The Lollipop Man

The Lollipop Man is an Australian novel set in the inner-city suburb of Croydon. A mild-mannered crossing guard named Glen is thrust from a life of inconspicuous service to sudden recognition after saving some children on his crossing in an heroic fashion. After the interest in him wanes he spirals into discontentment and re-evaluates his life choices and his core beliefs in simplicity and altruistic behaviour. In order to regain some notoriety Glen decides to stage an accident with horrific consequences from which he can never return. The Lollipop Man explores themes of loneliness, fame and ambition in an age where the adulation for celebrities and socialites continue to dominate mainstream culture. Similar to the character of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, Glen merely exists in his community full of people but has no meaningful share in any of their lives. For Glen, the need for validation in the form of recognition conflicts with the need to display moral qualities we all know to be valuable.