Previous
Chapter 18
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Fever Pitch, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Obsession vs. Fandom
Sports, Identity, and Community
Escapism
Sports and Masculinity
Summary
Analysis
Right after a game, in the middle of the football season, Nick and his friend Frog come across a dead body—wearing a Crystal Palace scarf—in the street. Another onlooker tells them the man had a heart attack. Nick finds it tragic that he died in the middle of the season and never gets to see how his team fares in their next games. Nick fears dying in the middle of the season. He knows that everybody leaves “loose ends” when they die, though everyone imagines that they won’t. He would like to have his ashes scattered on Arsenal’s field, but he doesn’t want to die right after a game, as this would be “excessive.”
Nick’s thoughts about dying during the football season illustrate how significant football feels to his life. Whereas most people think of leaving “loose ends” in terms of their family or careers, Nick considers football the most important aspect of his life. It’s comically ironic that Nick believes dying right after a game is “excessive” but having his ashes scattered at the stadium isn’t. At this point in his life, Nick isn’t aware of how excessive his obsession really is.
Themes
