Fight Club Ending

[Dmxkilla99]

I had a disscusion with one of my friends and realized how many different interpretations of the ending to this movie that there are. Everyone i have talked to has a different reason, some say that he blew out part of his brain (wrong), some say his assurance in himself killed tyler, etc. I would just like to know what you guys think, and if someone could also post an offical interpretation of the ending from the studio or something, then that would be helpful too. Discuss............

[Memento8291]

Well...I have heard all kinds of thoughts on the ending...I read somewhere that a very horrific or traumatizing event can snap a person out of psychosis....or a split personality. And, shooting yourself in the mouth is quite horrific, I'd say. By doing that, Tyler was killed. I also read that "Jack" really died, and the rest was all a "after death" kind of vision...who knows...I read the book, and I'm pretty sure he did die at the end. But, I heard Chuck Palahniuk (the author of the novel) liked the ending in the movie better. I wish I had a clear cut analysis on the ending...but I don't...I simply find it very amazing and abstract. Here this guy is, with a hole in his cheek and neck, holding Marla's hand saying "Don't worry...everything's gonna be fine" as all the buildings explode and hundreds of Space Monkeys are wreaking havoc across the city. Edward Norton, on the DVD commentary, compared it to the end of Dr. Strangelove..."We'll meet again..."
Eh, maybe he lived...maybe he didn't...the fact remains that he shot himself in the mouth and he's probably not doing too great.

No matter how you want to interpret it.. the end scene is fabulous and chilling...with the Pixie's song "Where is My Mind" adding a certain mood not attained with the Dust Brother's (equally cool) techno beats.


"Tyler...I really want you to listen to me...My eyes are open..."

[Mr. Orange]

I figure he dies anyway...The building has a bomb in it. But I think that by shooting himself he finally showed that he had control of his life.

[Memento8291]

Hmm...I do not think the building he was in had a bomb in it...Tyler beats the shit out of him in that one building...but takes him to another. I don't think Tyler's plan included suicide. I heard that somewhere too, I just can't remember where :)

Hey, if you want a pretty detailed explanation check out:

http://64.176.54.36/thecult/papers/ivelina_karcheva.htm[/URL]

[Bassgod]

***Book Spoilers**

Well he didn't die in the book either. In the book, he got sent some kind of clinic for crazy people, because he was probably captured. The "God" is the director (head doctor?) of the clinic and he sometimes sees the space monkeys that work at the clinics and they tell him that they want him back and someday they will find a way to get him out. And Marla. She sends him letters. He probably IS crazy, thinks that he died when he shot himself. I think that's the official explanation from Chuck P.

[The Dude]

Here's the way I always looked at it:
Jack and Tyler became one, but that wasn't a short over-night process. Jack's multiple personalities had him living two separate lives at one time. A quote from the movie I found interesting was when Meatloaf said that, "I heard [Tyler Durden] was born in a mental institution and only sleeps two hours a night," something to that effect. What's interesting about that is that perhaps Jack lived in an institution for a long period of his life, so he was crazy for a just about all his life, and that the two hours he slpet every night would allow him to live dual lives as both himself and Tyler. (Have I been going to bed earlier each night, or waking up later?). So it boils down to this: when Jack pulled that trigger and the slow motion of the film showed the bullet slowly go through his head, for that instant, he belived he was dead, which in turn killed Tyler. Or it could have happened like this: My eyes are open means he understands his split personality condition, and the Tyler half of him thinks that he is going to die when Jack shoots himself in the head. So Jack could have "tricked" the Tyler half of himself into death. So either way, Tyler believes that he's dead, and so he dies.

[Bassgod]

sry. I don't know what happened. When I edited, it just reposted the message.

[Gloveman]

This movie is just great. It's so nice to meet others who can articulate themselves and their ideas so well!

[Memento8291]

Originally posted by Bassgod
***Book Spoilers**

Well he didn't die in the book either. In the book, he got sent some kind of clinic for crazy people, because he was probably captured. The "God" is the director (head doctor?) of the clinic and he sometimes sees the space monkeys that work at the clinics and they tell him that they want him back and someday they will find a way to get him out. And Marla. She sends him letters. He probably IS crazy, thinks that he died when he shot himself. I think that's the official explanation from Chuck P.

Wow, thats actually a very cool explanation. I never thought of it that way. Chuck has a way of fucking with you at the end of his novels. Survivor was very similar. You think it's kind of simple, but it's anything but. Thanks Bassgod, I was being a bit narrow minded there.