The Novel Deliverance as a Prophecy of Man :: James Dickey Deliverance Essays

The Novel Deliverance as a Prophecy of Man A true survivor can only depend on himself. The novel Deliverance is a story about four characters each with different views on surviving. Every man in the world can relate to one of the three secondary characters in the novel Deliverance. Men can relate to Lewis Medlock for his primitive views, Drew for his rationality, or Bobby for his lack of ability to survive. Many people say that Lewis is the man that most men want to be like, Drew is the man that most men are like, and Bobby is the man that most men fear becoming. Lewis is the man most men want to be because he does not depend on anyone or anything. He loves a challenge and will do anything he can to live life to its fullest extent. Ed Gentry, the central character, represents all in the way he looks up to Lewis and strives to be like him. Most men fall into the same category as Drew because their ability to survive has been clouded by rational thoughts. Then there is Bobby. Most men do not want to be linked with Bobby be cause he can not live without help from civilization. Even though these characters posses many of the same traits, their main differences are in their ability to survive life. They also have different views on life. Lewis sees life as a game that you must constantly challenge if you are to survive. Drew sees life as a struggle that should never be challenged. Then there is Bobby who sees life as something he does not have to worry about because their will always be someone their to help him through it. All three of these characters possess traits that can be identified in every man. First there is Lewis, a middle aged man that is at the prime of his life, and fears nothing. He is the strongest character in the book. He is, "†¦ a physical-conditioning perfectionist with misplaces survival-of-the-fittest instincts and cave-man yearnings"(Warren). Lewis is the man that most men want to be like because he needs no one to survive but himself. He constantly demonstrates a primitive l ife-style that no longer exists. The primitive life-style he demonstrates is one of survival. Lewis is an attractive character for males because of his need for no one. He needs no one to life his life for him.