Throughout the novel, Wolff employs the theme of escapism through the means of imagination. As Jack faces many troubles in his personal life, and is unable to escape them physically, he resorts to inventing new situations for himself in his mind.
From an early stage in his development, Jack is disappointed by important figures in his life, which cause him to imagine something better for himself. Because his father is nonexistent in his life, Jack “sometimes, seeing a man in a suit come toward [him] from a distance that blurred his features, [he] would prepare [himself] to recognize [his] father and to be recognized by him” (Wolff 12). Wolff includes these examples to show that his imagining of substitutes for his father is compensation for his absence.
Jack extends his imagination of strangers in terms of companionship as well. He forms an admiration for a “Mousketeer” on television, Annette, and writes her letters. Once he does not receive letters in return, he states, “I kept writing Annett and began to imagine a terrible accident in front of her house that would almost but not quite kill me, leaving me dependent on her care and sympathy, which in time would turn to admiration, love…”(44). Because Jack has been deprived of affection in his life, he searches for it via imagination. Though one might be taken aback by Jack’s thoughts on harm being placed on him, Wolff makes his story credible by relaying dramatic and uninhibited thoughts children have.
Jack also uses his imagination when an opportunity presents itself. He imagines going on a road trip to Mexico with his stepbrother and “having adventures along the way and helping people out of situations too thought for them to handle by themselves” (119). Though the chance of this happening is unlikely, Jack quickly makes assumptions and imagines himself having adventures away from his troubles. Wolff includes these instances to reveal the childlike nature of Jack and his need to break free from the difficulties he faced.
No comments:
Post a Comment