Exploring the Themes of Fight Club: Middle-Class Society vs. Modern Opinion

[raolduke]

What do you make of Fight Club?

I personally think that the movie, I haven't got a chance to read the book, is one of the best movies of all time. But I am confused about the symbolism in the movie. One of the main themes I saw was: middle-class society vs. modern opinion of man and genius. Though this isn't the only theme that I think is present but this is the one that most confuses me and where most of my questions concern. Anyone want to elaborate?

 

[raolduke]

Misinterpretation can be very beautiful..

 

[Smurf]

Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nietzsche" .

I agree that Fight Club is an excellent movie. I think it makes a few mistakes, it's not perfect, but it's still damn good. The main theme in the movie I identify is the Will to Power (there's Nietzsche). And when Brad Pitt is giving all his short monologues you can pretty much attribute those directly to Nietzsche as well.

Other Nietzschean themes are:
Nihilism (not strictly Nietzschean, but related)
Apollonian vs Dionysian
Slave Morality vs Master Morality
OvermanAnother great movie on the some of the same themes is Batman Begins. The whole movie is an Apollonian-Dionysian-Will-to-Power orgy.

I love talking about Nietzsche.

Thanks to Franzniezsche for turning me onto him about 2 years ago right here on PF

 

[raolduke]

Definately.. Have you read the book?

 

[Smurf]

The fight club book, no I havn't. Just seen the movie. Didn't know there was a book, actually.

 

[loseyourname]

I think you can read a lot of critical theory into this film as well (also never read the book). There's a lot of Foucault especially, considering how the attempt to break free from societal power/knowledge and norms simply results in the construction of another set, plus there's a good deal in there about disciplining the body and the internalization of behavioral restrictions.