Volume CXXXVI: The Tuesday Tell A Vision Edition; Fight Club, Part III

Hello every One, and welcome to the Tuesday Tell A Vision Edition of the Good News Journal, thank King You for joining Me.

Alright, last week I reviewed some of the Characteristics of the Christ that are Present in almost every great Story We encounter so We could look for them in Fight Club. As a result, We didn’t get through much more of the film. Today I’m going to approach this film a little differently in hopes of covering the complete film in a few less Posts than My usual reviews because there is not as much [relevant] symbolism to discuss in this film as there was in My Matrix and V for Vendetta interpret-a-Sean’s.

Last week, Our Hero was wondering what dining room ensemble from the Ikea catalogue best defines his Character. Today, I Will review fifteen minutes of the film from where We left off last week and provide a summary. This approach should get Us through the entire film in just eight more reviews (including this one).

Our nameless Hero is suffering from severe sleep deprivation and is denied medication by his doctor. When Our hero complains to the doctor that he needs this, he’s in real pain, the doctor tells Our Hero he doesn’t know pain and should visit the support group for testicular cancer if he Wishes to know what real pain is. He does.

He attends the group wearing a nametag which reads ‘Cornelius’, and We are reasonably sure it’s probably not his real name. Members of the support group are instructed to pair up to ‘let it out’ and release their emotions; Cornelius is paired with Bob. After complaining about listening to Bob feeling sorry for himself, Our Hero finally breaks down into an emotional mess of tears and loses all Hope.

“I found Freedom. Losing all Hope is Freedom”

Fight Club

I’m going to touch on this Idea because it seems counter-intuitive. It would seem that losing all Hope would lead to despair. However, in Our Hero’s case, he has lost his identity, does not have a sense of Purpose or direction for his Life. ‘Hoping’ to eventually find his Way and appear to be Keeping it together was what was in fact draining Our Hero’s energy. It was more difficult to sustain the façade than it was to just let go and be authentic with his own emotions. Our Hero was in fact experiencing the Truth of who and what he is for the first time… Vulnerable. For the first time in the film, Our Hero is finally able to sleep.

Emotional release becomes the drug Our Hero was as King of the doctor for, so he joins as many support groups (for conditions or ailments he doesn’t actually have) as he possibly can to get the emotional release he now needs to sleep. Our Hero has become addicted to emotional release (crying uncontrollably). We also continue to see ‘apparitions’ flash across the screen periodically.

In one of the support group sessions, Our Hero is coached through a guided meditation session where he is instructed to Visualize a sanctuary, a safe haven; a retreat for the Mind where he Will meet his Power animal – a Penguin.

There is a comic element to this as Our Hero does not really seem much like a Hero. He needs to cry so he can sleep, and does not appear to be especially confident or charismatic. In fact, his life appears about as adventurous and heroic as that of a corporate accountant. He enters his cave to meet his Power animal, only to discover it is a Penguin. The Penguin appears about as powerful as Our Hero does courageous (not very).

I mentioned this film is not as rich in symbolism as the other films I’ve reviewed, but if We are going to do a proper analysis of Fight Club, it is important to look into what it is the Penguin represents as an ‘animal totem’, or ‘Spirit guide’. Click the link for a full description, but here are the main Characteristics that stand out:

“The penguin spirit animal symbolizes community and togetherness, and how you need teamwork and social connection to survive. It teaches you to endure suffering because there’s always something good waiting for you when you overcome it.”

Ah, now We can see how the Penguin is actually foreshadowing what is to come. “Endure suffering because there is something Good waiting for You when You overcome it.”

We can also identify its relevance to Our Hero, who is clearly suffering. In his guided meditation, the Penguin walks up to Our Hero and says, ‘Slide!’, before diving on its belly and sliding away. Camera cuts to Our Hero walking out of the session clearly looking confused.

We also get Our first real Christ reference in the film so far.

“Every evening I died. And every evening I was resurrected.”

Fight Club

The Story of Christ is every [Good] Story.

Our Hero had found his bliss, a drug to remedy his dis-ease, support groups that would allow him to cry, to let go; he could sleep soundly. Just when We think We have found Our solution, something rocks the boat (citizen-Ship?). Then an imposter starts showing up at all his support groups, and he can no longer cry, so he can no longer sleep. We are finally introduced to Marla Singer.

Marla is a serious problem for Our Hero because she’s not sick, she’s faking – just like Our Hero. Her lie exposes his lie. He begins to feel guilty about living a lie but rather than accept that what he is doing is dishonest and wrong, he externalizes his anger and blames Marla. Marla has to go so he can get back to the enjoyment of his much needed support groups and Our Hero decides he Will finally confront her.

In his next meditation session, Our Hero retreats to his cave to find his totem animal but Marla’s taken Penguin’s place, smoking a cigarette. She looks at Our Hero and says, “Slide!”. Our Hero is startled from his meditation.

Alright, that’s a perfect place to end it for today and exactly fifteen minutes in. I’ll be back next week with another Edition.

Love and Blessings,