Binx and Adams

The characters of Nick Adams and Binx Bolling share several interesting similarities. Both are "men in search of..", though neither seem to be able to succinctly define what it is they're seeking. Nick seems to seek a sense of comfort, or nostalgia; a place and time where things made more sense to him. Binx, on the other hand, seems to seek a reassuring distinction of himself with respect to his surroundings. In other words, Binx believes that without a uniqueness to define who he is and where he is at all times, he could simply dissolve into the ether. Neither man finds exactly what they seek, but both seem to reach minor mile-markers on the road to themselves. Nick finds his comfort in nature, as well as a way to work through the trauma of the Great War. A bit at a time, he is able to slowly realize the effects of the war and how it has changed him. With time, he can perhaps come to terms with himself and the society he felt compelled to leave. Binx is able to BE discovered, to have his life reexamined by those closest to him and be accepted on those terms. He, almost without conscious effort, follows a path that he must know will lead to conflict with his Aunt and great change in his personal life, but follows that path nonetheless, even so far as to marry Kate, a woman he may have always loved, but avoided because of his (and her) commitment and stability issues. Both men come from upper class families (Binx by his father's marriage into the upper class, Nick because of his father's position as a doctor), and both have fought in a war (WWI in Nick's case, the Korean War in Binx's), and both are single men without children of their own. Interestingly, both also stand hidden in the shadow of their fathers achievements, though neither seem to bear any grudge against their fathers. Both men also seem emotionally distant, not necessarily by choice, but by a confusion or misunderstanding of how human interaction works. It's interesting to see the significant changes in Binx's life, and one can guess that Nick's life could take a similar turn in his future.