For today's open argument, I would love to discuss Faye and the jealousy she triggers with the men in her life. It is clear that Faye is a young, cunning, sexy and promiscuous women who Hollywood's men naturally fall in love with instantaneously; this much is normal. However, I was astounded deep envy she evokes in mature men, men older than she is to begin with. Take her second suitor, Earle, for example; Earle is a handsome man from Arizona. As Miguel dances with Faye and the rhythm infectiously causes both Miguel and Faye's dancing to become more sexual, "Earle raised his stick and brought it down on the Mexican's head" (117). By doing nothing but enjoy herself, Faye is capable of driving men insane because nothing perturbs a man more than their woman made happy by another man. Unlike Earle, Tod is a sophisticated man out of Yale, a man too smart to hold jealousy as a justification for range. Despite the envy of seeing Homer and Faye together, Tod says the following: "The happy grin on Homer's face made him feel ashamed of himself. He was being unfair. Homer was a humble, grateful man..." (136). This caused to me to respect Tod's ways as he as acknowledges the kindhearted nature of Homer and has accepted Faye's impetus for requiting his love.
Rene, your blog post was very insightful and interesting. It really brought up ideas I had not seen while reading. I really like how you talked about the effect Faye just being herself, and being happy can have on men. This analysis is important in the novel as it helps to explain the relationships between Faye and not only, Earle, but all the male characters present. To add on to what you said I think it is interesting to see how Faye’s character represents the power women can have over men while simultaneously being held down by sexism in society. I also thought it was interesting how you contrasts Tod’s sensibility and understanding when he is dancing with Faye. This brings up the idea that envy and lust are primal instincts felt by more unsophisticated people.
Rene, I agree with you that Faye does hold this sort of charm over men that are older than her. I wonder if she somehow believes that the older the man, the more likely they are to please her, the more likely they are to be rich and handsome. Given this speculation I also wonder why she continues entertaining and teasing these older men when it is clear that none of them have come close to pleasing her--or at least been able to handle her character and all that encompasses it. For this reason I disagree with your analysis on Tod as a more sophisticated man who keeps his jealousy at bay. Though it is true that he behaves better than most of the men in the novel towards Faye, Tod is not without his flaws. Take for example the ways in which he perpetuates his love for Faye. She essentially(and constantly) sexualised. He highlights all these flaws that Faye has throughout the novel, and yet, we still see him running back to her, offering to help pay for her fathers funeral, asking for extra kisses during her father's wake (of all places!). Why does Tod think that Faye has not yet latched on to him? Actually, the better question could be: Why are they all still chasing this substance-less women and how does it reflect on their own charterers as shallow men-- no matter where they come from or how they act?
Very true Rene, Faye does invoke jealous feelings in men throughout the novel, and I think analyzing how the different men react to her actions is very important in determining who they are as characters. However, questions that I came up with are: Why does Faye do this? And does she have the capacity to actually love? Faye told Tod earlier in the novel that she will only love a handsome man, and let a wealthy man love her, but don't you think she is being a little dishonest? She must be able to love someone for who they are and not only how they look, or how much money that they have. And if she cannot, why are so many men drawn to this hollow character that only cares about outward traits? What is Nathaniel West saying about the people in Hollywood?
I very much agree with this analysis of the reading. It appears that Faye has a controlling effect over all the men she encounters in such a way that makes it seem as if she were very aware of it. It seems that Faye takes pleasure in playing with the emotions of the men she surrounds herself with, as she is clearly aware of their attraction towards her. I think that Nathanael West could have done this on purpose. I think that West uses Faye in order to expose both the emotional side of men and perhaps the more primal side along with the flaws that accompany them. I think that the quote you referenced to is a great example of how emotions can take a hold of people, specifically men and in this case Earle, and cause them to do irrational things. It seems that jealousy triggered some primal instinct in Earle to eliminate his antagonists in the competition for Faye. The fact that Faye is able to drive a man to do something certainly points to the envy that you described she evokes.
