Mythic Mailer in An American Dream: Difference between revisions

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<blockquote>For the moon spoke back to me. By which I do not mean that I heard voices, or Luna and I indulged in the whimsy of a dialogue, no truly, it was worse than that. Something in the deep of that full moon, some tender and not so innocent radiance traveled fast as the thought of lightening across our night sky, out from the depths of the dead in those caverns of the moon, out and a leap through space and into me. And suddenly I understood the moon. Believe it if you will. The only true journey of knowledge is from the depth of one being to the heart of another and I was nothing but open raw depths at that instant alone on the balcony. . . .{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=11}}</blockquote>
<blockquote>For the moon spoke back to me. By which I do not mean that I heard voices, or Luna and I indulged in the whimsy of a dialogue, no truly, it was worse than that. Something in the deep of that full moon, some tender and not so innocent radiance traveled fast as the thought of lightening across our night sky, out from the depths of the dead in those caverns of the moon, out and a leap through space and into me. And suddenly I understood the moon. Believe it if you will. The only true journey of knowledge is from the depth of one being to the heart of another and I was nothing but open raw depths at that instant alone on the balcony. . . .{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=11}}</blockquote>


With this emptiness, Rojack begins his quest for renewal--the pursuit of knowledge and the giving of love--by going to see Deborah. In the mythic character archetypes of "male-female polarity"--"hero-devil-god and woman-destroyer-preserver"{{sfn|Friedman|1975|p=309}}--Deborah is a destroyer. She attempts to occupy his newly voided center and, Rojack, in his mystically heightened state, senses her malevolence. In the struggle that occurs during their meeting, Rojack describes her action: she tried to find my root and mangle me"{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=30}}. Her desire is to destroy his creativity and selfhood. When he realizes this he kills her. His rational mind tries to stop him, but the inner voice, the voice that responded to the moon, pushes him on. "I could feel a series of orders whip like tracers of light from my head to my arm, I was ready to obey, I was trying to stop"{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=30}}. But he does not stop. He describes himself as "floating. I was as far into myself as I had ever been and universes wheeled in a dream" {{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=31}}. Murder is often necessary in myth because the destruction of evil and the growth of good are the most important things to be depicted. However, Rojack's murder of his wife, Deborah, understandably troubles readers. In defense of Rojack's action, Tanner insists that "When he [Rojack] murders Deborah, he is breaking free not just from a destructive woman, but from the picture of reality imposed by her world" {{sfn|Tanner|1971|p=359}}. Begiebing describes Deborah in explicitly mythic images. He defends Mailer against the accusations of sexism in this book:
With this emptiness, Rojack begins his quest for renewal--the pursuit of knowledge and the giving of love--by going to see Deborah. In the mythic character archetypes of "male-female polarity"--"hero-devil-god and woman-destroyer-preserver"{{sfn|Friedman|1975|p=309}}--Deborah is a destroyer. She attempts to occupy his newly voided center and, Rojack, in his mystically heightened state, senses her malevolence. In the struggle that occurs during their meeting, Rojack describes her action: she tried to find my root and mangle me"{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=30}}. Her desire is to destroy his creativity and selfhood. When he realizes this he kills her. His rational mind tries to stop him, but the inner voice, the voice that responded to the moon, pushes him on. "I could feel a series of orders whip like tracers of light from my head to my arm, I was ready to obey, I was trying to stop"{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=31}}. But he does not stop. He describes himself as "floating. I was as far into myself as I had ever been and universes wheeled in a dream" {{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=31}}.  
 
Murder is often necessary in myth because the destruction of evil and the growth of good are the most important things to be depicted. However, Rojack's murder of his wife, Deborah, understandably troubles readers. In defense of Rojack's action, Tanner insists that "When he [Rojack] murders Deborah, he is breaking free not just from a destructive woman, but from the picture of reality imposed by her world" {{sfn|Tanner|1971|p=359}}. Begiebing describes Deborah in explicitly mythic images. He defends Mailer against the accusations of sexism in this book:


