Mailer and Ali

Existential Affinities

Authors

  • Jeanne Thomas Fuchs Hofstra University Author

Keywords:

Muhammad Ali, existentialism and literature, boxing and identity, revolt and authenticity, literary masculinity, sportswriting and philosophy, writing and combat

Abstract

Despite what on the surface appear to be multiple differences between Norman Mailer and Muhammad Ali, from an existential perspective (mostly Sartrean), they possess qualities that are identical. Armed with superior talent, existentially speaking, through sheer force of will both men created themselves. They became the sum of their acts and defined themselves, and were ultimately defined by others through their intense struggle to attain personal freedom. They accepted responsibility for their destiny because they had forged it.

Author Biography

  • Jeanne Thomas Fuchs, Hofstra University

    Jeanne Thomas Fuchs is Professor Emerita in the Department of Comparative Literature and Languages at Hofstra University. On two separate occasions, she has served as Associate Dean in Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for periods of four and five years (Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Budget and Planning, respectively). She has a monograph on Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Pursuit of Virtue: A Study of Order in La Nouvelle Héloïse (Peter Lang, 1993) and is co-editor of The World of George Sand (Greenwood Press, 1991). She has articles on Molière, Marivaux, Musset, Rousseau, André Chamson and F. Scott Fitzgerald. A former Balanchine dancer, she conducted research for Lincoln Kirsten and Martha Swope for The New York City Ballet (Alfred A. Knopf, 1973), assisted Tanaquil LeClercq with all aspects of preparation for The Ballet Cook Book (Stein and Day, 1966), and translated substantial segments of an 18th century dance manual, Le Maître à danser, by Pierre Rameau for Jerome Robbins. Present projects include a study of Racine’s plays and a memoir. She dedicates her work on this volume to her sons, Lee and Kyle.

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Published

2026-10-10

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2014): Future Bound

Section

Articles