Rene, I think you made some very strong points. It is very interesting to think about Faye and the effect she has on the men around her. She is simply being herself and nothing more, yet she still has men following her around, relentlessly. This really helps us understand the male characters more in the novel. We all know that every man we meet in the story loves Faye (in different ways), and to see them fight for her is something we should definitely examine with a closer lens. Do you feel Faye has the same effect Daisy had on men in “The Great Gatsby”? I believe the only difference between the two is Daisy had more of an idea of what she was doing to Gatsby. I think Faye is completely oblivious of the power she has, which will make for an interesting story down the road.
Rene- interesting analysis! The level of interest men took in Faye also intrigued me, but I interpreted it to reflect more on societal standards at the time, than anything else. She is clear about what she wants saying, “I am going to be a star some day” (79) and this is attractive to the men. However, she maintains her submissive position. One might question why someone who knows so clearly what the want remains submissive? I think that the ideas of the times are crucial in answering this question. Faye is required to remain, at least externally, shallow, sexual, and beautiful so that she does not come off too strong. Unfortunately, the men remain infatuated with Faye because of this fragile exterior, even though she also expresses desire of pursuing her dreams.
Rene, this is very interesting. While I agree that Faye does have the capacity to spin the men around her in circles fighting with each other, what I found most interesting about this scene was the pure, primitive violence they resorted to. When the almost manic competitive dancing between Earle, the 'Mexican,' and Faye is at its peak, Tod "saw Earle raise his stick and bring it down on the Mexican's head. He heard the crack and saw the Mexican go to his knees still dancing...Faye...ran...[Tod] reached for her ankle to pull her down, but missed" (106). As West describes the battle for what seems to be sexual dominance, brought on by spectacle and its effects on self-detachment, he also comments on violence in Hollywood. Earle, Mig, and Tod become animalistic, which is in part brought on by their sex drive, but to a greater extent it relates back to the de-sensitization of violence in the movie industry, particularly its effects on masculinity and how men treat one another. West demonstrates that violence in Hollywood compels men to treat others violently and resort to the most primitive ideas of what it means to be male.
I agree with your argument Rene! I believe Homer is the most conscious character out of everyone in the novel. For example, after Mrs. Jennings went to his apartment he did not take advantage of her like most people would and instead comforted her and gave her a place to rest. Also, it is easy for homer to get situated in settings and he seems to be so used to going from place to place he finds moving homes meaningless which is very interesting. “It took Homer only a few minutes to get settled in his new home. He unpacked his trunk, hung his two suits, both dark gray, in the closet of one of his bedrooms and put his shirt and underclothes into the dresser drawers… then lay down.” (55) Homer made no movement of enthusiasm or trying to look around in the house and seemed to have already knew what the house contained and everything.
Rene, unlike everyone else, I disagree with most of your post. The first aspect of it was your comment that “this much is normal”, referring to the men’s interest in her. Although it was a different time, Faye is still a 17 year old girl (like most in our class), and grown men chasing after her is anything but normal. Secondly, I do not think it is Faye’s happiness that drives men towards insanity, I believe the problem is the men themselves. They regard her as an object, and much like babies, they do not like to share. Earle was acting much as a toddler would over a lego. Lastly, Tod is no more sophisticated than Earle. His degree does not outshine the fact that he has disgusting impulses, making him just as savage and inhumane.
Through the death of Harry Greener, Nathaniel West shows that being too self-absorbed is detrimental to one’s long term relationships with relatives and loved ones. When Tod entered the room to comfort Faye for her dad’s death, she continuously stated that she killed him. Although Faye realized that her father was not responding to her when she entered the house, “she didn’t turn around because she noticed what looked like the beginning of a pimple” (113). Because of her self-concern about the pimple on her face, Faye literally blocked out the death of her father. A pimple is something that is temporary, and that is destined to go away or pop eventually, however it is able to take all of Faye’s attention away from the real world. Faye’s obsession with looks is a product of her living in Hollywood, and always wanting to be a big star. However, by focusing so much on this life that she wants to live, Faye stops paying attention to the life she already has. Thus, Faye was too pacified by the spectacle of being a Hollywood actress that she pays little attention to her father, showing that the spectacle diminishes human to human interaction.
