Being There

The final chapters comprise the climax and denouement, or resolution. In Chapter 6, the scrutiny that Chance has avoided finally arrives. The stakes are high. In Chapter 2, the lawyers could not verify Chance’s identity and told him to vacate the house. If Chance is exposed as a fraud, he would most likely lose favor with the Rands and once again find himself homeless.

Chance’s final test is to be under scrutiny. Once again, he passes without effort or participation. He succeeds for the same reason that he succeeded in society up until this point: Others interpret his deficiencies as attributes. In this case, he lacks an official background. Instead of finding this suspect, both the Soviet and United States governments interpret it as an asset. Chance is not aware of these searches, nor does he care about the honors and awards that society is eager to bestow on him.

Chapter 7 is enigmatic, as the events that occur are sketched in rather than fleshed out. The stakes are raised in anticipation of the climax. Chance being chosen as a political running mate would solidify his position as a celebrity and person of importance in society. In the hero’s journey, this step symbolizes rebirth. It is the ultimate moment of change for the protagonist and begins the phase of returning to the ordinary world triumphant, with all the knowledge gained along the way.

The climax occurs when Chance runs from the spotlight. Throughout the novella, he had acquiesced to each situation in which he found himself. Even when he refused interviews and appearances, he remained with the Rands and continued to play the role of Chauncey Gardiner. At the moment that would transform Chance into Chauncey Gardiner permanently, Chance rebels and escapes to the only world he knows.

Though the book’s structure is traditional—a hero goes on an adventure and experiences trials—Chance is not a traditional hero. He undergoes no character change because he has neither the desire nor the capacity to change. His failures and triumphs are accidental. In the end, Chance returns to the ordinary world—the garden—untouched by the events that have upended his life. The reader is left to wonder if Chance will continue to find himself in the spotlight, or if he will wander back into obscurity.