The Loner review
The novel Loner is an exploration of the lives of the young characters in a university setting grappling with the reality of life in school. The characters engage in social relations that lead to the comprehension of the nature of the relationship among young adults in society. Their interaction facilitates understanding of the themes on sexuality, gender relations, technology addiction, and violence, among many other themes defining campus life. As the narration commences, the main character is joining an institution of higher learning at Harvard. David’s experience in the first year marks the beginning of the revelation of the dynamics that will define life in college years. Introspection into his life is instrumental in understanding the dynamics of life in early adulthood in the US.
As the narration commences, the escapades of David and the roommates in the introductory chapter of the novel contributes to the identity as a romantic only to transition to a toxic masculine and a loner. The character known as David aspires to establish a new relationship in the setting. He opts to friend Sara on the expectation of exploiting the network in meeting Veronica, the roommate (Riley 3). The association begins as an experiment but progresses to define the life of the character for most campus years. The remarks “Friends are a strange, volatile, contradictory, yet sticky phenomenon. They are made, crafted, shaped, molded, created by focused effort and intent,” affirms the claims. He engages in acts that lead to accusations for condoning gender violence. The tribulations resolving the issues provides an insight into the complexities of redressing gender issues and related sexual violence. The subject of feminism equally manifest from the socialization.
Loners urge to create a social network leads him to befriend peoples from a diverse background. His love for the internet develops after expulsion from Harvard but later reconnects with veronica. He poses as a romantic character but proceeds to exude traits that perpetuate toxic masculinity. As recounted in the text that “All hopes I had of a roommate who would help upgrade me to a higher social stratum snagged on the gleaming barnacles of Steven’s orthodontia,” proves, he was a hopeless romantic but violent (Riley). The females associating with the character endure the most of his misdeeds that include chauvinistic acts. David adopts a life contrasting the expectation of the parents. As opposed to behaving ethically, he mistreats the loved ones.
In conclusion, the novel Loner provides an insight into the lives of young characters in a university engaging in activities that convey themes on sexuality and toxic masculinity. The main character David is in pursuit of Veronica but disguises to love Sara. The encounters that follow shed light on the nature of the traits of a person accustomed to toxic masculinity. David’s associates grapple with challenges that facilitate introspection into the life of the young in a contemporary setting