In Ian McEwan's Saturday, protagonist Henry Perowne is given the task of portraying the difficulties of being a contemporary man. However, he appears to be more than just your average contemporary man. McEwan gives Henry the characteristics of a somehow perfect man, an individual that society in a post-terrorism world can strive to be like. These actions make it seem like McEwan is writing Henry as a response to the war-driven world. McEwan does this by making Henry neutral when it comes to situations where violence would be considered acceptable. The image of future man is strengthened by Henry's negative view on old visions and a positive view on artifacts of the future. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First, Henry has the characteristics of a man who is averse to quick action in the form of violence. His thoughts on the initial reaction of the world responding to terrorism with war are expressed early on, where he thinks to himself that “the idea… was all an aberration, that the world would surely calm down… that the solutions were possible, that reason [was a] powerful tool” (McEwan 30). Here, Henry describes his initial thoughts on how to handle terrorism, through reason rather than war him. This, juxtaposed with the anti-war protest on Saturday, gives Henry the image of a representative of a group of forward-thinking individuals. Furthermore, the relationship between those like Henry, who are against violence, and the rest of society inclined to the war is shown symbolically through Henry's encounter with Baxter after their little car accident. A metaphorical relationship between Baxter's character and the war is unmistakable. He is described as wearing a "sixties-style suit [with] tension in the fabric around the biceps” (McEwan 74) and also “[gave] an impression of irritable impatience, of destructive energy waiting to be released” (McEwan 74) . Looking closely, the physical description, the clothing suggests that it represents a historical view of war in society, the tightness of the fabric around the bicep implies a more violent past and weapons that intimidate the society, as it intimidates Henry which he quickly notices. His impatient and destructive behavior also contributes to this view of a representative of war as opposed to Henry's more rational "reason" approach to situations. Henry's rationality is clearly expressed when he states that “…selfish social organisms find it rational to be violent sometimes” (McEwan 74). This further distinguishes Henry from the rest of society because this description of violence involves 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 description moves away from the standardized government-dictated society the world lives in, which contributes to the image of Henry of a future man. Furthermore, Henry applies his theories on violence when his family is threatened by Baxter. During his first encounter with this forced scenario, "...he tries to see the room through [Baxter's] eyes ], as if that could help predict the level of future trouble..." (McEwan 166). While the opportunity for a counterattack is possible – "[Henry and Theo were] in a good position to attack him" (McEwan 167) – Henry observes the situation anyway and waits for the best possible option. Once again, McEwan appears to comment directly on Gran's response.