The new outlook on life is not one of narrow, windy roads and disordered trips though time. One result of such behavior may cause a person to get stuck in a stalemate trying to escape their daily routine without the social skills to do so. Fred Trumper in John Irving's The Water Method Man experiences different situations on a day to day basis. He is unable to understand why his life has taken the course that it has or what his purpose is in it.
Some people solve their problems right away, and others procrastinate.
Fred Trumper takes a very unusual approach to many of his problems, but then again he leads a very unusual life. Man Fred Trumper undergoes a metamorphosis. In order to get to the root of his troubles Trumper needs to search within himself, below the surface. Scared of what he might find, he fears introspection would cause more pain and failure. Because of his phobia he does not control his life, but instead allows life to control him.