Essay Questions

Why is Ari calling his friend a coward?

Ari is a young man aged 19 years, and self-desires blind him. For instance, Ari is into speed drugs, masturbation, and gay culture. While living in his brother's house, he masturbates every morning and abuses drugs. Sexually, Ari is attracted to George, Ari's brother's roommate. When Ari meets his friend Joe, who is about to settle down in marriage, he calls him a coward. According to Ari, he cannot define an individual's stupidity settling down in union with one partner. Ari does not understand why Joe wants to marry and only has one sexual partner for his entire life. According to Ari, Joe is a coward because he is about to make up his mind to marry.

How does the author link the book ‘Loaded’ to the Holy Book?

The author focuses on the relationships between parents and their children. The reader knows that one of the Bible's Ten Commandments states that children must obey and respect their parents. In the book 'Loaded,' Ari breaks this commandment by openly disobeying and disrespecting his parents when they sermon him. According to Ari, his parents do not deserve respect because they cannot solve their issues. Consequently, the reader concludes that Ari is not justified to be rude towards his parents because they deserve respect.

How is homosexuality one of the main themes in the book ‘Loaded’ by Christos Tsiolkas?

Homosexuality is a predominant theme that runs throughout the book. The book commences by introducing Ari, who is sexually attracted to his brother's roommate called George. Later on, Ari joins his friend Joe for a night visit and ends up having sex with Joe's sister. However, Ari tells her that he could have got more satisfaction if he had slept with Joe! After having sex with Joe's sister, Ari's sentiments show his intense feeling of having sex with a fellow man. Later that night, Ari and his friends visit several gay bars where he ends up having sex with Con. Ari's friends are also under the influence of drugs, and they are intensely sexually attracted to people of the same gender in gay bars. Consequently, the entire book talks about gay behavior; thus, it emerges as one of the main themes.