It is apparent in Andrew Greer’s Less that Arthur is still attempting to understand himself as an individual, despite being 50 years old, and navigate his way throughout his career, love life, and overall push past the negative connotation he associates himself with.
In the beginning of the novel, Less ponders the idea of the wedding invitation sent to him by his previous partner, Freddy. The book states, “Less sat there, with the window rattling from the workers’ din, and considered them. A teaching post, a conference, a writing retreat, a travel article, and so on” (18). Most of these pre-planned excuses outline Less as having much bigger events in his life, such as a “conference” or even a “writing retreat,” yet Arthur could simply state that he was not able to make it to the wedding. The final decision of making a trip around the world demonstrates the extent to which he wants others to view him as a busy writer or individual overall, even though he could simply decline the invitation. This idea integrates to Less as an individual, because he desires to be seen as someone that has his life planned out and is doing what he enjoys doing as a writer, yet in hindsight he is still figuring out his life path in terms of his career and overall.
In the Chapter Mexican Less’ anxieties are outlined by the narrator. The book mentions, “Taking a trip around the world is no more terrifying than buying a stick of gum” (45). By comparing his “trip around the world” to a smaller task of “buying a stick of gum,” it is acknowledged that Arthur struggles with big and small events equally. Arthur goes on the trip to understand himself more as he is at the milestone age of 50, and yet he still compares this big event to the smaller task of going to a store, which is typically seen as a smaller task done on a daily basis. Additionally, in the Chapter German Less is seen as having a magical touch that he is unaware of. The narrator states, “Even more mystical: his touch casts a curious spell…. As Less does this, he rests one hand on Bastian’s chest. Bastian gasps. He writhes; his breathing quickens; and after a moment he whispers: ‘Was machst Du mit mir? (What are you doing to me?) Less has no idea what he is doing.” (113, 114). The narrator knows that Less has a “touch” that metaphorically “casts a curious spell,” although Arthur does not understand that he has this effect on his partners. Both of these scenes integrate into one another, because at hand Less is seen as struggling with menial events just as one would with big events in life and he simultaneously has an effect on others that he does not know he has. Both scenes depict Less as attempting to understand what he struggles with in life and how he as an individual can impact others even if he does not initially realize it.
At the end of the novel, Robert mentions to Less, “Arthur, I look at you, and I still see that boy on the beach with red toenails …. I look at you, and you’re young” (244). Even though Arthur is 50 years old during this time, he is still seen by Robert as a “boy” and “young,” rather than an old man. Less understands towards the end of the novel that his age does not define him as an individual and he still can accomplish what he had not during his younger years.
I'd like to point out that part of Less's character, what is written to be his charm, is the distinct contrast and juxtaposition between his internal self and how he effects the people around him. For example, in the chapter "Less Mexican," right before the story goes into describing Less's fearful approach to everything in life, he recounts when Freddy said "'Arthur Less is the bravest person I know'" (Greer, 44). This in juxtaposition with Less's equal fear to everything paints a very clear picture of Less as a character to the reader: he is a man of contradictions, disconnects. There is a sort of absurdity to how the differing aspects of him as a person come together in a sort of cohesion, but it's what makes him *him*. In a way, Less realizing this about himself towards the end of the novel makes for his biggest change, and for his life to pivot in a hopefully more positive direction afterwards. When he breaks down the literal paper door that keeps him from moving on with his life. It's just like the rather flimsy barriers he puts in his mind, denying himself from the happiness that he could be achieving. In his naiveté and innocence, blundering manners and bravery, Arthur Less is a unique individual, despite how he doesn't view himself as such towards the beginning.
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