"’But there’s no remaking reality,’.... ’Just take it as it comes. Hold your ground and take it as it comes. There’s no other way’". This quotation from Everyman’s main character himself gives a good insight into the theme of this novel. It deals with the limitation of life which at some point becomes real for everyone, and a man’s attempt to escape this reality. The book describes the hard truth that there is no turning back, once you have realized your mistakes, you will have to live with the consequences. For most of his life though, the main character does not accept what he advices his daughter in the previous quote, namely that there is no way around reality. At some point of his life, his only aim is to escape death. Before that, however, he tries to elude growing older, hence starting a race against time, although he knows, he can never win.
As Robert Kastenbaum explains, "[a]nxiety - all anxiety - is rooted in the awareness of our mortality. The consequences are enormous, and reveal themselves in virtually every aspect of individual and cultural life". The protagonist is caught up in a frantic fear of aging which is at the same time connected to a fear of loss. Therefore, he does not immediately realize the damage he has caused to others and to himself. This leads to the thesis that in Philip Roth’s novel Everyman, the main character’s destructive behavior towards relationships, mirrors his desperate attempt to cope with his own aging process.
The first chapter of this analysis will reveal the origin of the main character’s fear of aging by examining the reasons and the development of his anxiety. After that chapter two will discuss these findings in relation to the protagonist’s way of living and his dealing with his own aging process. In the last section the consequences of his behavior will be worked out. Furthermore, the reasons for his increasing loneliness as he grows older and his lonely death will be analyzed.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Analysis
- Origin of Fear of Aging
- Lifestyle and dealing with Aging Process
- Consequences of Behavior
- Conclusion
- List of Works Cited
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This analysis explores the main character's fear of aging and its connection to his destructive behavior in Philip Roth's novel, Everyman. The text examines the origins of this fear, how it manifests in the protagonist's lifestyle choices, and the subsequent consequences of his actions.
- The fear of death and aging as a driving force behind the protagonist's actions.
- The connection between the protagonist's fear of aging and his fear of loss and instability.
- The protagonist's self-destructive coping mechanisms, particularly his pursuit of new relationships.
- The impact of the protagonist's behavior on his relationships and his overall well-being.
- The theme of the inevitability of aging and death and the protagonist's struggle to accept this reality.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter delves into the origin of the protagonist's fear of aging, tracing its roots to traumatic experiences in his childhood. It explores how encounters with disease and death have shaped his anxieties about mortality and aging.
The second chapter examines the protagonist's lifestyle and his attempts to cope with the aging process. It analyzes his self-destructive behaviors, such as his pursuit of new relationships, and how these actions contribute to his anxieties.
The third chapter examines the consequences of the protagonist's behavior, focusing on the impact of his actions on his relationships, his well-being, and his eventual loneliness.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key terms and concepts central to this analysis include fear of aging, fear of death, fear of loss, fear of instability, self-destructive behavior, relationship dynamics, coping mechanisms, and the inevitability of aging and death.
- Quote paper
- Katharina Gerhardt (Author), 2014, "Everyman’s" Drama with Growing Older. An Analysis of the Main Character, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/433237
