Did you ever wonder what was going through the heads of really sick people? The people that you see screaming on the streets, on 20/20 living in their 300 bathrobes afraid to leave the house, the man dragging the hot dog stand umbrella for New York City blocks on end, obssesed with buying as many fans as he can in chinatown?
Meet Horse. Horse Badorties. The Fan Man.
William Kotzwinkle creates the character of Horse and then spend "The Fan Man" taking the reader through his inner monologue as Horse wanders the streets of New York City, paranoid, delusional, and in search of 15 year old girls to corrupt. The only problem is that Horse is so distracted and disorganized and high that he his own shortcomings render him harmless to the young ladies which he recruits to be in his Love Chorus, which he conducts at a church in preparation for the grand performance which will be televised.
This book isn't one that is going to have a mass appeal , but I can definately appreciate the character development, because as sick and high as Horse is, you can't but help feel some compassion for him, especially when he spends an entire day/chapter saying the word "Dorky". Although if you were to meet him on the street, you would probably wrinkle your nose and pretend to see right through him, in he novel Horse actually speaks to you. And as scary as it is, you find yourself wanting Horse to succeed in the face of everyday obstacles such as landlords that demand rent, junkyard owners, and a whole host of others.
Moral of the Story: Sometimes it's okay to be demented
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