Meaning Of 'The Chaser' By John Collier
The Chaser by John Collier provides many meanings in the title that present clues as to what the story may be about. These meanings can vary from a chaser being someone who chases a person that chases after another person. It can also be a drink that is drunk after another different type of drink and it can be defined as a hunter. The word chaser can provide a sense of tone that can set the mood for the entire story. The title of this story was selected for not just one meaning but for multiple meanings throughout the story, which contributes both meanings as the story is unraveled, leaving the reader wondering what may happen next. The first meaning of the word chaser can be viewed at in two different ways. One way this meaning may be looked at is by the love that Alan has for Diana and the way he chases after her affection. Another way this may be viewed is after analyzing the story it can be predicted that after taking the love potion Diana will fall “in love” with Alan and chase after him obsessively. This statement is shown by the old man saying, "She will want to know
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all you do," said the old man. "All that has happened to you during the day. Every word of it. She will want to know what you are thinking about, why you smile suddenly, why you are looking sad (Collier).” This meaning plays an important role in the concept of the story because it presents the struggles of two of the main characters. The second meaning of the word chaser is a drink that is drunk after a different type of drink. This meaning is connected to the story because the love potion was drank first and an inference of the story will show that the life-cleaner will soon be drank after the love potion. This conclusion was came to by the old man saying, "I like to oblige," said the old man. "Then customers come back, later in life, when they are better off, and want more expensive things. Here you are. You will find it very effective (Collier).” It is very likely that the old man knows Alan will be back for the life-cleaner, whether it is from his own experience or an experience from past customers. An irony about this meaning is that usually when a chaser is drunk, it is used to relieve the taste of the first drink. In this instance the chaser was drank by the person who does not know what is happening to them to get relief. Ironically, Alan will be the one whom is getting the relief from the drink while Diana will have reached her doom. The meaning hunter can be placed in this story because of the way Alan chases Diana time after time even though she rejects him.
This is the same as a hunter would chase an animal, no matter how far it tries to run or how it may try to hide. This can be taken more extremely than just chasing her because Alan goes to the old man to see if he can fix Alan’s problem rather than just admitting defeat and leaving well enough alone. The old man knows this because he says, “young people who need a love potion very seldom have five thousand dollars. Otherwise they would not need a love potion (Collier).” The old man is basically saying that young people do not understand love and desire to have something that is a challenge. The old man hints to Alan time after time to get him to change his mind about the love potion, but young love is blind in the eyes of the old
man. What can be acquired from the title and bodies of this story is that a chaser can have multiple meanings that can be combined to fit into the ideas of a single story. The title of this story is very significant because it gives the reader an idea to what they are reading about before they actually get to the introduction of the story. The old man foretells the outcome of the story by saying Au revoir which translates to see you soon. He also does this by explaining to Alan, the many things that “real love” does not consist of. This shows that this story is a prime example of needing to be careful for what you wish for. Work Cited
Collier, John. The Chaser. 28 March 2011. 1 February 2015. <https://obront.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/the-chaser-by-john-collier-short-story/>.
all you do," said the old man. "All that has happened to you during the day. Every word of it. She will want to know what you are thinking about, why you smile suddenly, why you are looking sad (Collier).” This meaning plays an important role in the concept of the story because it presents the struggles of two of the main characters. The second meaning of the word chaser is a drink that is drunk after a different type of drink. This meaning is connected to the story because the love potion was drank first and an inference of the story will show that the life-cleaner will soon be drank after the love potion. This conclusion was came to by the old man saying, "I like to oblige," said the old man. "Then customers come back, later in life, when they are better off, and want more expensive things. Here you are. You will find it very effective (Collier).” It is very likely that the old man knows Alan will be back for the life-cleaner, whether it is from his own experience or an experience from past customers. An irony about this meaning is that usually when a chaser is drunk, it is used to relieve the taste of the first drink. In this instance the chaser was drank by the person who does not know what is happening to them to get relief. Ironically, Alan will be the one whom is getting the relief from the drink while Diana will have reached her doom. The meaning hunter can be placed in this story because of the way Alan chases Diana time after time even though she rejects him.
This is the same as a hunter would chase an animal, no matter how far it tries to run or how it may try to hide. This can be taken more extremely than just chasing her because Alan goes to the old man to see if he can fix Alan’s problem rather than just admitting defeat and leaving well enough alone. The old man knows this because he says, “young people who need a love potion very seldom have five thousand dollars. Otherwise they would not need a love potion (Collier).” The old man is basically saying that young people do not understand love and desire to have something that is a challenge. The old man hints to Alan time after time to get him to change his mind about the love potion, but young love is blind in the eyes of the old
man. What can be acquired from the title and bodies of this story is that a chaser can have multiple meanings that can be combined to fit into the ideas of a single story. The title of this story is very significant because it gives the reader an idea to what they are reading about before they actually get to the introduction of the story. The old man foretells the outcome of the story by saying Au revoir which translates to see you soon. He also does this by explaining to Alan, the many things that “real love” does not consist of. This shows that this story is a prime example of needing to be careful for what you wish for. Work Cited
Collier, John. The Chaser. 28 March 2011. 1 February 2015. <https://obront.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/the-chaser-by-john-collier-short-story/>.