Fame

Doxology presents the ways fame is idealized conceptually by American society as a means of achieving success and happiness, while simultaneously containing many aspects that endanger individuals physically and corrupt morality. Joe’s rise to fame in the novel embodies these dangers extremely well, and the reader is able to accompany him as the negative aspects of fame begin to corrupt and influence the likeable aspects of his personality. Joe’s interactions with the music industry reveal the intricacies of the way business and lifestyle become dangerously intertwined within the music industry, ultimately influencing his perception of himself. At the highest levels of success, musicians are commodified by the music industry for the financial benefit of the industry or record label who is bolstering their image. Zink writes, “Most people who met him were in the business of selling him. They accentuated the positive” (97). This quote...