Previous
Chapter 70
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 prefers watching football games that include some sort of drama, as they make for more entertaining games. He likes when the crowd is noisy, when the opposing team gets a red card, or any other “disgraceful incident.” He understands that this may seem immoral, but he doesn’t feel any moral responsibility as a spectator. The Arsenal v Norwich game in 1989 includes multiple penalties, and both teams end up getting fined. Games like these are the ones that make him feel like he is at the center of things, because he is witnessing important moments in football history.
Nick states many times that he rejects the aggressive behavior he sees at football games, but it never deters him enough to stop attending. Here, it seems that this sort of dramatic event is actually part of the appeal for him. Witnessing such drama firsthand reinforces the feeling that Nick is a part of something greater than himself, which is the overarching allure of football.
Themes
