you Mr. Durden." (208)
- "Everything's going according to plan." (208)
- "We're going to break up civilization so we can make something better out of the world." (208)
- "We look forward to getting you back." (208)