The quality in which this is written has moved me to tears due to its sheer sublime composition and utter brilliance - bravo, Jason. And I agree with all of what you said, especially the part about how "Faye’s obsession with looks is a product of her living in Hollywood, and always wanting to be a big star." When she guilts herself, however, I don;t think she deserves the pain; as self-centered and vain she may be, no one person can be blamed for fate. This reminds me of our lectures on the will of God and how people can not take His decisions to heart because they were always in the works anyway. Harry Greener's death was always on the horizon, his mental breakdowns and maniac-like laughter was a foreshadowing of that. However, this is the last thing an aspiring actor needs and, as much as I resent Faye, I do feel pity for the young girl. And I do not blame her for trying to look her best; I blame Hollywood for convincing her that her natural self isn't good enough.
Jason, I really liked your analysis about this section of the book; I thought that quote about her pimple was interesting too. I also found that it was intriguing how she simply turned away for a brief moment and then immediately felt a sense of regret. To me, this illustrated how important it is that we live in the moment, because if we find ourselves caught up only with appearance and material items, then we aren't living in the real world. If this is the case, then the only true moments in which we feel in touch with our humanity are negative ones (like the death of her father).
With all the talk about those who come to California to die, it increasingly becomes apparent that Tod believes he plays an essential role in this. Tod has this interesting obsession with the apocalypse. Though it can be argued that people who fear death the most also enjoy life the most, it is clear that Tod does not fear death, he fantasizes and takes pleasure from it: “He was amused by the strong feeling of satisfaction this dire conclusion gave him. Were all prophets of doom and destruction such happy men?”(107). Evidently, not only does Tod believe that there are those who come to California to die, he wants to conduct the trail of destruction and depict it for all to see; he is the“prophet”. However, there is evidence still that Tod himself could be one of these people. Throughout the novel Tod’s professional life, his own reason for being in California has been drowned out by his obsession with Faye. Tod has become a purposeless man and has deliberately set himself up to life without meaning if that life does not include Faye. In addition, it seems as if he is unable to find any purpose beyond pursuing her, much in the way that Homer is also infatuated with Faye. Interestingly enough, Tod happens to define Homer as a man who has come to California to die. However, he refutes this point on the account that “ Homer Simpson was only physically the type. The men he meant were not shy”(51). My inference, however, is that the real reason Tod goes back on his claim is that he sees much of himself in Homer; men with meaningless existence beyond the women in their lives, and thus men ready to die.
Very well done Divine! You have a lot of interesting ideas, one that I found particularly interesting was when you stated that, Tod's own reason for coming to California has become diminished by his obsession of Faye. This idea leads to the question of the importance of the female role, and more importantly the female role that is praised in Hollywood, and how that role becomes influential and essential in a mediated society. This idea is highlighted in the chapter with the symbolism of the bird, Nathanael West states, "When the bird grew silent, he made an effort to put Faye out of his mind and began to think about the series of cartoons he was making for his canvas of Los Angeles on Fire" (106). From this, it can be inferred that the bird, which symbolizes the fast past like of Hollywood (which like a bird is always moving), rarely ever becomes quiet, and their is little time to have peace in a society where fame and success is encouraged. Thus, his ability to forget about Faye is very minimal and the effect that famous woman have in society ultimately is doing a job of distracting men, specifically Tod from living out his dream of being an artist. To add on, your point about his life becoming purposeless can also be seen in the novel, because he is continuously striving for the best, and if he is not reaching his goal of having Faye and becoming an artist, his time in California is a waste.
I also find it interesting how Tod acts to try to win over Faye. As we are introduced to more of the men in Faye's life I think that Tod's actions become more violent and obscene. Not only does Tod try to comfort her following Harry's death, he also tries to force himself on her during the funeral. Faye's artificial beauty has cause Tod to become obsessive and his love seems to be a competition with other men instead of being authentic. Following the incident between Earle and Mig, Tod thinks, "If I caught her now, she wouldn't escape" (106). Tod seems to have his most violent thoughts of assaulting Faye when he feels threatened by the other men in her life.
West indirectly describes Faye as a bird, commenting on her desire to be free, as well as the societal norms that keep her trapped. When Tod runs after Faye the narrator says, "If he caught her now, she wouldn't escape" (55). However later says, "when the bird grew silent, he made an effort to put Faye out of his mind" and "the bird began to sing again. When it stopped, Faye was forgotten" (55). There is a clear connection made here between Faye and the birds described in chapter 14. This moment also comments on Faye's constant need to cry for attention because "when it [stops], Faye is forgotten." This critiques the fact that she is only given attention and care when she is "singing." Whether this singing is with her sexuality or her charming personality, it is clear that the societal norms of the time oppress Faye and require her to stand out because when she goes silent, she is forgotten.
