Like Walt Whitman, Lerner hones in on the resonance of individual sensations, the importance of physical touch and of nature, and the interconnectivity of humans. However, in doing so he provides a postmodern, humorous approach wherein he utilizes heightened terms to toy with literary craft. This seems to both praise the Whitmanian tradition, as well as provide an iota of critical examination, of such heightened sensations, as placed within a deteriorating, future version of New York. As a massive storm invades New York, this spawns conversation amongst its previously divided citizens. Lines such as “I mean the city was becoming one organism, constituting itself in relation to a threat viewable from space, an aerial sea monster with a single centered eye around which tentacular rain bands swirled” enable one to see how Lerner believes the Whitmanian tradition continues to prove relevant, as people bind together; meanwhile, this binding occurs on a basic level, in light of mutual knowledge (17). In effect, Lerner’s style, which mirrors Whitman’s in its long-winded nature, serves to provide humor in its overblown nature.
Early Whitman contains a similar energy to Lerner, such as in Song of Myself, as it provides catalogues of individual characters, yet demonstrates cohesive unity. However, Lerner mocks the all-inclusive nation Whitman creates, in terms of the future one’s communicative abilities. Lerner permits numerous nationalities to share space, such as the Hasidic Jew and the West Indian nurse, with whom the narrator speaks. Hence, a “common conversation” arises, and on an initial basis, appears as a positive attribute (17). However, this conversation arises with the threat of the storm and of impending doom. Thus, Lerner continues Whitman’s tradition of a “common language,” develops out of a sense of alienation.
In that sense, this could prove similar to Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, which utilizes this sense of shared alienation (e.g. Just as any of you is one of a living crowd, I was one of a crowd); meanwhile, Lerner extends his reach to the development of technology, as apps track precipitation, and as technology joins the level of human nature, which spawns emotional dampening. Fanciful language and excess becomes juxtaposed alongside moments of insignificance. In the midst of technologies advances, the “intimate” moments that the narrator shares with his female friend, Alex, become characterized by either excess or nonchalance.
Although certain moments receive over-blown descriptions, emotionality itself proves lacking as the narrator provides Alex with a “[half-hearted]” touch (22). This enables one to see how aesthetics fall short because, although the Whitmanian inclusive conversation seems to ensue, people bind together due to forced connectedness, such as mass media, which proves unfulfilling and fruitless, as it demonstrates a lack of true concern in modernity (22).
No comments yet.