Young, disillusioned male protagonists

[npope]

Hi guys, I'm just about to start work on my third year dissertation, and I've decided to focus on literature and poetry concerning young, 20-something men. I find the idea of young male angst interesting, especially within novels from the 1980s to the current day.

I was wondering if you guys at the forum could perhaps suggest some books for me that tackle the challenge of the young male identity; the struggle to feel part of something, the confusing nature of gender politics, and the sexual/psycho problems that are evident in the texts.

I'm basing my study on a few of my favourite books: Trainspotting, Bright Lights/Big City, American Psycho, Fight Club. Perhaps if you guys could come up with some other novels/poetry of this ilk, or even throw a curve ball that might open up some new directions, I'd really appreciate it!

[kelby_lake]

The Stranger by Albert Camus would probably be the ultimate man with an identity crisis novel.

[Anymodal]

The songs of Maldoror (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Chants_de_Maldoror) by the uruguayan (from french family, son of the embassador of France in Uruguay I think) Comte de Lautreamont, or his real name, Isidore Lucien Ducasse. Originally written in french. Published in 1868, and then again with some adds in 1869. It's a completely phsyco book. It deals with the themes of identity, perversion, evil, religion and crazy stuff. It's written in an exelent poetic prose. Easy to read. It's not exactly a novel, but it isn't something else either. 200 and something pages long.
The author wrote it when he was between 20 and 22 I think. He died in Paris at the age of 24.

[npope]

cheers for the help guys, will look into them!

[Gareth Heard]

This is a few years before 1980, but the ultimate young, disillusioned male protagonist in Western literature is Hamlet. After that I'd go for Stephen Daedalus from Ulysses.

[Ser Nevarc]

...the ultimate young, disillusioned male protagonist in Western literature is Hamlet...

No! Werther is.

See Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther

[Pantagruel]

Philip Carey, the protagonist from W.S. Maugham's Of Human Bondage, fits your criteria. Unfortunately, Of Human Bondage was written prior to the 80s...

[TheFifthElement]

Have you considered Japanese literature? Many of Murakami's protagonists are young, disaffected or disconnected men. Kafka on the Shore would be a good one.

[tonywalt]

Holden Caulfield of Catcher in the Rye was not 20 yet - but if anyone qualified he certainly would.

Larry Darrell from Somerset's Maugham Razor's Edge also.