Emma, I agree that West defines an interesting connection between Faye and the birds, particularly in the sense that Faye is so literally and emotionally flighty. Yet her flightiness is what attracts Tod, very much in the same way that it is “her completeness, her egglike self-sufficiency, that makes [Tod] want to crush her,” as she always seems just out of reach (92). Faye’s “self-sufficiency” makes her the ideal representation of the Hollywood dream--the unattainable, intangible goal pursued by those who come to California to die. She is depicted with an almost holy quality in her naivety and childishness, as if she is the key to saving those already ‘damned’ by the crushing reality of their own inadequacy. Tod is a painter who, rather than actually painting, frequently theorizes about his painting, and for him, Faye represents the key to action; her ‘vibrancy’ stems from her ability to enter and leave people’s lives as she chooses--like a free-flying bird--always on a path towards her envisioned stardom. She is uncrushable in the sense that she is so detached from reality, she appears to be above it all. In reality, Faye’s own superficiality is what confines her; despite all of the drama she seeks to create, she lives a cyclical life, constantly looking for carbon copies of the same man desperate to chase her for validation.
This is a very interesting point Emma. I did not think about it this way. The idea that Faye is like a bird in the sense that she cries for attention is very accurate. I also agree with your statement that societal norms are keeping her trapped. I wonder if alongside societal norms, her dreams and aspirations to be an actress also play a part in keeping her trapped, forcing her to cry out for attention. Also, since she is “trapped” in a sense, does that mean that there is no hope for her to break free? Perhaps being “trapped” correlates with Tod’s notion that many people come to California to die.
In The Day of the Locust, the biblical allusion to playing the role of Jeremiah reflects Tod’s desire to find self-control by simulating a sense power over Hollywood society. When Tod falls after chasing Faye, he considers the importance of authenticity in his future work “The Burning of Los Angeles”: “His work would not be judged by the accuracy with which it foretold a future event but by its merit as paining. Nevertheless, he refused to give up the role of Jeremiah" (107). The joy Tod experiences in playing Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet" of the Hebrew bible, reflects his desire to assume a god-like power through artistic creation. Painting himself as an empathetic artist rather than a cruel puppeteer, Tod humanizes his desire to unmask the truth of Hollywood society. He reduces Faye and those around him to mere mortals unaware of the existential struggle they play into, almost glorifying himself as their savior. In this way, Tod ponders whether “all prophets of doom and destruction [were] such happy men,” finding fulfillment in having the power not only to destroy a society on the canvas, but reconstruct one to his own liking (107). Hence, Tod uses the authority of an artist to maintain a sense of ignorant bliss--convincing himself that he possesses enough self-control to manipulate the superficial world in which he has become entangled.
In the novel, “The Day Of The Locust,” Nathanael West utilizes different characters surrounded by the Hollywood lifestyle to show how celebrities are treated differently in the everyday life. The different approaches in which the characters take to comfort Faye during her fathers death do not only show the different personal relationships she has with each character but it exemplifies which characters underestimate Faye’s ability to cope with a sudden change in life and which characters believe in Faye’s strength to overcome the situation. Following the death of Faye’s father, Harry, Tod approaches her and states, “You poor kid” (112). Along with Tod referring to Faye as a child, Mary chooses to do the same, and the purpose of this was to receive a reaction from Faye being called a “kid” (112). Faye Immediately responds by shoving Mary away, to only further prove that she is certainly not a kid and does not need extra comfort from other beings that are the same age. Not only does this show how men look at woman by their “egglike self sufficiency” (92) and how they are easy to “crush”, or manipulate, but it also shows how regular society members view actors/actresses as being frail and not able to handle a life changing situation alone. In contrast, when Mrs. Johnson enters the room, she approaches Faye as “Mrs. Greener” (114), which sets a tone in which Faye is not being treated as a child, but rather a young adult that is in fact responsible during this tough time. The response that Faye gives Mrs. Johnson establishes that Faye appreciates when she is respected, and she is smart enough to tell when she is being manipulated and when she is not. Faye’s strength as a female character in Hollywood is defended in the novel, when she rejects money for her father’s funeral from Mary and Tod, who underestimate her, because she has the determination to get the money on her own.
