Thursday, March 14, 2013
Critical (re:Boring) Post
The shift the second and third chapters shows a devastating shift in tone to coincide with the shift in the lives of Toph and Dave. From frantically and joyously rounding the corners and swerving around an ocean highway, to a different sort of frantic search for somewhere to live, Eggers accomplishes a lot with the shift between chapters. The carefree, and perhaps self endangering voice of chapter two is cut short with the realization that the world can be and still is a cruel place.
Where this comes from is a relocation of self-obsession. Eggers illustrates this self-obsession with the line, "Look at us, goddammit, the two of us slingshotted from the back side of the moon, greedily cartwheeling toward everything we are owed." (47). First Eggers establishes Toph and his importance in the world, calling all to look upon him, goddammit, and then he shows his sense of entitlement. This is the mindset of Chapter two, I am the center of the world, and I deserve it damnit all to hell.
This is in stark contrast to the second sentence of chapter two where he writes, "All these people impeding us, triffling with us, not knowing or caring who we are, what has happened." Suddenly the Eggers are no longer in the center of the world, but rather the margins. Although most certainly acording to Eggers, they are still owed, but they are no longer being given what they deserve. People don't care about their situation, and these realization creates a resentment in Dave. His status internally has been shifted from deserving center of attention to marginalized undesirable. However, this does not change the sense of entitlement within Eggers himself, but simply shifts it to a more resentful rather than optimistic.
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Wondering if you remember a time during which you expected the good nature of the universe based on the fact that you'd been previously slighted by such a universe?
ReplyDeleteI recall having these thoughts, and also the corresponding thought that the shoe is about to drop on me because I've been pretty fortunate until now.
It's an odd, strangely religious feeling. There are two books in the bible that contrast each other that are instructive, I think.
Ecclesiastes basically suggests that everything's a crapshoot, that being good doesn't get you anything, and that you'd might as well eat, drink, and be merry, because, well, we know what's coming next.
Proverbs, meanwhile, suggests that we are in fact punished or rewarded for our actions accordingly. So, Eggers believes that he's owed some good fortune because he's patiently endured the death of his parents, he's taking care of his brother, and so on.
The trouble with Proverbs is that we know good things don't happen to good people and bad things don't happen to bad people. And yet, partially, we have no other way to deal with the world. We have to imagine that we will be handled appropriately by a divine hand, or karma, or whatever.
That's a long way of saying: ever feel like you were owed? Could make an interesting essay.
I remember specifically thinking that the Red Sox would win the World Series because, umm, I'd been dumped maybe. (Exact circumstances escape me).
Dave
I think that the point you made about his situation and what he "deserves" is often illustrated through his interactions with landlords/housing. He is very critical of landlords who don't want them to inhabit the properties, and he often takes it as a stab at his family status. I get a really big sense from him that he thinks that living quarters should be handed to him and Toph first because they don't have parents and really need a place to stay. But we all know that's not how the world works, and it's interesting to see, like in the passages you chose, how his realizations come about.
ReplyDeleteAlso, after reading this I think I did my assignment wrong... oh well. Good job!
First sentence SHIFT level OVER 9000! Just kidding, you just use the word 'shift' a lot in the first sentence and I had to reread it.
ReplyDeleteThis example you use -"Look at us, goddammit, the two of us slingshotted from the back side of the moon, greedily cartwheeling toward everything we are owed."- was actually one of my favorite moments in AHWOSG so far. Eggers agitates me with his humor, I just don't like its overuse, but when he slips into his more poetic moments I literature-ily swoon. (bad pun about 'literally,' but I'll never apologize for a bad pun.)
I think you picked two good moments to highlight Eggers shiftiness. Good blog.
That section about traveling with Toph really stands out because the tone is so carefree, not only in contrast to what comes later but also in contrast to what came before with the death of his parents. It is a big shift, but I find it refreshing rather than jarring.
ReplyDeleteAlso, can we start doing class from home all the time now? I really enjoyed watching The Price is Right while I did this.
I consider it one of my missions to protect you from Drew Carey.
ReplyDelete