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Chapter 23
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
Nick turns out to be wrong that he is too old to be an Arsenal fan. He graduates high school and gets an office job in London. Nick has always wanted to be a Londoner. He can’t afford to live there, though, so he commutes from home. Nick’s job is boring, so he finds himself talking to his coworkers about football. Eventually he becomes interested in Arsenal again, and he is hopeful for the team because they recently recruited new players. When Nick sees them play Bristol, they lose, and he realizes that they are no better than they used to be. He feels like an alcoholic who relapsed.
Nick was wrong to think that only young boys are obsessed with football. He withdrew from the sport only because he had other interests and a group of friends, but now that he is once again bored and unfulfilled, football finds a place in his life. He is again drawn to the entertainment and community it offers. While Nick thought that he stopped being interested in Arsenal because they are such a poor team, it turns out that Arsenal’s success has little correlation with Nick’s interest in the team.
Themes
