Jay McInerney

Both novels by Jay McInerney have many similarities. Drug and alcohol abuse are what embody the theme of self-destruction, which is found throughout both novels. The theme of self-destruction is most prominent in Bright Lights, Big City. It’s the story of an unnamed narrator whose luck can't seem to get worse. His model girlfriend leaves him, he loses his job as a fact-checker at a prestigious magazine and tries to lose his pain in an endless round of parties, cocaine and booze, all while coming to terms with the death of his mother. The narrator finds that the only way he can come to terms with the problems he is having, is by snorting coke and consuming large amounts of alcohol. He compares a day in his life to “purgatory a kind of half sleep ” Though he appears to be aware that he has a problem with cocaine and alcohol he never really admits it. He calls them his shameful addi

Though not the main character Brooke McKnight is the very definition of a character that can’t come to terms with their problems. “In her approach to eating my sister is rather like a stray dog we adopted as children who was so used to stealing food that he couldn’t eat while anyone was looking “ Brooke suffers from anorexia and is manic depressive. Yet she will not admit it, or let anyone else “Of course, we are not allowed to speak the name of her illness. ” Brooke is a character who doesn’t deny that she is anorexic but that it is not a problem. She has a history of cutting her wrists and at one point in the novel Conner finds her holding a razor blade staring at it. “She continues to stare at the blade, as if in a trance…” After Conner approaches her and pries the blade from her fingers she seems to snap back to reality. This event proves the degree of Brooke’s problems are sever enough to be fatal. Surprisingly Brooke is well educated and intelligent and spends most of h!

re at the end of the book the narrator trades his sunglasses which he used to block out the light of day and in essence his real life, for some bread, a new beginning.

t his addiction to coke. His best friend in the novel name Tad Allagash holds a strong influence over the narrator, “He is either your best self, or your worst self ” Allagash is an influence which the narrator is blind to see as a negative one. Allagash is the one whom the narrator relies upon for drugs and is often the one who accompanies him to the ma

Some topics in this essay:
Tad Allagash, Ralston Hollywood, Brooke McKnight, City It’s, Rusumo Falls, McKnight Suffering, Model Behavior, Balkans Africa, Jay McInerney, Surprisingly Brooke, can’t terms, found throughout novels, bright lights, model girlfriend, found throughout, theme self-destruction, throughout novels, influence narrator, lights city, bright lights city,