Previous
Chapter 2
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
After Nick attends his first Arsenal game, he continues going to Highbury stadium with his dad regularly to see them play. After attending only a few games, Nick is already so obsessed with the team that he is beside himself with anxiety on any home game day. Arsenal plays so poorly that early in the season it is already clear that they won’t make it to the championship, but Nick doesn’t care. Arsenal plays in the FA cup on a school night, and Nick has to go to bed early. In the morning, his mother leaves a note with the outcome of the game—Arsenal lost. Nick is devastated, and he feels that his mother has somehow let him down by leaving the note.
Nick’s intense emotional reactions to Arsenal game results show how personally attached to the team and sport he is. Fever Pitch draws a distinction between obsession and fandom, and at this point Nick has already crossed the line from fandom into obsession. At this point football is a net negative in Nick’s life, as it causes him to suffer.
Themes
A little while later, Nick and his dad go to Wembley stadium to see Arsenal play Swindon Town in the League Cup. Nick’s dad is sure that Arsenal will win the game since they are generally considered the better team. As they watch the game, Nick feels visceral hatred for the Swindon fans in the crowd. He compulsively asks his dad for reassurance that Arsenal will win. When Swindon ends up winning, Nick’s dad applauds, which enrages Nick. His dad reprimands him for his lack of sportsmanship, but Nick doesn’t care. He feels that his dad betrayed him by applauding, just as his mom did with her note about Arsenal’s losing score.
Nick’s reaction to Arsenal’s loss is further evidence that his support of the team crosses the line from fandom into obsession. Nick’s emotional response to the game already begins to negatively affect his relationship with his parents. For now, Nick’s dad isn’t able to teach his son lessons about losing gracefully, and Nick holds onto his hatred for Swindon fans. This episode is one readers should keep in mind going forward, as the importance of sportsmanship is an idea Nick will revisit later.
Themes
When Nick goes to school that Monday, his classmates tease and harass him for his team’s loss. Even though the boys’ shared interest in football unites them, their preferences for different teams become more prominent as they get older. Nick feels alone and miserable, and he thinks that everyone around him is betraying him.
The culture surrounding English football is complex—it has both advantages and disadvantages, and it affects people in different ways. Though it creates community, it can also divide people. The fact that Nick feels personally betrayed suggests that Arsenal football club has become a part of his identity.
Themes