In "The Day of the Locusts," Nathanael West epitomizes Hollywood's devaluing of reality through valuing representation above substance. On the day of Harry Greener's funeral, Tod describes Faye as "never [looking] more beautiful" (119). Even amidst all the despair around her, the most notable quality about Faye is her looks--Tod is only enthralled by her superficial representation, rather than taking interest in her mental state. Mrs. Johnson treats Faye similarly, focusing excitedly on the cost of Harry's funeral and interrogating Faye on her father's financial whereabouts (115) instead of caring for her intimately. This behavior of Tod and Mrs. Johnson is largely due to spectacle, particularly how West illustrates it through Hollywood. Like Hollywood, both Mrs. Johnson and Tod ignore the meaningful individuality of those around them, only seeking out their selfish desires. West demonstrates this tendency of the city in his discussion of the Gingo family, "Eskimos who had been brought to Hollywood to make retakes for a picture about polar exploration" (122), being used solely for their stereotype rather than substance.
Clara, this is a great analysis of the theme of image above meaning that is prevalent all throughout "The Day of the Locust." I completely agree that Mrs. Johnson and Tod only view the appearances of those around them, failing to understand the complexities of the humans they interact with - and they do so even in the most dire of circumstances. For example, before Harry's funeral, Mrs. Johnson complains about the quality of Harry's funeral casket: talking to the delivery man, Mrs. Johnson says "your estimate said bronze. Those handles ain't bronze and you know it." The fact that Mrs. Johnson is focusing on the material used to make the casket rather than the man that is in it shows that she has very little regard for the true human emotions surrounding her. Perhaps she is scared of her own human urges, and thus falls back on the things she can control - that is, bronze handles.
Clara, this excelent analysis for a deep theme in the novel that will only expand as we read through it more and more. To add on to the side of your analysis where you focus on Harry, another example could be how earlier in novel the laugh that Harry lets out to Faye when they are in Homer's house. It is described as being a "metallic crackle" but was used as a punishment, which shows how even the buisness of Hollywood as seeped its way and has embedded itself into the personal lives of people live there, to the point where their act and their real lives are blurred. This can also be interpretted as Hollywood almost appropriating emotions.
Faye’s obsession with fame and appearance is shown during the death of Harry. Not was Faye checking herself in the mirror during her father’s death because, “she noticed what looked like the beginning of a pimple” (113). Although Faye realized that her father was not acting normal, she dismissed it because her priority was no longer on Harry but her appearance. Not only does Faye feel the need to be flawless and beautiful, but she also wants to be the center of attention. By blaming herself for Harry’s death, Faye becomes the subject instead of Harry because Harry’s death becomes less important than her story. Faye says, “I killed him, I tell you! I did! I did!” (113). Faye is driven by fame and appearance even during tragic events because she always has to act in her hollywood life.
Throughout the novel and specifically during this segment thereof it is quite evident that Faye has tremendous influence over the men with whom she surrounds herself. Nathanael West uses Faye as a character in order to expose and even criticize both the emotions of men and the primal influences that factor into relationships between two people of opposite gender. At the beginning of the reading Tod observes the chicken in their coop: "There was one old hen and a half a dozen game cocks," (101). The game cocks, which the Mexican uses in cock fights, are ultimately forced to compete for the single hen in their coop. This is very much representative of Faye's situation in which she is the hen in the coop who is surrounded by men that compete with each other for her. Earle striking the Mexican with a stick illustrates his primal nature when it comes to women, characteristically this is very similar to the way in which the game cocks function. Faye is in the position of selecting which suitor she fancies best and in order to evaluate this she observes the competition for her. Likewise, the primal aspect that she brings out in men can be observed when Tod pulls her aside at the funeral: "She became annoyed and demanded an explanation. He searched his head for one. It wasn't his head he should have searched, however," (120). It appears that Tod's interests in Faye are no longer fueled by genuine emotion, but instead perhaps his attraction to her is situated on more sexual premises as is eluded to here. Faye is able to stimulate a response in men that can be viewed as primal, a phenomenon, which West seems to want to expose in the novel.
