The Mailer Review/Volume 5, 2011/Norman Mailer's Mythmaking in An American Dream and “The White Negro”: Difference between revisions
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One of the recurring and frequently discussed characteristics of “White Negro” is the need for courage at the moment of violence. As in the previous conflicts of Rojack, the energy needed to win the battle with Shago is extracted from Rojack’s “paradise of limitless energy,” his body, which is constantly fuelled by rage. His rage and energy are derived from Rojack’s determination to win this part of the “competition for pleasure”.{{sfn|Mailer|1959|p=349}} From this point of view Shago and Rojack are drawing swords over the love of Cherry. | One of the recurring and frequently discussed characteristics of “White Negro” is the need for courage at the moment of violence. As in the previous conflicts of Rojack, the energy needed to win the battle with Shago is extracted from Rojack’s “paradise of limitless energy,” his body, which is constantly fuelled by rage. His rage and energy are derived from Rojack’s determination to win this part of the “competition for pleasure”.{{sfn|Mailer|1959|p=349}} From this point of view Shago and Rojack are drawing swords over the love of Cherry. | ||
Another important feature to note in this conflict is the explicit reference to the notion of the psychopath, which is expressed in “Negro.” Here Mailer depicts the Hipster as the elite of the psychopaths, “the wise primitive in a giant jungle” .{{sfn|Mailer|1959|p=343}} Rojack himself notes during the conflict: “The feeling of joy came up in me again the way the lyric of a song might remind a man on the edge of insanity that soon he will be insane again and there is a world there more interesting than his own” | Another important feature to note in this conflict is the explicit reference to the notion of the psychopath, which is expressed in “Negro.” Here Mailer depicts the Hipster as the elite of the psychopaths, “the wise primitive in a giant jungle” .{{sfn|Mailer|1959|p=343}} Rojack himself notes during the conflict: “The feeling of joy came up in me again the way the lyric of a song might remind a man on the edge of insanity that soon he will be insane again and there is a world there more interesting than his own”.{{sfn|Mailer|1965|p=185-186}} This more interesting world can be accessed only by violence, which is why Rojack finally instigates the physical conflict; “I took a step toward him. I did not know what I was going to do, but it felt right to take that step,” after which Shago feels threatened and starts pushing the hero-protagonist around, but Rojack reacts with the speed of lightning (185).{{sfn|Mailer|1965|p=185}} “The pressure back of my neck let go of itself and I was a brain full of blood, the light went red, it was red.” Rojack senses that “[m]y rage took over,” his body governs his actions; “I was out of control, violence seemed to shake itself free from him each time I smashed him back to the floor and shake itself into me”.{{sfn|Mailer|1965|p=192-193}} According to the philosophy of Hip outlined in ''Advertisements'', violence is a necessary cleansing characteristic for the Negro | ||
{{pg|357|358}} | {{pg|357|358}} | ||