Man Gone Down by Michael Thomas is a novel that can hardly be considered pleasure reading. It makes readers’ hearts ache, it evokes a feeling of compassion, and it makes them rethink certain aspects of a human’s life.
The protagonist of the story is one of those people who consider themselves damaged. In spite of the fact that he seems doing relatively fine externally, his inner world is in a pitiful state. The man is convinced that he is a mistake, that he is “a social experiment” that went wrong. He is a representative of “the next greatest generation,” but the truth is that he doesn’t feel as if he belongs to it. He has witnessed racism, hatred, violence, and abuse, what is more important, he is used to be a victim. The man gets used to think of himself as a mistake and develops an inferiority complex that doesn’t let him see that he is as worthy of love, happiness and success as everyone else. He remembers his mother’s words about him. She says that she should have washed him down the toilet. He remembers his father’s indifference and his constant absence in his life. In spite of the fact that he has a beautiful wife, who loves him sincerely, the unnamed protagonist is prepared to die lonely and broken just like his father and his grandfather.
Claire, who is the protagonist’s wife, is an example of endurance. It is not easy to be in love with a person, who builds a high wall around himself. She senses his insecurities and tries to give him all support he needs. A rich and beautiful girl from a respectable family chooses to spend her life with a man who can’t give her much. The most interesting thing is that this fact doesn’t bother Claire at all. However, her husband can’t forget about this sacrifice. The thought about it and a feeling of guilt don’t let him relax and enjoy their mutual happiness. No matter how hard Claire tries to show him that he and their children are a source of her happiness, he finds it difficult to believe her. It turns out that years of rejection continue to live in his memory, keep haunting him.
The author gives readers a chance to decide the characters’ future. What is more, the finale doesn’t present any clear answer to readers. If a reader decides that the protagonist is not good enough and is not worthy of a happy life with a woman he loves and who loves him back, he/she can imagine them divorced and unhappy. If a reader decides that the protagonist, Claire and their three children deserve their chance at happiness, he/she can imagine how the protagonist casts aside his worries and takes a chance. Both of these variants are possible, but the second is way better, for there is enough misery in this world. This novel is a lesson in compassion, so let’s be generous and believe in their happiness.
