# Society's Rejection of the Exceptional in Gladiator

> Theme guide for Gladiator by Philip Wylie.

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.

## Where it surfaces

- [Arrival at Webster](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gladiator_se/chapters/vi): 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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gladiator_se/chapters/xviii): Society, represented by the police and the bank, cannot tolerate Hugo's exceptional nature and seeks to control or eliminate him.
- [Chapter XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gladiator_se/chapters/xix): Hugo's superhuman abilities are hidden; he is treated as a mere laborer, and his strength is exploited without recognition.
- [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gladiator_se/chapters/xxi): Hugo's attempt to single-handedly change society is met with resistance and doubt, highlighting the tension between individual power and collective will.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gladiator_se/themes/society_and_conformity
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gladiator_se/themes