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King Leary Essay

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King Leary The notion of celebrity status is one that is often overlooked and many people have a one sided opinion on the life of a celebrity. Many people think the life of a celebrity as being one of relaxation and stress free when in reality they secretly face problems that come with the allure of fame. In the novel King Leary, written by Paul Quarrington, is an insightful book about the game of hockey set in the 1900s. There are several characters that emerge throughout the novel, but the main character is named Percival Leary. Percival was the best hockey player of that era. Throughout the novel Percival, who is now in a nursing home, looks back at and re-lives events that happened to him on his life journey. The novel is …show more content…

“All of a sudden here was a crashing sound, and Manny came flying through one of the parish hall’s stained glass window.” (Quarrington 55) The allure of fame and celebrity status has led to the demise of several professional athletes because of peer pressure. For example, former Vancouver Canucks NHL tough guy Rick Rypien was overcome by peer pressure when he assumed the role of team enforcer. He was aware that when his team needed a spark he would have to get into a fight with the opposing team’s tough guy. This ultimately led to alcohol abuse and depression which ultimately led to his suicide in early 2011. Throughout the course of the novel, the theme of depression is another issue faced by celebrities and the character of Manfred Ozikean. This is a perfect example of how depression can lead to a change in one’s mental health. Depression has become more and more common in the past twenty years. One in every ten Canadians will suffer from depression and these odds increase in celebrities and athletes. This is proven through the character of Manfred Ozikean as his depression begins to set in when his alcoholic tendencies cause him to become separated from his wife. Manfred’s depression is a result of his lack of confidence in himself so he resorted to alcohol as his way out. “He got himself arrested two or three times-drunk and disorderly, creating a public spectacle- and once he disappeared

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