The Pugilist at Rest by Thom Jones
"The Pugilist at Rest" by Thom Jones is a poignant narrative that explores the complex interplay between violence, identity, and the consequences of war. Set against the backdrop of U.S. Marine boot camp in San Diego, the story follows a narrator who grapples with his transformation from a dedicated Marine to a violent individual scarred by his experiences in Vietnam. Central to the plot is the narrator's relationship with his friend Jorgeson, an aspiring artist whose dreams starkly contrast with the militaristic environment around them. The narrative unfolds through intense moments, including a traumatic encounter during a reconnaissance mission that leaves the narrator as the sole survivor and marks the beginning of his descent into violence.
As the narrator reflects on his actions and the brutality of war, he recounts his post-war life as a boxer, revealing the physical and psychological toll that his choices have taken on him. The story raises profound questions about human nature and the cyclical nature of violence, drawing parallels between ancient Greek pugilism and modern combat. Ultimately, the narrator's journey is one of introspection, as he confronts his own pessimism and the potential for redemption in a world marred by savagery. Through its exploration of these themes, "The Pugilist at Rest" offers a compelling examination of the impacts of war and the search for meaning in a tumultuous existence.
The Pugilist at Rest by Thom Jones
First published: 1991, as short story; 1993, as short story collection
Type of plot: Philosophical realism, war
Time of work: The 1960's and 1980's
Locale: San Diego, other parts of the United States, and Vietnam
Principal Characters:
The narrator , a Marine who served in the Vietnam WarJorgeson , his friend in the MarinesHey Baby , a Marine who harasses Jorgeson
The Story
The story opens at boot camp for the United States Marines in San Diego, California. One man is nicknamed "Hey Baby" because he has been caught writing a letter to his girlfriend when he should have been studying his rifle specifications. The narrator, another Marine in training, takes a dislike to Hey Baby because he continually harasses Jorgeson, the narrator's friend. Jorgeson is the only one at boot camp who has not dedicated himself to becoming a Marine; he dreams of becoming a beatnik or an artist. Although the narrator is serious about his training and becoming an elite paratrooper, he is fascinated by Jorgeson's dreams.
Hey Baby's dislike for Jorgeson leads him to knock the other man down. The narrator comes up behind Hey Baby and clubs him in the head with the butt of his rifle. Hey Baby is unconscious for three days and permanently injured. Although the narrator worries that he could be in trouble for his rash act, no one reports him.
After boot camp, the narrator intentionally flunks out of com school, so he can be sent to the infantry. He meets up with Jorgeson, who is now dedicated to the Marines, and the two work to join a reconnaissance patrol. They soon go into enemy territory.
The first trip starts badly. A corporal with less than two weeks to go in Vietnam is sent across an open field. The narrator is sent off from his group to investigate a pile of dirt that might indicate the presence of a tunnel. No sooner does the narrator separate from his group than mortar fire comes in. The narrator is thrown to the ground by the force of the blast. From a distance, the narrator watches as North Vietnamese soldiers attack. Most of the Marines are already dead, and the narrator's friend Jorgeson and another lieutenant are the only ones shooting back. The narrator tries to fire, but his weapon is jammed from dirt thrown up in the earlier mortar explosion.
As the narrator feverishly tries to clean his weapon, he watches a rocket tear off the lieutenant's shoulder. Jorgeson shoots several attackers and then picks up a larger machine gun that had been carried by one of the experienced Marines. The gun's owner had yet to speak to the narrator because the narrator was a newcomer and therefore bad luck. Jorgeson begins to turn back the attackers but is hit by a rocket.
From a distance, the narrator watches as the enemy troops check to see if all the narrator's group is dead. He realizes that no one has noticed him and radios for an air strike. Finally, one soldier begins to head in the narrator's direction, but Jorgeson screams and distracts him, allowing the narrator to escape. Jets roar in and drop napalm. The narrator is the only survivor and takes credit for the dead enemy troops.
Although he had not actively participated in his first fight, the narrator becomes a violent man. He kills enemy soldiers in later battles and goes on three tours of duty in Vietnam. His violence continues when he returns to the United States. He becomes a Marine boxer. He boxes a more powerful fighter and wins the match, but that evening, he passes out from a strong headache, and a year later, he begins to have seizures.
The narrator begins to reflect on his life. He wonders why he has become such a violent man, someone who intentionally hurts people. The narrator tells the story of Theogenes, a Greek pugilist who supposedly won more than fourteen hundred fights, hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. He wonders if people are any better now than in those savage days. He explains that he has become a pessimist and suffers from dark depression. His seizures have grown more frequent, and he faces serious, risky brain surgery. He laments the person he has become and wonders if anything can save the people of the world from their terrible fates.\
Sources for Further Study
Chicago Tribune. July 25, 1993, XIV, p.6.
Los Angeles Times Book Review. August 1, 1993, p.2.
The Nation. CCLVII, September 6, 1993, p.254.
The New York Times Book Review. XCVIII, June 13, 1993, p.7.
Newsweek. CXXI, June 21, 1993, p.64.
Ploughshares. XIX, Fall, 1993, p.241.
Publishers Weekly. CCXL, April 12, 1993, p.47.
The Review of Contemporary Fiction. XIII, Fall, 1993, p.224.
Time. CXLI, June 28, 1993, p.72.
The Washington Post. June 29, 1993, p. D4.