General

Senior Book Club’s controversial choice of ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ by Hunter S. Thompson, as this month’s text, sparked a heated debate. Whilst the group felt that it gave a clear anti-drugs message, it was clear that a certain freedom was to be found in the use of hallucinogenic drugs. However, such freedom comes at a certain price, in that one becomes trapped in an addictive cycle, akin, although admittedly rather less damaging, to that which Reptonians have for the Grubber’s sausage rolls. Therefore, one is always left craving the next opportunity for escape.

The interpretation of the American dream has been transmuted in this novel to something less tangible than the original desire to ‘live off the fat of the land.’ The characters therefore seem to be searching for some kind of unknown quantity; a dream that is at best illusive and at worst impossible to achieve. Essentially, there is an escapist quality to the characters’ drug use, where Las Vegas becomes a metaphor for the superficiality that has become an integral part of American society. Life has become so mundane that even the horrific experiences engendered by drug-use were preferable to everyday life. This is supported by the novel’s vivid imagery and hyperbolic prose. Members felt that the novel implied a difficulty here; surely it is up to each individual to contribute towards society, rather than demonstrating the reckless rebellion featured in ‘Fear and Loathing.’

It was thought by some that the promise of the American Dream was suggestive of the human incapacity to be contented and that ultimately we are always going to strive for something more. On the other hand, it was pointed out that contentment and perfection often results in monotony and that the Dream is something of a necessity within all our lives. Some members felt that the characters should be judged for their mindless rebellion; rather than engaging productively in bettering a broken society, their drug-use being portrayed as something of an excuse to avoid such an engagement. Indeed, the characters themselves ultimately recognise the fact that whilst they are the tragic-heroes of their own lives, ultimately they are no more significant than the lost souls wandering the bars of LA at night.

Ultimately, it was agreed that this was a text that has no fundamental ‘message’. Rather, the author’s wit, sarcasm and imagery allow the reader an experience that they do not encounter on an everyday basis, providing our own means of escapism. Indeed, it was suggested that this is the very purpose of all good literature! However, for those who wish to see it, the novel carries undertones of criticism directed towards the artificial nature of American society. The means by which we might choose to escape it are rarely rewarding, implying that we should find a more productive way of dealing with a ‘broken world’. Indeed, Thompson himself said: "I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me", undermined, perhaps, by his act of suicide in February 2005.