p> Indeed, few give any kind of sympathy or even empathy to Tommy, except perhaps for Tamkin who eventually uses his trust anyway. Tommy is going through a mid-life crisis as he muses over the failures of his past to follow his heart and instincts—to act and be free—but he is immersed in guilt and feelings of low self-worth because he expects his life to be affirmed by others. He spends too much time dwelling on the mistakes of the past and the uncertainties of the future to ever enjoy much time in the here-and-now. He also thinks he can change his whole life and make new decisions without some kind of eye on the fact that he is not 18, 28 or even 38 any longer. His wife from whom he is separated is particularly pleased to remind him of such illusions, “Well, you still think like a youngster. But you can’t do that any more. Every other day you want to make a new start. But in eighteen years you’ll be eligible for retirement. Nobody wants to hire a new man of your age” (Bellow 112).
In reality, Tommy is not a failure but someone who has tried to follow his heart and instincts and kept his feelings and mind open. Because of this he has not only been used but he has went outside the norms of society. He does not fit the stereotype of the 2.5 kids with a house in the suburbs, a car and retirement plan “success”. Instead, Tommy’s real issue is that he puts too much stock in the opinions of others who want him to either be just like them or to sell his soul for income stability. As Tamkin once told him, “I think you worry a lot too much about what your wife and your father will say. Do they matter so much?” (Bellow 91). To Tommy, they do. It is because of this he cannot stop worrying about the uncertainty of his future or the mistakes of his past. He is actually a free man and people resent him for this, as Tamkin tells him. However, he cannot enjoy his freedom because he cannot live or take pleasur...