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American Appetites

by Joyce Carol Oates

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Robert said: " 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars

"American Appetites" is a nearly excellent novel that is well written, includes great characterization, irony and ambivalence. The allegorically implied idea of all of the characters suffering punishment for their sins of over 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars

"American Appetites" is a nearly excellent novel that is well written, includes great characterization, irony and ambivalence. The allegorically implied idea of all of the characters suffering punishment for their sins of overindulgence in lust, greed, power, food, drink and materialism (among other similar things) is a brilliant one. Another great nuance of this text is that different characters overindulge in these sins immoderately in their own specific ways. For example, Ian runs the race too fast from one end of the spectrum to the other. Glynnis is too emotional and jumps to conclusions too hastily. Denis, who is victimized in the worst way, simply falls out of love with his wife, Roberta, and vice versa, sees the slowly kindling flame of their marriage dying out, but either does not know how to and/or does not want to, do anything to try to fix it. Everyone in this text is a tragic hero--some are just more tragic than others.

Although this text is very realistic, there are minor points in the text that seem too fantastical. For example, when Ian is speaking to Meika for the last few times and they both agree not to see each other again for a while (in their sexual affair), Ian says in their next phone call that he wants to marry Meika. Breaking off their affair to proposing marriage within two phone calls is MORE than running the race way too fast. When Sigrid Hunt testifies in the trial, basically talking really to Ian more than to the jury and court and revealing her heart and soul to him, she and Ian make love on the night of the "not guilty" verdict. Some time does elapse between Sigrid's testimony and the end of the trial. However, nothing in the text shows that Ian and Sigrid even go out on one date between her testimony and their lovemaking. This affair between them happens in too unrealistically abrupt a manner.

Of all the characters in the text, Glynnis is the most hypocritical and malicious of them all. It is understandable that she is lividly angry when she finds Ian's $1000 check to Sigrid Hunt. However, she rashly, nastily and accusingly questions Roberta about Sigrid's relationship with Ian and soon thereafter attacks Ian with a knife over it. Sigrid is a woman that Glynnis befriended before Ian did--Glynnis brought Sigrid into both hers and Ian's social circle of friends. If Glynnis is going to physically attack Ian with a deadly weapon over this evidence she found regarding him and Sigrid, she at least owes Ian an explanation and apology for betraying him in the same type of way with her extramarital affair with Denis. That is only fair. Unlike Glynnis in her attempted murder of Ian, it is Bianca's right not to forgive her father for killing her mom and calling Ian a murderer.

Despite them all being tragic heroes, to me, none of the characters, even Glynnis, are truly sympathetic. They all deserve the punishment that they suffer. However, one great positive in this text, it seems, is that they all learn from the negative consequences of their respective life choices. Hopefully Bianca will forgive her father before he decides to blow his brains out and this will make him, just like Sigrid's testimony in the trial, decide to want to live. Ambivalently, if not, and Ian blows his brains out, he is the captain of his own soul and, by the end of the text, Ian is living as prosperous and happy a life as he wants to feasibly create for himself. Therefore, at this point in the text, if Ian cannot and has not learned to be satisfied and "full enough" from and with this DELICIOUS meal, perhaps suicide is not so terrible an option FOR HIM. This is because IN HIS EYES (which are the most important in which to perceive HIS LIFE) perhaps the life he is seeking for himself and/or wants is impossible to find, choose or create. For Ian, suicide is better than more unnecessary worry and suffering. ...more "

Jul 22, 2020 08:53AM · see review