Gladiator · Question
How does Gladiator develop the theme of Society's Rejection of the Exceptional?
Answer
Gladiator by Philip Wylie develops Society's Rejection of the Exceptional across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Society fears and resents what it cannot understand or control. Hugo's strength makes him a target of envy, suspicion, and hostility, whether in the steel mill, at college, or in politics, illustrating how communities punish those who deviate from the norm.
Hugo's exceptional abilities are met with disbelief and scrutiny, and he must carefully manage his performance to avoid being seen as a freak or diseased.
Society, represented by the police and the bank, cannot tolerate Hugo's exceptional nature and seeks to control or eliminate him.
Hugo's superhuman abilities are hidden; he is treated as a mere laborer, and his strength is exploited without recognition.
Evidence in the book
- Arrival at Webster
Hugo's exceptional abilities are met with disbelief and scrutiny, and he must carefully manage his performance to avoid being seen as a freak or diseased.
- XVIII
Society, represented by the police and the bank, cannot tolerate Hugo's exceptional nature and seeks to control or eliminate him.
- Chapter XIX
Hugo's superhuman abilities are hidden; he is treated as a mere laborer, and his strength is exploited without recognition.
- Chapter XXI
Hugo's attempt to single-handedly change society is met with resistance and doubt, highlighting the tension between individual power and collective will.
