Sociological analysis of Fight Club

Fight Club: A Study of Masculine and Deviant Behavior

Fight Club is the 1999 film directed by David Fincher based on a Chuck Palahniuk novel of the same name. The narrative of both the novel and the film focus on Tyler Durden, as the unreliable narrator and his idealized projection of himself ("Tyler Durden"), as he tries to rebel against the culture and lifestyle to which he has become indoctrinated. Durden attempts to break away from the consumer ideology and identity, which he has embraced, destroying his former identity through the creation of a criminally deviant alter ego and the formation of a subculture, which he is able to indoctrinate with his masculine driven ideologies.

One of the first issues that are presented within the film, and within Durden's life, is the proliferation of mass advertising in society, as well as, the consumption of products with the intent to form an individual's identity. Initially, the narrator is obsessed with attaining as many things as possible in order to make himself feel whole. The narrator's obsession with gaining material objects is later replaced with the need for human interaction; the narrator subsequently becomes "addicted" to support groups that he utilizes as a form of catharsis. The narrator begins to consume human emotions instead of material objects. As the narrator slowly begins his descent into madness, not being able to distinguish between what is real and what is not, "Tyler Durden" appears in his life. With the appearance of "Tyler Durden" in the narrator's life, the narrator's material life is destroyed and he must rely on "Durden" for support.

In the film, "Tyler Durden," is representative of the narrator's masculine ideal. Unlike the narrator, "Durden" is physically fit, independent, and slightly nihilistic. He does not rely on others for employment as he is a soap entrepreneur and lives in an abandoned house in an isolated part of town. "Durden" is suave and immature; it is also insinuated that he has a high sexual libido. One of "Durden's" characteristics is his penchant for destruction. With the narrator's help, "Durden" is able to create the fight club, a bastardization of the support groups to which the narrator had become addicted to. The fight club is a social space in which men, and only men are able to release their pent up emotions and thoughts through testosterone fueled physical interaction. The most feminine of the member of the fight club is Robert "Bob" Paulsen, whom the narrator met at a support group for survivors of testicular cancer. Because Bob had to have his testicles removed, high levels of testosterone in his body caused an overproduction of estrogen leading to gynecomastia. Bob is singled out from the fight club subculture that is created, he is the only person to nearly quit the organization during his initial trial; Bob is also the only member of the fight club to die due to their criminal activities. It is also important to note that major offenses within the fight club are punished through castration, as if to imply that the punished person is no longer a man and therefore no longer worthy of being part of the violent organization.

The roles of women in Fight Club are extremely limited. Marla Singer is the only female character in the film. She shares qualities that are present in "Durden," yet the narrator is unable to recognize the relationship that he and Singer develop due to his preoccupation with "Durden." Much like the narrator, Singer is nihilistic and attends support group meetings in order to feel complete. Furthermore, the only relationship that she develops with "Durden" is one that is strictly sexual; "Durden" has gone as far as instructing the narrator to not talk about him to Singer. As the narrative of the film progresses, and "Durden" gains power over the narrator, Singer is seen as a threat to their existence and their dream of destroying corporate America. Due to the danger that Singer poses, it is determined that she must be destroyed, although she becomes the narrator's sole companion at the end of the film after he "kills" "Durden."