Fight Club

Fight Club

Chuck Palahniuk

1996

Chuck Palahniuk takes the tone of his main character in this book. Palahniuk writes this book from the first person view of his main character who has split personalities. Only, Palahniuk does not write in first person about both personalities. He presents the book from only the real guy, not the created personality, Tyler Durden. This take on the book is interesting because the character does not discover his split personality is himself until the end of the book. Before his discovery, he just believes Tyler Durden is a friend. Durden actually comes awake at night whenever the main character falls asleep.   This is completely insane. It does not ever happen.  So, to match his characters insanity, Palahniuk takes the tone of an insane man.  

Palahniuk writes his book with short sentences, throwing in crazy unneeded phrases and words. This tone confuses the reader and they are actually pulled in by the insanity of the way this book is written.  Instead of pushing the reader away, Palahniuk pulls the reader in using his insane tone that matches the way his character acts in this story. I consider this one of the best books I have ever read and I believe Chuck Palahniuk is a genius.