In Ian McEwan's Saturday, the protagonist Henry Perowne is given the task of representing the trials of being a contemporary man. However, he appears to be more than just a contemporary man. McEwan gives Henry the characteristics of a somewhat perfect man, an individual that society in a post-terrorist world can strive to be like. These actions make it seem as if McEwan is writing Henry as a response to the world ruled by war. McEwan achieves this by making Henry neutral when it comes to situations where violence would be considered acceptable. The image of the man of the future is reinforced by Henry's negative view of ancient visions and his positive view of objects of the future. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay First of all, Henry exhibits the characteristics of a man who opposes quick action in the form of violence. His thoughts on the initial reaction of the world responding to terrorism with war are outlined early on, where he muses that "the idea...was an aberration, that the world would surely calm down...that solutions were possible." this reason [was a] powerful tool” (McEwan 30). Here Henry describes his early thoughts on how to deal with terrorism, through reason rather than war. He seems to convince himself that the rest of the world thinks like him. This, juxtaposed with Saturday's anti-war demonstration, gives Henry the image of a representative of a group of forward-looking individuals. Additionally, the relationship between those like Henry, who are against violence, and the rest of society inclined toward war is shown symbolically through Henry's meeting with Baxter after their minor car accident. There is a metaphorical relationship between Baxter's character and war. He is described as wearing a "60s-style suit [with] tight fabric around his biceps" (McEwan 74) and also "[gave] an impression of restless impatience, of destructive energy waiting to be released" ( McEwan 74). . Looking closely, at the physical description, the clothing suggests that it represents a historical view of war in society, the tightness of the fabric around the biceps implies a more violent past and weapons that intimidate society, as they intimidate Henry who notices him. this quickly. His impatient and destructive attitude also contributes to this view of a representative of war compared to Henry's more rational "reason" approach to situations. Henry's rationality is clearly expressed when he mentions that "...interested social agencies find this rational." be violent sometimes” (McEwan 74). This further sets Henry apart from the rest of society because this description of violence implies the idea that what is rational is not always reasonable. By stating this, Henry suggests that the simplest solution for one is not always the best for the masses. This depiction is a departure from the standardized, government-dictated society the world lives in, which contributes to Henry's image of a man of the future. Additionally, Henry applies his theories of violence when his family is threatened by Baxter. Upon his first encounter with this forced scenario, he "...tries to see the play through [Baxter's] eyes, as if that could help predict the scale of the problems to come..." (McEwan 166 ). Even though the opportunity for a counterattack is possible – “[Henry and Theo were] in a good position to rush him” (McEwan 167) – Henry still examines the situation and waits for the best possible option. Once again, McEwan appears to be commenting directly on the British response to terrorism in the.