Fight Club Theme of Violence

Add the words "fight club" to anything—even Jane Austen—and it's going to get bloody. Fight Club isn't about sugar-coating anything. Palahniuk exposes us to the harsh reality of our narrator's world, blood, gristle, and all.

Questions About Violence

  1. Is the violence in Fight Club ever gratuitous, or is it always critical to the story?
  2. Why does our narrator choose violence as the solution to his problems? Does it solve his problems?
  3. We never hear of a woman wanting to join fight club. Why do you think that is? Are men naturally more violent than women or is there something else at the heart of it?