<blockquote>Deborah, his wife, is the dragon-guardian at the threshold to that other land. She is the "Great Bitch," maimer and castrator, a figure mythical heroes have faced as long as their quests have been recorded. Once we see Deborah as a mythological figure in a visionary world, we will not be marooned on the literal issue of Mailer's sexist portrayal of women ... {{sfn|Begiebing|1980|p=62}}.</blockquote>
<blockquote>Deborah, his wife, is the dragon-guardian at the threshold to that other land. She is the "Great Bitch," maimer and castrator, a figure mythical heroes have faced as long as their quests have been recorded. Once we see Deborah as a mythological figure in a visionary world, we will not be marooned on the literal issue of Mailer's sexist portrayal of women ... {{sfn|Begiebing|1980|p=62}}.</blockquote>


Was Deborah so evil that her murder was not a act of greater evil on the part of Rojack? Or was Deborah a victim of evil and Rojack's act less than heroic--indeed, pathological? Deborah's father, Barney Kelly, describes Deborah's conception. While having sex with Deborah's mother, he claims: '"I took a dive deep down into a vow, I said in my mind; "Satan, if it takes your pitchfork up my gut, let me blast a child into this bitch! ""(240). Deborah's birth was a result of that satanic vow. Cursed from the beginning, Deborah, at age fifteen, again falls victim to her satanic father. He enters an incestuous relationship with her. Kelly describes his initial lust for her: "I felt an awful desire to go to her room: my teeth were literally grinding, my belly was a pit of snakes. It was as if the Devil had come into the room at that instant and was all over me ..." (250). Because the story is narrated only through Rojack's perspective, we never really know how complicitious Deborah actually was. But we do know that her conception and upbringing contributed to whatever degree she was evil. Shortly after he kills Deborah, Rojack himself discusses his own confusion over the essence of Deborah's nature and his own:
Was Deborah so evil that her murder was not a act of greater evil on the part of Rojack? Or was Deborah a victim of evil and Rojack's act less than heroic--indeed, pathological? Deborah's father, Barney Kelly, describes Deborah's conception. While having sex with Deborah's mother, he claims: '"I took a dive deep down into a vow, I said in my mind; "Satan, if it takes your pitchfork up my gut, let me blast a child into this bitch! ""{{sfn|Begiebing|1980|p=240}}. Deborah's birth was a result of that satanic vow. Cursed from the beginning, Deborah, at age fifteen, again falls victim to her satanic father. He enters an incestuous relationship with her. Kelly describes his initial lust for her: "I felt an awful desire to go to her room: my teeth were literally grinding, my belly was a pit of snakes. It was as if the Devil had come into the room at that instant and was all over me ..."{{sfn|Begiebing|1980|p=250}}. Because the story is narrated only through Rojack's perspective, we never really know how complicitious Deborah actually was. But we do know that her conception and upbringing contributed to whatever degree she was evil. Shortly after he kills Deborah, Rojack himself discusses his own confusion over the essence of Deborah's nature and his own:


<blockquote>She was evil, I would decide, and then think next that goodness could come on a visit to evil only in the disguise of evil: yes, evil would know that goodness had come only by the power of its force. I might be the one who was therefore evil, and Deborah was trapped with me. Or was I blind? (32)</blockquote>
<blockquote>She was evil, I would decide, and then think next that goodness could come on a visit to evil only in the disguise of evil: yes, evil would know that goodness had come only by the power of its force. I might be the one who was therefore evil, and Deborah was trapped with me. Or was I blind?{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=32}}</blockquote>


