I was a whimpering dog inside, nothing more than that. I looked for work because people seemed to believe I should look for work, and when I found a job I believed I was happy about it because these same people – counselors and Narcotics Anonymous members and such – seemed to think a job was a happy thing.
In Denis Johnson's "Jesus' Son," the narrator expresses a deep internal struggle, likening himself to a "whimpering dog," indicating vulnerability and despair. His search for employment is influenced by societal expectations rather than personal fulfillment, highlighting a sense of disconnection from his true feelings. He feels compelled to conform to the belief that having a job equates to happiness, influenced by those around him.
This internal conflict reveals the narrator's lack...
