Rethinking the Everyday: Howie's Defamiliarized World
Throughout The Mezzanine, Howie’s perspective on life is both optimistic and enlightening, as he brings attention to objects and interactions that we encounter daily but rarely examine closely. A striking example of this is his reflection on perforation:
“Perforation! Shout it out! The deliberate punctuated weakening of paper and cardboard so that it will tear along an intended path, leaving a row of fine-haired pills or tuftlets on each new edge! It is a staggering conception, showing an age-transforming feel for the unique properties of pulped wood fiber.”But how much of his fascination is sincere? Is he simply trying to play with the reader’s perception? At times, his enthusiasm for what seems like trivial matters feels excessive, but as you continue to read, it becomes clear that he is expressing genuine appreciation through the lens of defamiliarization (in this case, the act of taking something seemingly mundane and seeing them in a new and thoughtful light).
Yes, the process of mechanically perforating metal has been around since the early 1800s and has since been applied to other materials, with paper being the most common. However, how often do we pause to marvel at this ingenious creation? Consider how convenient it is for tearing apart postage stamps or notebook paper, leaving behind a sharp, satisfying edge that reminds you of its presence—and depending on the marks left behind, it might even refresh your memory of its contents and associated experiences.
If we were to estimate the percentage of our lives that involve the use of perforated objects (a common list might include the following):
- Toilet Paper
- Paper Towels
- Tea Bags
- Plastic grocery bags/vegetable bags
- Notebook paper (with perforated edges)
- Bandaids with perforated surfaces for air circulation
- Coffee filters
- Perforated packaging (e.g., for snacks)
While Howie’s enthusiasm for various topics might seem peculiar at first, when you consider these objects in context and recognize their impact on daily life, it becomes clear how disastrous it would be to live without them. Howie encourages us to slow down and truly appreciate what we have. He doesn’t dwell on the past—he even disregards things that were once commonplace, like doctors making house calls. Nor does he speculate much about the future, though he remains hopeful that some researcher, dedicating their life’s work to the abrasion resistance of shoelaces, will find the optimal material and construction. Instead, Howie is focused on the present and the things that hold significance in his life. He shares his most personal thoughts and observations with the reader, hoping that they too will take the time to admire the world around them, recognize its value, and cherish accomplishments, whether big or small.
I liked how you used one of the most memorable passages in the novel to focus on in your post. The first line of the quote is probably the most important, because it defines the topic of the passage and also raises the question you asked; is the enthusiasm sincere or is he somewhat making fun? I like how you talked about the history of perforation as well, that was an interesting touch.
ReplyDeleteI find it funny how when I look or think about an everyday object--like, really focus on it--it becomes so strange. For example, when I've been especially bored, I've stared at the letters of the alphabet in the words on my screen until they stop making sense and they just look like weird alien shapes. The Mezzanine is a commentary on the odd, fascinating aspects of everyday objects, and your post does a nice job of zeroing in on the moments where we see Howie's fascination the most. Because if you were to show a tin can (random example) to a caveman or an intelligent alien, it would look so incredibly strange and interesting, when it's just a boring old tin can for us. It's all a matter of perspective, and The Mezzanine takes this idea and forces us to take on a new point of view. Nice post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Noor! It is also good to explore why Howie cherishes and thinks so deeply about mundane objects. We discussed in class about how he could be cherishing and deeply exploring the mundane to cope with his boring office job by defamiliarizing and creating interest (where we see no interest as the objects seen so familiar to us). While everyone has the potential to admire the world around them, I believe that if you want to think like Howie, you must first place yourself in his broken-shoelace shoes.
ReplyDeleteI'm always struck by the way that Howie doesn't simply appreciate the innovative technologies that surround us in the corporate bathroom or vending machines as objects of appreciation: he always emphasizes and reminds us of the *people* who are designing these innovations, beta-testing and observing problems in the design and relentlessly seeking to improve, to make our lives more comfortable, convenient, and healthy. It is a perhaps strangely celebratory view of late capitalism--a kind of "don't worry about it; we've got good people working on these questions!" approach. Drinking straws may suffer a period of lower quality and higher inconvenience and annoyance (as we can no longer comfortably take a sip of soda while holding a slice of pizza in one hand and a book in the other), but Baker reassures us that the good people at the straw company are hard at work searching for the ideal polymer.
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