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How far does the reader sympathise with Sherman McCoy?
Member rating: No Rating | Words: | Submitted: Wed Oct 15 2003
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How far does the reader sympathise with Sherman McCoy? Sherman McCoy is narcissistic, covetous and adulterous. Yet, as readers, we feel some sort of attraction towards him, and even if we do not condone his lifestyle, we understand it, and we accept his motives, because McCoy, for all his money, is a human being and it is his flaws themselves that fascinate us. After all, it seems a paradox of sorts to describe him as a tragic character and then condemn him, because if all his contemporaries share the same flaws, then there must be something else that sets him apart. Firstly, his self-awareness comes into play: 'The Master of the Universe was cheap, and he was a liar,' says Sherman. The fact that he understands his failings is important: it raises the question, if he is aware of his motives, then can he be held any more responsible for his...
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