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Chapter 73
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 plays football for as long as he watches it. He plays as a child in school and with his sister in their yard. Later, he plays with his colleagues at Cambridge, and now that he is in his 30s he plays casually with friends. Lately, Nick notices that his body aches the day after he plays football. Nick knows that he’s never been a stellar football player, and he has always known that he would never be good enough to play for Arsenal. But he doesn’t mind because whenever he plays football for fun, he imagines that he is just like his favorite professional footballers.
As devoted to football as he is, this is the first time Nick mentions ever playing himself. Though Nick has many unhealthy thoughts and behaviors around Arsenal, he is realistic about his own football skills. Nick doesn’t crave fame—he likes being a fan, and he often reiterates that a team’s fanbase is the most important part of a football club. This passage also reveals that Nick is getting older, reinforcing the idea that he’s come to a more stable phase of his life.
Themes
