Sometimes perseverance and obsession are dangerous.

[Nico]

The character in this book makes me think of David Bowie's character in The Prestige, Nikola Tesla.

Nikola Tesla: Mr. Angier, have you considered the cost of such a machine?
Robert Angier: Price is not an object.
Nikola Tesla: Perhaps not, but have you considered the *cost*?
Robert Angier: I'm not sure I follow.
Nikola Tesla: Go home. Forget this thing. I can recognize an obsession, no good will come of it.
Robert Angier: Why, haven't good come of your obsessions?
Nikola Tesla: Well, at first. But I followed them too long. I'm their slave... and one day they'll choose to destroy me.
Robert Angier: If you understand an obsession, then you know you won't change my mind.

It's very rare to me that you find people willing to mention the downside of ambition and perseverance. Everyone will tell you obsession can lead to your downfall, but give you two thumbs up when you paint that same obsession in the light of ambition and perseverance.

I think what Hemingway did so well in this is demonstrate the two sides of that coin, the positive strength of spirit and the destruction that goes along with it. Where good comes from it at first, but you followed a path for too long, you weakened yourself, you become a slave to your need for this thing, and ultimately, win or lose, you will destroy yourself in its pursuit, even though your hard work to get to that place is commendable and heroic.

Does anyone know of any other works like these? About tragic but manly heroic obsession? (As opposed to the crazy Fatal Attraction type that women seem to get?)

Heroic testaments to the bad side of fighting against fate? Even aside from novels, are there more movies about this?

[Yan]

Hi Nico,

It is a good observation, certainly the line between obsession, perseverance and ambition can be easily cross. Buddhist persons usually discuss about ambition, they distinguish between good ambition and bad ambition. Here you can read more about this (http://thubtenchodron.org/2011/06/amb...).

About you question I think The Count of Monte Cristo could be a good example of an heroic obsession... As a lector I thought: He was doing justice, but he sacrificed all his life and happiness to get it, and that is definitely not mentaly healthy. The movie Whiplash also is a good example of a obssesion with an heroic end. Also the movie Erin Brockovich.

I'm not agree with you about manly heroic obsession and "the crazy Fatal Attraction type that women seem to get". You are stereotyping gender, in fact as a woman I feel your question very offensive. The Sorrows of Young Werther is a good example of a crazy fatal attraction of a man... what is define as a woman or a man depends on culture and I quote to Simone de Beauvoir: "One is not born a woman, but becomes one".