Ramble About Howie's Office
The Mezzanine explores the a simple snapshot of Howie's life from a point in the future. By being a recollection of past thoughts and events (even if they are mind-numbingly simple), Nicholson Baker sets Howie's thoughts apart from a stream of consciousness to well thought out anecdotes of what Howie believes to be worth sharing to us as the reader. Despite The Mezzanine containing what is worth sharing about a random day in the office, nothing worth sharing pertains to the work at his job.
To Howie the office is just the location which prompts many of the thoughts and explorations of his world. In that regard his role as an employee of whichever company he works at is not very different from his childhood. Except one contains memories of his past vs reflections on the present, one contains childish thoughts and the other has newer, more adult thoughts. Despite Howie's distinction between his childhood and his adult life many of his thoughts and comparisons strike me with as childish. From his love for perforation or his inability to function in the cooperate bathroom. His understanding of the office where he works similarly strikes me, as childish as he does not know how the company produces anything. Where as other offices, such as where they design the newest staplers, produce so much innovation.
I believe that Baker uses this childlike look at the world of a cooperate office to comment on the state of the emerging 20th century "adult world". In spite of the many people Howie knows at the office, I do not think one of them can be truly considered a proper character. They exist more as objects and sources of social anxieties and ceremony for Howie. In his childhood away from adult office job, his father stands as the only real character besides L who is only mentioned in his past memories. Even though we know very little about him other than his love for ties, Howie shares about he strives to make his father proud and looks up to him through his long winded anecdote about ties. This shows us hints of a relationship between him and his father. Through this Baker shows the isolation that Howie's office job creates between him and others
I found it really interesting that none of Howie's actual work prompted thought, yet something as simple as a stapler could. Personally, I find my classes at school quite interesting, and find my thoughts to often be involving them, so it was something I had a hard time relating too. I really like how you think that Baker is using a childlike personality for Howie to reflect the "adult world"... that makes a lot of sense to me. Howie seems so stuck on the past and his childhood that it's almost like he's stuck living it, anyways... Howie is basically a child trying to work an adult job!
ReplyDeleteI really like your post. I found some of those interesting as well. The story of the book takes us through the escalator as well as his past and present memories. The flow is organized though. I also agree that his childhood life and wants grow into his adult world he works in. The part about the characters is correct but we barely see them mentioned. I think the story still flows well that way. I agree with Mikayla about his childhood life becoming some of his adult life. Great post!
ReplyDeleteIt's true that the anecdotes involving L. are all set in the past, as with everything in this memory-generated narrative. But he does write about her as if they are still together--the relationship itself isn't relegated to the past, while he does make clear that he no longer works at this office building for this company. He occasionally tells us things that L. thinks, or opinions she holds, or habits he's observed, in the iterative tense--or as reflecting ongoing feelings, states of mind, things she generally thinks. There is a kind of present reality to L. in this story that is unique.
ReplyDeleteHe also talks about his mom, almost as much as his dad. (Remember when he realizes he's "grossing her out" by pouring milk into his mouth while it's full of cookies?) But I agree that co-workers occupy a unique space--names who populate the office, cause anxieties and occasional pleasures, but who aren't ever going to be an ongoing part of his life. Part of the novel's implied critique of the 1980s corporate office--along with the fact that Howie NEVER seems to think about actual work EVER, and we have no idea what this company makes or what services it provides--is that it offers no real social life for its employees. They show up to work, in their suits, carrying their briefcases--and they all have had these distinctive and personal experiences getting ready for work that morning. But no one knows the other's struggle, no one talks about it--it's just awkward calculations about whether or not to keep talking about the same topic once the secretary is off the phone, or where to sign the corporate get-well card for the maintenance guy. Tina knows something about Ray and his home life--he hurt his back moving a pool--but Howie only winces in "office sympathy." There are limits.