Throughout the book, Tod's love for Faye is very one sided. She does not share the feelings Tod has for her. Tod ultimately realizes he is out matched by other men such as Earle, thus, he forces himself on her when she is emotionally unstable. Many instances show Tod fighting for her love but what sticks out as the book progresses, is how he approaches her now. When Faye finds out that Harry died, Tod acts very quickly: “From Faye’s room came the sound of crying… Finally, he went over to the bed and tried to comfort her. He patted her shoulder. ‘You poor kid’”(112). By comforting her instantly, he is able to do something other men that love her cannot. He can demonstrate his love for her. I find this to be very low for Tod because he is acting when Faye is at her lowest. He feels that this will win her over so he can fulfill his weird desire with her.
Nick, I agree with your observations based on Tod’s relationship with Faye. His obsession with her allows him to take advantage of every situation in which Faye isn’t in a good place, most of the time morally. However, the one thing I do disagree with is Tod’s love for Faye because I personally see their relationship as him lusting after her while she strings him along. Additionally, the dynamic between the two is so shallow, such as when you mentioned that when Faye is facing a hardship in her life, Tod wants to step up to show the validity of his feelings, but Faye moreso does the same to Tod, as she strings him along consistently throughout the novel to make it appear as though he may have a chance with her.
I completely agree Nick, I found interesting how much he is willing to do to make her feel special and give her that attention she like to get. Faye clearly is aware of all these men trying to get her attention and I feel like Tod knows that as well, yet he continues to try and win her love. I definitely agree with abigail that she strings him along while he lusts after her. When Tod found out about her dads death he tried to comfort her and after a while "The change that had came over" her "started Tod. [she] had suddenly became very tough. " (116) to Tod this was the perfect opportunity to be there by her side, however she clearly didn't need him there.
In "The Day of the Locust," Nathaniel West presents his protagonist, Tod, as the only fully-conscious member of Hollywood in order to highlight the vacuum of society. This is evident in Tod's description of the malfunction of the set design during the filming of a scene involving faux-Napoleon and his faux-army. West writes, "The man in the checked cap was making a fatal error. Mont St. jean was not finished...It was the classic mistake, Tod realized, the same one Napoleon had made" (134). By allowing Tod this realization, West demonstrates Tod's knowledge of history, and thus his ability to transcend Hollywood's vacuum. Hollywood's pastiche of movie sets and overconcumption of media allow for a feeling of timelessness, of a vacuum. In this vacuum, there is no sense of the past or the future, as everything that ever was is available to those living in the present. The dangerous effects of this vacuum are showcased as "the whold hill fold[s] like an enormous umbrella and cover[s] Napoleon's army with a painted cloth" (134). Because the set designers had no knowledge of history and were not aware of mistakes made in the past, they could not avert a catastrophe in the present. Here, West foreshadows the inevitable - and slightly larger-scale - catastrophe that will occur later in the book as a result of the omnipresence and timelessness of hollywood society. Thus, by choosing Tod, a man who is knowledgable about historical events, as narrator, West helps readers understand the faults deep within Hollywood.
Tod’s obsession with the chase demonstrates his personal fall into a spectacle placed into the novel. Tod describes that “[t]he violent exercise had driven most of the heat out of his blood, but enough remained to make him tingle pleasantly. He felt comfortably relaxed, even happy” (55). This demonstrates the idea that while Faye is running from her situation, she is also running to be part of the chase; the chase is what drives her life and gives her power over male characters. However, why Tod participates and fuels the chase for Faye is another example of how Tod uses the spectacle of Faye to lust after her and to continue his obsession with her.
Abbie I agree with your analyzation of Faye and Tod and how they both share these stereotypical qualities of different archetypes. Faye thrives off of the attention of different men, and how it creates an air of superiority for her, meanwhile Tod idealizes Faye in a way that he plays into her and his own ideal reality of Hollywood. I believe this relates to the dream-like quality of Hollywood and how in itself it appears to be hidden within a simulacra, and these characters are used to depict this. Faye and Tod are each pawns to show the true meaning of how Hollywood creates a dream for people, and they act upon those dreams into their own reality, making it an escape for them to go to.
