Theory of Survivor that changes the whole book! Feedback wanted...
Ok,
The book is (literally) written backwards; it starts on page 281 (or something) and ends on page one of chapter one...
Throughout the entire book, Tender mentions that Fertility knows everything...
Fertility constantly asks Tender that when he tells his story, to make sure that she is depicted in a favorable light, Fertility wants to be the "good guy." I guess one can argue that this is, in fact, the case. I would assume that most readers would view Fertility as a protagonist of sorts. I mean, she definitely isn't a "bad guy."
Now, that being said...
My theory is that Survivor is NOT being told by Tender. My theory is that the book is being told by Fertility. It is written backwards because she knows exactly when it is going to end. The reminder of when the end is can be found at the bottom of every single page. Tender didn't even know he was going to hijack a plane while standing in an airport with a gun in one hand and a hostage in the other!
Fertility knows things before they happen, she is depicted as (arguably) the only true "good guy," we know when the end is coming better than Tender does... ---> Fertility is the narrator.
I know about the whole "alternate ending" that Chuck P. relesased or what-have-you. Just curious if anyone else thought this or if I am just crazy? I've argued this theory better to friends, but you get the gist of it.
hey, thats a very interesting theory you got there. i always wondered why it ended in such a manner. i agree with you on that one!
Man,
That's crazy. In a good way, I mean. I never even thought of that.
I guess you'd have to reread it and reread it and decide for yourself.
It works, but if you think of it, that's one of a million theories one could possibly think of. I'm sure if you read back through, you'd find something else that could spark a theory. I don't personally see this book as one that needs too much explaination, I see it as something we'd make far more complex than it really is.
Kinda reminds me of every conspiracy theory ever. Real conspiracies don't involve gigantic international networks, they involve a few people who drink together carrying our a plan.
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It's a personal thing, you can interpret it however you like.
"Who needs purpose when you have the Cult?" - Phil
"So the guy says, Doctor! Get this dichotomy! I haven't been able to sit right for a week!" - Mike
She was definitely an odd character alright. I think it's an interesting quip, but like Nate said, ultimately the book's charm are the jokes and entendres Chuck put in.
It's a good enough theory but I think you guys are reading too much into this. If you're looking for a really good who really wrote it mystery check out House of Leaves.
Yeah that's a good theory but I think I know how to counter-attack it.
You know what I thought about it a little bit and started to write my counter-attack but then I stopped, it's a good theory.
But still, the pages were numbered that way so that the last pages were intense. It was because [U]we[/U] knew what was gonna happen in the end and we were all just waiting for it. We all knew that he was gonna crash at the end, die or not.
i had never thought about that, the theory alone makes a good point and i agree with it.
What i always thought was when fertility told tender that they would live happily ever after that she meant that it would be his child and not really tender because you cant really survive a plane crash from full altitude.......unless that's really the true meaning of the title survivor!
general sarcasm
It's a good enough theory with her being the narrator, but I don't see how it changes the impact of the story much.