Rojack might not be blind, but he could certainly be temporarily insane. He constantly hearkens to the voice and light of the moon. Although the moon symbolizes many things, as I note in this paper, one relevant interpretation regarding Rojack would be insanity. Is he, literally, a loonie? From almost any standpoint, the murder of one's wife is not an admirable feat. In the large majority of male/female disputes, the man holds a decided physical advantage. Through his superior strength and visionary lunacy, Rojack kills Deborah and hides the truth.
Rojack might not be blind, but he could certainly be temporarily insane. He constantly hearkens to the voice and light of the moon. Although the moon symbolizes many things, as I note in this paper, one relevant interpretation regarding Rojack would be insanity. Is he, literally, a loonie? From almost any standpoint, the murder of one's wife is not an admirable feat. In the large majority of male/female disputes, the man holds a decided physical advantage. Through his superior strength and visionary lunacy, Rojack kills Deborah and hides the truth.
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If Deborah's murder was a heroic achievement, then Rojack would openly acknowledge his accomplishment. Heroes do not lie when asked if they slew the dragon, killed the cyclops, or answered the riddle. Does Rojack lie to save himself from the possibly immoral verdict of a morally decadent 20th-century New York City society? Or does Rojack's deception reflect his internal ambivalence about his action? As a result of Deborah's murder and his ensuing presence, Rojack becomes more human and less heroic, more complex and less heroic. His increased humanity reflects both the changing nature of the modern mythic hero and the requirements of a romance blended with realism.
If Deborah's murder was a heroic achievement, then Rojack would openly acknowledge his accomplishment. Heroes do not lie when asked if they slew the dragon, killed the cyclops, or answered the riddle. Does Rojack lie to save himself from the possibly immoral verdict of a morally decadent 20th-century New York City society? Or does Rojack's deception reflect his internal ambivalence about his action? As a result of Deborah's murder and his ensuing presence, Rojack becomes more human and less heroic, more complex and less heroic. His increased humanity reflects both the changing nature of the modern mythic hero and the requirements of a romance blended with realism.


When Rojack enters that phase of life that sparks his heroic quest, he has been smothered by his own materialistic success and enveloped by his relationship with Deborah. A successful marriage is based on love. Rojack feels that their marriage was held together by hooks: "After Deborah had gotten her hooks into me, eight years ago she had clinched the hooks and they had given birth to other hooks. Living with her I was murderous; attempting to separate, suicide came into me" (9). As the first step towards his goal, he must kill the dragon--Deborah--menacing his path. Lennon elaborates on the possible justification of such an egocentric action:
When Rojack enters that phase of life that sparks his heroic quest, he has been smothered by his own materialistic success and enveloped by his relationship with Deborah. A successful marriage is based on love. Rojack feels that their marriage was held together by hooks: "After Deborah had gotten her hooks into me, eight years ago she had clinched the hooks and they had given birth to other hooks. Living with her I was murderous; attempting to separate, suicide came into me"{{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=9}}. As the first step towards his goal, he must kill the dragon--Deborah--menacing his path. Lennon elaborates on the possible justification of such an egocentric action:


<blockquote>If society stifles an individual, smothers him in conformity, then be cannot act in any moral way. Stultified by the homogenization of technological society, man's first impulse should be to escape--escape first, assertion of self first, change first--then morality, then self-discipline, then harmony, community, love. (149-150)</blockquote>
<blockquote>If society stifles an individual, smothers him in conformity, then be cannot act in any moral way. Stultified by the homogenization of technological society, man's first impulse should be to escape--escape first, assertion of self first, change first--then morality, then self-discipline, then harmony, community, love. {{sfn|Lennon|1986|p=149-150}}</blockquote>


This freedom to act as an individual is a uniquely Western, and, more emphatically, American idea. Joseph Campbell discusses the difference between the Eastern mythologies and those of Europe. In the European myths, the emphasis was on an individual's own "potentiality" (212), while in the East, the emphasis was on the individual's role as part of the social order. In the European tradition, the individual, like Mailer with Rojack, must act outside the prevailing social mores in order to attain heroic status. Campbell writes: "Now there's the individual experience--refuting the values of the whole system" (213). By murdering Deborah, Rojack disregards contemporary social morality and substitutes his personal vision or values. He accepts responsibility for himself, thus taking the path to freedom.
This freedom to act as an individual is a uniquely Western, and, more emphatically, American idea. Joseph Campbell discusses the difference between the Eastern mythologies and those of Europe. In the European myths, the emphasis was on an individual's own "potentiality"{{sfn|Campbell|1990|p=212}}, while in the East, the emphasis was on the individual's role as part of the social order. In the European tradition, the individual, like Mailer with Rojack, must act outside the prevailing social mores in order to attain heroic status. Campbell writes: "Now there's the individual experience--refuting the values of the whole system"{{sfn|Campbell|1990|p=213}}. By murdering Deborah, Rojack disregards contemporary social morality and substitutes his personal vision or values. He accepts responsibility for himself, thus taking the path to freedom.


=== II. The American Dream as American Myth ===
=== II. The American Dream as American Myth ===
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