The 6:20 Man

A recurring motif in the novel is the relentless pursuit of success characterized by an intense work ethic. This is exemplified by characters like Travis Devine who embody the drive to achieve, often at personal cost. The early morning train rides, the characters’ long hours, and their sacrifice of personal life for career advancement all contribute to this motif, illustrating the novel’s commentary on the demanding nature of high finance and corporate ambition.

Devine’s character embodies this ethos to the extreme; his life is regimented to the rhythm of the stock market, his worth measured in transactions and trades. This motif is not confined to the protagonist; it reverberates through the lives of all the characters, each caught in the relentless gears of a financial machine that values output over individuality. The novel portrays this drive as both a virtue and a vice, suggesting that while ambition can lead to greatness, it can also lead to a profound disconnection from the self. The metaphorical “6:20 train” that Devine rides is more than a mode of transport; it is a shuttle on a loop, reinforcing the cyclical and often Sisyphean struggle for a place at the top in a world that is perpetually moving, never resting.