Individualscanmanipulatethemselvesintofalseperceptionsrendering'objects'ofaffection

asjustthatunidimensionalobjectslackingpersonality.Inwhichcasetheobjectisnottruly
lovedduetothelackofacceptanceofitssentienceanddimensionsasahumanbeing.John
Colliersshortstory,TheChaser,highlightstheideathatalovenotbornofsubjective
admirationsofonesstrengthsandflawsalienatestheobjectifierfromthehumanityoftheirlove
interest.Therefor,anunhealthyorunrealisticperceptionoflovecanfabricateasimple
obsessioninsteadofatruelovethatvaluesindividualsforwhattheyare.Thisconceptis
developedthroughawisenedmansattemptstodivulgethetruthofalovethatholdsno
meaningtoalovelornyoungman,whosnaivedesiresblindhimtothepointthatheisunableto
perceiveanyoutcomeotherthanperfectioncomingfromalovenotbornoffreewill.

TheexpositionofthisshortstoryinvolvesAlanAusten(theprotagonist)andhisnaiveteas
anervouskitteninadark"andoffputtingneighbourhood,symbolizingtheshadyrealitiesofa
worldheisunknowingofasaninexperiencedyoungindividual.Inthissuspiciousplace,Alan
wasimmediatelymetwiththeoldmanhehadseekedouttoobtainacertainmixturewith
extraordinaryeffects,whichturnedouttobealovepotion.Theoldmanbegandealingswith
anattempttoshowtheunknowingadolescenttheimmoralityofwhathewasgettinghimselfinto
byexamplinghiswareswithapoison.Onecaneasilyinferthathisreasoningbehindthis
wastohintatthedisasterthepotionwillbring.Andthatdisasterwouldbehisobjectof
affection,Diana,wantingnothingbutAllan,noteventhingssheissofondof,likeparties.In
otherwords,DianawouldsimplybeobsessedwithhimduetoAllanbeingthesoleinterestin
herlife.ManymoreattemptstoturnAlanoffofalifefilledwithlovedisguisedasobssession
weremade,onebeingtheoldmanstatingthatmoneycouldbeaneasysubstituteforthelove
potion.Andwithmoneybeingmaterialisticandeasilydisregardedwhenitcomestotruelove,
hissayingthiswasanobviousattempttodriveAllanawayfromthelovepotion.Duetotheold
manmakingeveryattempttorunAlanoffofhisproduct,thereadercaninferthathereallyhad
nointentiontosellit.Butrathertogivealifelesson,forfree,ontruelovenotexistingthrough
forceorobsession.Alanwasheavilyinfluencedbyhisowndesiretobelovedtothepointthatit
practicallymanipulatedhimintobelievingthattherewouldbenonegativeoutcomesfrom
forcingsomeonetolovehim.Hebelievedthisdespitehowmuchtheoldmanrepeatedlywarned
himthateveryaspectofwhatAlanwasabouttodowouldbetaintedbyhisobjectofaffection
neverlovinghim,justsimplyobsessing.

TherisingactionofthissourceincludesAlanobjectifyingDiana,andbeingobjectifiedin
return,throughthelovepotion.GivenAlansactionsduringthesaleofthelovepotion,onecan
seethatDianawasbeingperceivedbyAlanas,quiteliterally,an
object
ofaffectionandnothing
more.Dianasfeelingsandthoughtsasahumanbeingregardingthelifechangingactof
consumingthelovepotion,Alanneveronceraisedasaconcern.Questionsrelatingtohowshe
mightfeelaboutthelovepotion,ifthiswasthebestchoiceforDiana,orevenifthiscould
improveherlifeinanyway,shape,orform,wereneveraskedtotheoldman.Onlymatterssuch
asthelovepotionincludingthemerecasualimpulse(meaningsexwhentakingAlans
attemptedlookofscientificdetachmentandstuttersintocontext)wereconsideredimportant
enoughbyAlantobebroughtup.Inshort,Alanquestionstheoldmanonusingthelovepotion

tocreateanendlessobsessionwithinDianathatmanipulatesherintohavingsexwithhim.
WhathedoesntquestiontheoldmanaboutarethingslikeDianassubjectivethoughtsand
feelingsonamatteraspersonalasmanipulatingherintosex.AlanobjectifiesDianatothepoint
whereshehasnosentienceasahumanbeing,wheresheisnothingmorethanhistoolfor
personalpleasure.Andinturn,DianawillobjectifyAllan.Afterbeinggiventhelovepotion,she
willbeunabletotrulyloveherobjectifierduetothefactthatobsessingoverhimbecauseshe
hasbeenforcedto,withoutnecessarilyvaluinganythingabouthim,isnotlove.Seeingasto
howDianaiseverythingtoAlanbutdoesntcareaboutit,shereallydoesntcareorvalue
himinanyway.Sowhenshebecomescompletelyobsessedwithhim,shewilltakecareofhim
endlesslybecauseofherperceptionofhimasavaluelessobjectthatrequiresconstantworrying
over,thankstoherobsession.Therecurringplotpointofobjectification

increasedtensioninthis
shortstory.WithoutAlanssteadfastperceptionofhowwonderfulofathingitwouldbetouse
Dianaassomesortoftooltobelookedafter,anddevotedlyadored.Neverwouldtheold
manhaveneededtorepeathiswarningsofthevaluelessdisasterthatwouldbeherobsession,
leadingtotheclimaxofAlanpurchasingthelovepotion.

TheimmoralresolutionofTheChaserisAlanAustinchasingalifetimeofobsessiondown
withapoison,theglovecleaner.HewillusethistokillDianaafteralifetimeofherdrivinghim
upthewallbywantingnothingbutsolitudeandhim.Andherbeingjealousandafraidofall
theprettygirlshewillmeetinpublicplaces.Theoldmanknowsthiswillhappenthroughoutthe
entiresale,andhewarnsAlanaccordinglybyflatoutstatingthatcustomerscomebacklaterin
lifeandwantmoreexpensivethings.HeevensaysAurevoir,frenchliterallytranslatedto
untilIseeyouagain.WhathemeantbythiswasthatAlanwillbereturningforthefive
thousanddollarpoison.Thetoweringironyhereisthatboththealchemistandthereaderknow
hewillbebackfortheglovecleaner.ButinAlansnaiveteandexcitement,hecantseewhat
kindoffuturehescreatingforhimselfincreatinganartificiallove.Unfortunatelyforboth
himselfandDiana,Alanlearnsnothingfromtherepeatedattemptsoftheoldmantryingto
divulgetherealityoftheglovecleanerfollowingthelovepotion.Andthereasonwhythatis
canbeseeninthethemeofthisstory,lovethatisnotbornoffreewillisbutadeadlyobsession.

Howindividualsperceivetheirownpersonalrealityhaseveryimpactonthechoicesthey
makeregardingtheirrelationships.InAlanAustinsnaivete,hechosetoforceasuperficiallove
fromhisunrequited
object
ofaffection,Diana.Ifhehadbeenabletoseepasthisowndesiresto
perceivetherealityofloveinsteadofjustknowitasobjectificationandanendlessresourceof
personalpleasure,heneverwouldhavehadtomakeachoicethatwouldlandhimalifetimeof
obsession.Withmurderastheonlywayout.Ifloveisknownrealisticallyforwhatitis
partnershipsarealsomadeoutofthatsamerealism,resultinginlong,healthyandhappy
relationshipsrootedinreality.