Lingering Failure

Victor believes that he never lived up to his youthful potential because he was never able to fully commit – nor demonstrate the necessary talent – for writing the book he always aimed to write. As a 50-something Victor looks back on his life, he recognizes that he never lived up to his potential. When he was young, he notes that he was inevitably "on my way to becoming a successful man" (37). He falls into simple success after writing a few music articles and creates himself into a controversial figure. In his youth, he thinks he will be as successful as his wife Rachel is.

Much of Victor’s young potential was spurred by happenstance; as his notoriety fades he discovers that he has neither the motivation nor the talent to write the book he imagines. As Victor loses the fame he earned from writing controversial movie...