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Nathaneal West is an important American novelist. He has specific point of view on American society and its behaviors. In the novel The Day of the Locust he describes the Hollywood dream world, and people who are trapped in that world trying to reach the goals they set for themselves. They are often fanatical and act obsessively. They do not see much of reality and are trapped in their self-centered dreams. Most of them seem to be good people, at a first glance, but they reveal they real selves in certain kind of situations: under stress, under influence of alcohol, or when their passions take over their behaviors.
Among all the characters in The Day of The Locust we meet Tod and Faye. Tod is a newcomer to Hollywood who is fascinated with that place in many different ways. Faye is an actress who dreams of becoming a Hollywood star. Both these characters are very fascinating and trying to compare them is very interesting. The way they act, their dreams, and how they want to make them come true are just seemingly different. They share many qualities, even though, at first, they seem to be far apart.
Tod came to Hollywood to work as a costume designer. His looks do not reveal how great talent he has. His slow and “doltish” look on his face, his large body made him look very unattractive, unprofessional, and “completely without talent”(2). His large body, and unattractive features made him look very off-putting to Faye. Once she even “…refused his friendship, or, rather, insisted on keeping it impersonal. She told him why. Tod had nothing to offer her, neither money nor looks…”(10).
Despite his appearance, he is a very interesting and complicated man with a “…whole set of personalities, one inside the other like a nest of Chinese boxes”(2). He seems nice, and helpful but, on the other hand, he helps just if he has his own business in it. He doesn’t understand Homer’s good heart and the way he helps people by offering them his own place to...