Ambition in Anansi Boys

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In the novel Anansi Boys written by Neil Gaiman, an important theme to recognize throughout the novel is the theme of ambition. Ambition is best seen in the novel through Fat Charlie with his lack of self-esteem. Gaiman tells the story of how Charlie`s lack of self-esteem and ambition are caused, how Charlie is influenced in order to obtain such low self-esteem, and Charlie`s moment of greatness when he finally overcomes his dreaded lack of ambition. Ambition is an important part of the novel because it helps to further develop Fat Charlie. Charlie’s relationship with his father was not an ideal relationship considering it was the cause of Charlie`s issues of self-esteem. Charlie`s father had given Charlie a nickname which had seem to have stuck. The nickname his father had given Charlie was “Fat Charlie”, which was given to him because of his plump physical appearance. Charlie was not fond of this name at all because it was very embarrassing towards him and caused him to become timid and ashamed of himself towards other people because of his physical flaws. Eventually Fat Charlie grew older and also became thinner. Although he was no longer tubby, the name his father had given him so many years ago had stuck and caused Charlie to continue to be timid and ashamed of what he previously looked like. His relationship with his father had suffered to a point where he had shut off his father from his life. Many years after separating from his father he was engaged and was asked to invite his father to the wedding after years of separation, bit to Charlie’s surprise his father had recently died of an unfortunate accident. His father had died of a heart attack while singing in a karaoke bar while also drunk. When Charlie was informed of his father’s death the first thing on his mind was not sorrow, but instead embarrassment for his father`s death. Charlie`s father had

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