Free Custom «Bright Lights, Big City Analysis» Essay Paper

Bright Lights Big City is an interesting novel that elaborates the life of a young man, Michael J Fox. The writer, Jay MCInerney has brought about how the main character came from a prestigious life to a desperate lowly life. The novel runs a series of aspects that changes with respect to Michael’s life. The writer is able to deliver on the story line and suspense in the novel. The work is an example of well formulated, developed and articulated ideas that run through smoothly.

Michael, a literary work writer has a good life desired by many. He has almost everything to himself. He has a good and satisfying career, beautiful good wife and good friends. He seems to enjoy the luxuries that come with good life such as partying, good meals and even satisfying relations. The job seems to be giving him satisfaction since it was his aspirations of being in literary work as career. He enjoys benefits that come with his role as a senior writer of a magazine in New York. His wife also enjoyed her career as a model and things were working well for the couple. In case of any change in the plan of duties or activities, he had to be informed. In case of any mistakes in the literary work such as spelling, he had to be consulted as well (MCInerney 3-20). He was living in a nice place by then and could even afford to stock beer, sandwich and eggs in his house. This was an indication of the comfort that he had in his living by then. His office was on the 29th floor which was occupied by many other senior staff in the company he worked for.

 

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But this good life was for a short while since he started spending sleepless nights at the bar drinking where he was accompanied by his friends such as Tad who would sneak out and leave him drunk. This condition would deteriorate since he started turning up for work late. This was the beginning of his down fall in his career due to his continued unethical work behavior (McInerney 89).

Michael life was crumbling down as a result of alcoholism and he could even turn at the office at odd hours at night where they could, accompanied by a friend ransack into other staff drawers. This behavior saw him terminated at his job since he could no longer perform. At this time he was mentally unstable and he could see ghosts and was not speaking eloquently. This made him to feel embarrassed and disconnected from the reality in life (McInerney 128).

Michael would later feel a sense of guilt and embarrassment since by now he had lost his apartment and had to be accommodated by a friend. He even wrote an apology for misconduct at the friend’s premises since he continued his drinking habit. At one time, a new colleague at his former magazine company requested for his help in familiarizing with carrying out the expected tasks in report writing but he could hear none of it. He declined to assist him on the basis of lack of professional expertise and knowledge. This was untrue since he had been at the company for some time and was consulted in case of any decision concerning the same. Michael’s financial condition since he lost his job led from worse to worst and at one time he had to lie being a student so as to be charged less on a train. His reputation was no longer respected by people like the status he formerly had at the magazine company. He was imitated as he walked along the street showing how despised he was by the society (McInerney145-152).

Further, misfortunes continued to befall him as his mother died from cancer illness. At this time, he felt betrayed by all people such as doctors, priest and even his family. He felt he was not loved and the character was a mess since childhood where he could cry all night. He was overwhelmed with forces of confession and revelation which haunted him after the death of his mother. By then, he had moved in into a small apartment where he shared with his siblings and he had already lost his wife. His wife died as a result of fatal shooting between terrorists and the French police. He felt that he did little to help his ailing mother whom he had promised to assist through providing morphine to ease her pain. This delusion thought made him look mentally sick which made his brother question his condition (McInerney167-179).

Michael’s condition worsened as a result of alcoholism and drug effects. He could no longer sustain himself in any way and this made him dependent on his other brothers. This was a complete contrast from the life he was enjoying while working where he had many life luxuries at his disposal. Life now seemed too unfair to him and his health deteriorated since he was not eating well. Further, many thoughts run across his mind and he could not accept the reality that came with his shattered life. He attributed his troubles to a sinful life he once lived where he never established good relationship with the living. At one time as he was aimlessly walking along the street, he started nose bleeding and his body was very weak since he had gone for many days hungry. He had to seek sympathy from a man loading loaves of breads on a truck where he had to trade his glasses for a loaf. This depicts how miserable the once respected high status man was now into. The author shows his state of hopelessness and desperation into play where Michael’s life was in shambles. He is overwhelmed by the problems in his life and is unable to bring it back to shape (McInerney180-182).