The document discusses Marla Singer's role in the novel and film Fight Club. It argues that Marla represents both destruction and desire for the narrator. While she disrupts his lies about attending support groups, her presence also allows him to fully commit to another person for the first time. The film focuses on how the narrator's discovery of Marla as a source of desire emerges when facing his greatest fears and pain during destructive moments. Their relationship challenges traditional gender constructs in the story.

1. MARLA
Destruction and desire

2. Jack:
Somehow, I realise all of this — the gun, the bombs, the revolution — is really
about Marla Singer.
Some have asked: HOW?
Chuck Palahniuk, the author of the original book, said,
„And the whole story is about a man reaching the point where he can commit
to a woman…‟

3. Narrator is attracted to Marla because she is “trying to reach bottom”, but he is also angry with her
because she “reflects my lie”. Attending the support groups, pretending to be dying, pretending to
be letting all the material concerns go was his lie. Marla gets in the way of Narrator‟s escape and
thus becomes a catalyst for his self-destruction.

4. Marla‟s link to destruction in Fincher‟s movie can be explored through the editing of the
movie chapter “Jack‟s Nice Neat Flaming Shit.” (24 minutes in)

5. The film chapter “Chemical Burn.” Tyler is teaching Narrator how to make soap. Stripped of the homoeroticism
element in the novel, Fincher focuses on the self-destructive goal the burn symbolizes. Narrator tries to use
guided mediation to escape the pain that he feels. When Narrator goes into his cave, a shot of Narrator staring
down at Marla lasts for less than a second. This is the first moment in the film that Narrator has allowed himself
to give into his desire for her. (59 minutes in)

6. This desire is marred however by the surrounding
destruction. As Narrator leans down to kiss Marla, she
opens her mouth and exhales a quantity of smoke. Narrator
chokes on the smoke and a vision of fire accompanied by a
small explosion of sound that represent the pain Narrator is
feeling. Tyler slaps Narrator across the face exclaiming, “This
is the greatest moment of your life man, and you‟re off
somewhere missing it” (1:03:04). Fincher does not use Marla
as a source of destruction but rather as a source of
desire. Marla is still connected with the destruction because it
is only when Narrator is encountering destruction, facing his
greatest fears and pain, that he is strong enough to be with
Marla.

7. discovery of Marla as desire becomes evident after doing a behavior analysis of Narrator in scenes that show
Marla leaving. The first leaving incident occurs in the film chapter “Marla.” Narrator tries to exude a dislike toward
Marla, in telling her goodbye he states, “Well, let‟s not make a big thing out of it, okay”

8. Another film scene of facial expressions giving away the true emotions of Narrator occurs at
59:41. At Tyler‟s behest, Narrator has kicked Marla out of the Paper Street house. Narrator
assumes an unfriendly demeanor and wears a stern, hard expression. As Marla walks away, the
camera switches to Narrator, his head tilts to see her better, the hard squint of his eyes relax, and
he drops the angry purse of his lips. The camera again flashes to Marla‟s retreating back and then
returns to Narrator. The camera focusing on the Narrator pulls in slightly which causes the
audience is to pay attention to Narrator‟s face, which softens completely, jaw relaxing and mouth
opening slightly. The face Narrator now wears is one of realization and hurt; he does not like the
fact that she has left.

9. The end of the film: Marla is once again at the heart of the destruction. Narrator and
Marla stand alone, holding hands, watching the buildings explode.
copyright November 2009 ‘you make me happy’

10. MARLA
Masculine v’s Feminine

11. A Generation of Men
Raised by Women:
Gender Constructs
in 'Fight Club'
Marla Singer and the narrator‟s (Jack‟s) respective femininity and masculinity are
dependent on that of the other. Jack cannot be masculine while Marla exhibits overly
masculine traits; Marla cannot be feminine while Jack exhibits overly feminine traits.