Pretty much everyone in Something Happened is about two steps away from the loony bin. Family members, officemates—anyone could crack at any moment. Turns out suburbia is a scarier place than you might think.
Bob Slocum is a perfect example. He bottles inside of him the things he wishes he could say aloud, to the point that he finds he has a hard time distinguishing between what he thinks and what he actually says. Regardless of whether or not you think Slocum is slightly crazy or very crazy, you have to give the guy some props: at least he is aware of the fact that his sanity is in question, and he checks himself. Gold star, Slocum.
Questions About Madness
- What signs does Slocum display that could throw his sanity into question? Is he the sanest character in the book?
- Does each character contain some trace of madness?
- What factors may contribute to madness in 1960s suburban America? How about in city offices?
- Could Slocum plead insanity for his well-intended but fatal asphyxiation of his son?
Chew on This
Slocum is surrounded by people going crazy, and he emerges as a sound-minded narrator despite all the madness around him. He handles his son's tragic accident in the way that any right-minded individual might handle it.
Throughout the course of the novel, Slocum loses his mind. By the time something bad really happens to him, he files it away in an effort to protect what remains of his own sanity.