Nobody in Something Happened can ever get any satisfaction. An unknowing victim of suburban disillusionment, Slocum is never happy. His work doesn't fulfill him, since he knows that what the company does is ultimately meaningless. His wife and family don't satisfy him, either, so he constantly seeks outlets for happiness outside of the home.
Slocum isn't alone in the way he feels. Virginia was dissatisfied with her life before she ended it by her own hands. Slocum's colleagues feel the same way, and so do his wife and children. It almost seems like everyone is waiting for something to happen that will end the dissatisfaction and make them all live happily ever after.
Questions About Dissatisfaction
- What are the sources of Slocum's unhappiness? Are they wholly justified?
- Why doesn't Slocum do anything to end his dissatisfaction? What is he waiting for? What could he actually do?
- Who is the happiest character in the story? Is anyone truly happy?
Chew on This
Slocum is the cause of his own dissatisfaction and unhappiness. If he were to tweak his outlook on things, perhaps the circumstances wouldn't be quite as bad as he perceives.
All the characters in this novel are unhappy and dissatisfied because the society in which they live is empty and meaningless.