Man is an Animal

One of the most prevalent and superficially clear themes to this collection is the concept that man is nothing more than an animal that has learned to wear a mask of civility. Animal traits exhibited by various characters in this book include physical violence to express dominance, inability to think rationally in the face of basic temptations, and the dominance of the strong over the weak.

Physically violent acts establish dominance effectively both in situations between men and women and when men compete with each other. In "Rape! Rape!" as well as in "Reunion", a man physically dominates a woman in order to prove his dominance over her. When Bukowski rapes Vera, he does so not only out of sexual desire but also out of a basic need to take what he wants in order to be a man. Similarly, when Harry hits Madge, he...