Throughout Andrew Sean Greer's novel Less, the character Arthur Less decides to travel across the world to numb his painful breakups. Within this novel, the theme of finding his true identity in his own sexualism, love life, and individualism is revealed.
Once Less gets the invitation to Freddy and Tom's wedding, in which Freddy was his ex-boyfriend, he reaches a dilemma. He did not want to necessarily go because of the judgement from others as "Sad young Arthur Less had become sad old Arthur Less" (Greer 17) and Less would have "mothballs for ridicule; new ones would be tested, as well" (Greer 17). Here, Less thinks less of himself. He ultimately would feel embarrassed for going to his ex-boyfriend's wedding because he did not want to be seen as a "sad" man or be "ridicule[d]." In this scene, he cares what people think and what he thinks of himself. Then, he RSVP's back saying "My apologies... but I will be out of the country" (Greer 18)" so he can get out of that situation and run away from this internal dilemma.
As Less begins his adventure, he realizes what traveling the world on his literary tour really meant to him. "Here, looking at his clothes- black jeans for New York, khaki for Mexico, blue suit for Italy, down for Germany, linen for India- costume after costume" (Greer 33). Within this quote, it exhibits how Less does not even feel like himself; thus, he is in a "costume" when he travels. He has not found his true identity in himself because "each one is a joke, and the joke is on him" (Greer 33). Less states that he "doesn't even know where he's stored" (Greer 33) or where he belongs in the world. From these quotes, it reveals how lost Less truly is in his identity. Thus, traveling is a "joke" or a costume to his true self or perhaps running away from his self.
After a lot of contemplation and many experiences traveling the world, Arthur Less reaches a conclusion. He states that "After choosing the path people wanted, the man who would do, the easy way out of things... what do I want from life? And I say: "Less!"" (Greer 261). At the end, Less realizes that his past self would, in a sense, was a follower - following other people's paths and not going out of his comfort zone. But after aging and maturing, he realizes that he does not want more from life - he is content with having "less." He is content with himself where and who he is, without wanting any more.
I agree with the point that Less struggles with having an identity. It is almost as if he has a midlife crisis, but the book also establishes Less as a character who has always cared too much about what other people thought of him. I think Less focuses too much on the thoughts of others. Less forms his opinions of himself by what others think and say to him. Less thinks so much of what others are saying about him because he is afraid of being seen as a failure or disappointment. The book describes Less as someone who is overwhelmed with fear. The book says, ““Strange, though; because he is afraid of everything, nothing is harder than anything else. Taking a trip around the world is no more terrifying than buying a stick of gum. The daily dose of courage” (37). This fear is not necessarily a bad thing though because his fear of everything allows him to travel the world. Since traveling the world is just as scary as buying gum, Less is able to do something as brave as travel the world alone. It does appear Less has an identity crisis in the book, but it is because of his fear. That same fear allows him to do something as incredible as traveling the world.
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