He had been given the job and he was going to do it. But now for the first time he hated it genuinely. Perhaps there had been too many fatigue-products, perhaps the cumulative labor had dissolved and reshaped the structures of his mind, but in any case he was wretched with this work, and as a corollary he understood suddenly that he had always hated the drudgery of his farm work, the unending monotonous struggle against an arid unyielding soil.
The character in Norman Mailer's "The Naked and the Dead" finds himself grappling with a profound sense of dissatisfaction regarding his job. Initially committed to his responsibilities, he experiences a turning point where genuine hatred for his work surfaces. This shift suggests a deeper emotional exhaustion, possibly brought on by prolonged exposure to fatigue and overwhelming tasks. As he reflects on his state, he recognizes that the relentless grind of farm labor has always caused him unhappiness.
This epiphany reveals his internal struggle and highlights how the demands of physical labor can wear down a person's spirit. The relentless nature of working against a harsh environment leaves him feeling wretched. It appears that this moment of realization is not merely about his current job, but a broader acknowledgment of his long-standing distaste for monotonous labor. In essence, he confronts the reality of his existence and his discontent with the life choices he's made.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
