However, it takes a critical eye and in-depth interpretation of Fight Club to elucidate these societal quagmires. Charley Reed, author of the Journal of Religion and Film, explores the concept that Fight Club incorporates Zen Buddhist proponents into the plot to provide an answer to the complications presented by a capitalist society. In order to escape the cyclical suffering caused by consumerism, Buddhists believe: "it is precisely the attachment to material goods that keeps a person attached to this world; the soul must free itself from this attachment if it hopes to achieve a certain form of inner peace. » , and ultimately nirvana” (Reed). This pillar of Buddhism is something the film teaches in many ways. One of the most notable personifications of this teaching is when Tyler creates a chemical burn on Jack's hand. Tyler kisses Jack's hand, successively pouring lye on the kiss, causing an excruciating chemical burn in order to make him accept the pain, symbolically abandoning all his material possessions. It is in this scene that Tyler says the famous line: “Only after we have lost everything are we free to do anything” (Fight Club). This is entirely in line with the teachings of Zen Buddhism, because once someone completely lets go and loses their attachment to their material possessions; their soul achieves a newfound freedom. The other way in which Fight Club offers a solution to break away from the mundane consumerist and materialistic lifestyle is through violence. This violence can be seen throughout the film as a way for men to reclaim their masculinity lost along the path toward the consumerist culture to which they have become so accustomed. Journal of American Culture contributing author Lynn Ta concluded: "The end of Fight Club suggests that with the return of