“Discipline” by Donald Ray Pollack uses a basic storyline that has been used in many works of literature and cinema. Ever since Luther lost the bodybuilding contests of his youth, he forces his son to compete and hopes for his son to capture what he himself could never quite grasp ahold of. Luther even goes so far as to pump his 18 year old son with steroids. In reading “Discipline,” I was never really intrigued until the last paragraph. Luther says “A light exploded, and my body shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.” For me, this line really caught my attention, so I began to focus my attention on it. Initially, I thought Luther died from hypothermia. I immediately that that the light referenced was similar to the light at the end of the tunnel. Then, I thought how could he have written the story in first-person and die at the same time. I believe Luther had a complete emotional breakdown or revelation that working out is not the only important thing in his life. His realization comes a little bit too late. Another word choice I found significant is Luther referring to the flakes of his body as “grey snow.” In today’s modern world, white is universally viewed as pure. So, by using ‘grey,’ it is inferred that his soul is not completely pure, he has guilt, and has obviously made some substantial mistakes in his life. Since I do not believe Luther physically dies, I have come to the conclusion that his grey, and ultimately worthless meaning of life he has created is completely dead. Luther’s meaning of life died with his son.
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