I agree with your analysis however, I feel you can expand on your thought by see the chase as a societal pressure for women chased by their beauty ultimately diminishing them to outward appearance. On the other hand, you may argue the power a women possess during this time of male power in that women are able to manipulate their men like Faye to empower themselves. In addition, Fayes dream of becoming a star directly correlate with her escape in the woods and Tod holding her back with his pursuit.
The repeated mention of birds represents those that Tod describes as the people who come to California to die. These birds are also mentioned in correlation with both Faye and her father Harry, pointing out that the Greeners are indeed a part of those unsuspecting individuals that came to California to die. When describing Harry, the narrator says, “He gave a great performance…He imitated…even did the off-stage noises, twittering like birds to herald the dawn of Love” (110). These “twittering noises” made by the birds demonstrate a sense of happiness and an unsuspecting nature, unaware of the possible dangers surrounding them. This unsuspecting mood is also emphasized as Tod describes the situation at Earles camp when Faye runs off. Once Tod begins to describe his chaotic painting, “The bird began to sing again. When it stopped, Faye was forgotten and he only wondered if he weren’t exaggerating the importance of the people who came to California to die” (107). In this chaos, the birds sing, unaware of what is really going on and when the singing stops, so does the though of Faye, as she is one with the birds. Earlier, the narrator says, “A mockingbird was singing near by... Then a quail began to call, using two soft guttural notes… It was a trapped bird, but the sound it made had no anxiety in it, only sadness, impersonal and without hope” (102). Although the birds are trapped, clearly with nowhere to go, just as Faye and her father are in their acting careers that are not progressing, they continue to go on showing no form of concern, unaware that they have come and out themselves in the situation, much like the birds that became dinner, to die.
Bianca- This idea is really interesting! When I was reading the novel, I did not necessarily make any connection to the birds in the book. I was more looking at the idea of an apocalypse world but this connection makes me think a lot. For example, I really enjoy how you describe the Greeners in the same realm of the people that came to California to die. The parallel between them and the birds is very accurate and I also feel that Tod in a sense could be characterized into this group as well. Tod is also living in the same building/area as Faye, he socializes and involves himself with the same people as Faye, and finally seems to be trapped in his quest to get Faye to reciprocate his love. I feel that Tod, like the birds, is trapped in a vicious cycle and it is sad to watch. I feel that in the back of his mind Tod has no hope for his quest with Faye and that the birds almost symbolize everything he cannot do. On another note, I feel the birds singing can almost be seen as a cry for help from the people that come to die in California. However, like the singing of the birds, these people often go unheard and noticed which displays a similar parallel to the pathetic acting career of Faye and her father. This is apparent when West includes "“The bird began to sing again. When it stopped, Faye was forgotten" (107). This ultimately shows that the singing and these people can be forgotten and West is almost arguing in favor of Tod's point- that some peoples lives are destined for failure and contain little substance.
In "The Day of the Locusts," I have increasingly become skeptical of Tod's apparent "love" and "obsession" for Faye. Over the course of the book I do not actually believe that Tod loves Faye and is simply chasing her for his own self esteem and his own superiority complex. Tod loves the chase but I feel if he gets Faye or has the chance to win over Faye's love, we will see that Tod does not actually love her. What prompts this thought is the idea that Tod continuously discusses the people that come to die in Hollywood and the fact that he feels the need to try and outdo Earl. By saying that people just came to Hollywood to die really allows Tod to put himself above a certain group of people. Along with this, we also see in Tod's pictures-or ideas of his pictures- that he wants to "show the city burning at high noon, so that the flames would have to compete with the desert sun" (107). This quote relates back to Tod's quest for Faye because this moment in the novel came directly after Tod wanted to get Faye out of his mind. His automatic reaction was to think about his own city burning and in his mind, he would be the one controlling the flames and controlling the damage to the city. Tod would have all the power and this shows that he uses his pictures to obtain power when he cannot get the sufficient power he needs from Faye. The narrator even says "[Tod] was amused by the strong feeling of satisfaction this fire conclusion gave him" (107), thus showing how he truly is happy when he has total power
Dylan, I think this is a very interesting point you make about Faye and Tod. I personally thought it was the opposite and that Tod was obsessed with Faye, but now that you make this point I can see it differently. I do however believe that Tod does indeed love Faye and is obsessed with her. I think his apolocapytic notion is truly based on his obsession for Faye. But my question for you would be if you think she's the center of his world?
