Analysis Of Invisible Monsters By Chuck Palahniuk

Living In The Shadows
“The hunger for attention is the enemy for self-love” (Mbiaka). In Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, Invisible Monsters, a story unfolds of how one person may conceive disastrous decisions in order to get the attention she desires. Shannon, the protagonist, is a woman who becomes full of her own vanity. She lives an unfortunate life, being involved in an accident that makes her jaw become completely torn off of her face. The accident that happens to Shannon is an achievement that allows her to receive the attention she craves. Her greatest moments are driving across the country with the infamous Brandy Alexander and Seth to steal hormone replacement drugs; but as this happens, she realizes all the tormented situations she has
For instance, when she is distressing over what happens to her, “I can’t talk. All I can eat is liquids. Nobody will look at me. I’m invisible. All I want is somebody to ask what happened. Then, I’ll get on with my life” (Palahniuk 45). Shannon portrays herself as invisible person, for no one will notice her or care about what has happened to her. Some people go on drastic measures in order to achieve the attention they want. As a result, being invisible associates with being lonely and that is something Shannon deals with. It indicates how being given attention is significant factor to Shannon’s life. In fact, Shannon craves more and more attention as she whines about how no one will desire her, “Even if I overcompensate, nobody will ever want me. Not Seth. Not my folks. You can’t kiss someone who has no lips. Oh, love me, love me, love me, love me… I’ll be anybody you want me to be” (Palahniuk 105). Shannon’s self-loathing stresses how shallow she thinks of herself. Palahniuk illustrates how Shannon who is seeking for attention, may desire to be loved, and how unwanted she actually feels. Readers can infer that because of the accident, Shannon is derived from
Her self-discovery leads to wanting to become someone new, and to accomplish that she reveals, “I was just tired of staying a lower life form just because of my looks. Trading on them. Cheating. Never getting anything real accomplished, but getting the attention and recognition anyway. Trapped in a beauty ghetto is how I felt” (Palahniuk 286). Shannon feels useless because she receives everything in life by how attractive she was before the accident. She has not accomplished anything extravagant, emphasizing how worthless she thinks of herself. Readers can infer that Shannon, just like many others, would like to accomplish more in their lives. Shannon finally begins to pay attention to her brother Brandy, now transitioned into female, and then allows herself to become completely invisible from Brandy’s life. As a result, because Shannon is left with living amongst the shadows of the life of Brandy, she exclaims that, “I’m giving you my life to prove myself I can, I really can love somebody. Even when I’m not getting paid, I can give love and happiness and charm… I have to know that I can love somebody. Completely, totally, permanently and without hope of a reward, just an act of will, I will love somebody” (Palahniuk). Because Shannon is able to love Brandy she begins a new start, breaking off all ties with the people she once knew. It is indicated that she finally