Fight Club is powerful not by its theme, but by the method with which the author and director deliver these hard to swallow notions of rebellion against society. By calling

individuals to free themselves from modern commercialism and corporate lifestyles, Palahniuk makes a powerful statement about society. Palahniuk mocks society in a humorous light throughout the plot. The tactful use of such criticisms against society pave the way for acceptance of the novel and film as radical satires. Furthermore, the novel’s caveat regarding the dangers of keeping in-step with society insinuates thoughts of transcendentalism. The rejection of commercialism and superficial influences on the self are basic premises of transcendentalism that are shared with both the novel and the film. Finally, the delivery of each plot point pivotal to the theme is usually accompanied by superfluous elements of violence and gore. Yet, this surplus of brutality becomes a necessity that amplifies the shock value of such radical ideas of revolt and anarchist uprisings. Categorically, both mediums of Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club employ drastic means of violence, transcendentalism, and elements of a satire, to create the unique message of self-discovery of individual freedom.

Conrad Wright, a philosophy professor of the Massachusetts Historical Society, describes transcendentalism as “[A] many faceted movement in American thought, having a literary side, a philosophical side, a religious side, and a social and political side” (164). Transcendentalism, in all its forms, seeps out of Fight Club’s pages and motion picture frames. Self-discovery of personal freedom through fragmentation lays the foundation of transcendentalism. Wright goes on to state “each individual in his own inner nature, is a necessary complement of a complete intuition of humanity” (168). This complete intuition of humanity is the urge to free itself from the shackles of altruism. In Palahniuk’s novel, Tyler Durden cites material possessions as obstacles that prevent individuals from accepting their inner nature, stating “the liberator who destroys my property is fighting to save my spirit… to set me free” (245). One important theme of American

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