An argument I came up from today's discussion is that Faye is hiding a dark truth of some sort. I say this because from my experience when people bring something up a lot they try to make it the thing people see them for as I apposed to what they truly are. Faye is always talking about how she wants to be an actress. "she often spent the whole day making up stories"(88). Although Nathanael West likes to create this "characterizers of people I believe Faye is hiding something about her self and I am curious to find out what.
In response to today’s reading, the role the the female characters play throughout the novel is quite ironic. Many of the female character such as Faye Greener take the dominant role in the novel. From the beginning when Faye in first introduce, Tom immediately becomes obsessed with her. Faye clearly has a big impact on Tom’s life. When they’re both sitting down in the small box, “Tod could sense her growing excitement”(103), Tom is always focus on what's going on with Faye, ultimately revealing hi obsession with her. Later on Nathanael West reveals that Mig, “ Kept smiling at Faye in a manner that Tod didn’t like. The more he drank, the less he liked it” (104). Considering the time period in which this book was written, the female character seems to have total control of the relationship rather than the male having control over it.
It is interesting to examine Tod’s reaction and condolences to Harry’s funeral because it was very bad and immature. “On the day of Harry’s funeral Tod was drunk> He hadn’t seen Faye since she went off with Mary Dove, but he knew that he was certain to find her at the undertaking parlor and he wanted to have the courage to quarrel with her.” (118) Tod seems to not care much about his best friend’s death and walks around drunk looking for Faye the whole funeral. Also, despite his overwhelming encounters with Faye and his fantasies with her, he can’t speak to her about how he feels about her and bring up the courage to ask her out. Why?
I agree that it is somewhat peculiar that on the day of Harry’s funeral Tod would get as drunk as possible rather than help Faye with her father’s passing. I think this specific scenario that you’re commenting on reflects Tod’s interest in Faye’s appearance and lust rather than her actual emotions. As we can see through the other characters such as Homer and Earle, Faye has this ability to cause them to almost compete with each other for her attention. I think part of the reason why Tod can’t express his feelings towards her is mainly because there is a lack of feelings towards her and rather more of this aspect of lust surrounds his interactions with her.
Tod's reaction really is very interesting. It makes the reader question whether he really cared about the Greeners. It is strange that he would respond in such a way after spending so much time with Harry while he was ill. Moreover, it questions what Tod really felt for Faye.
West's repeated mentions of birds signifies Tod's need to personify something into a picture of innocence that he treasures in Faye. When describing the birds he creates a picture of purity, such as when he says "A mocking bird was singing near by. Its song was like pebbles being dropped one by one from a height into a pool of water. Then a quail began to call...Their call was not like the cheerful whistle of the Eastern bobwhite. It was full of melancholy and weariness, yet marvelously sweet" (102). The same depictions of innocence are shown when he speaks about Faye, and his idolization of her age and beauty are portrayed into becoming something more sexual. Tod's imagination helps further this idealization of Faye into something less realistic, and create a dream-like simulacra of what she should be rather than who she actually is as a character.
Fayes emotional distress (whether real or not) is trivialized not only by Tod, a male character, but also by Mary Dove, a female character which exposes a massive contradiction in their society. When Tod walks in and finds Faye crying over the death of her dad, Harry, he "comforts" her by saying, "You poor kid" (West, 112). When I read this I read it with a demeaning tone, as if he was looking down on her. Even when she's in such a vulnerable state, he makes a point of calling her "kid" which is used in a way that limits her experience. Women in this society are simultaneously expected to be overly emotional yet vacant.
Based on tonights reading, it has become appearent that Tod's views on the people of Hollywood have altered from meeting people like Harry and Homer who contridictions to his previously conceaved notions about people like them. Tod in the beggining of chapter 15 postulates to himself: "Harry suffered as keenly as anyone, despite the theatricality of his groans and grimaces. He seemed to enjoy suffering" (West 15). Tod realizes in the moment of Harry's clear sign of an illness that he is more human than he had thought, where despite the fact that he is constantly acting as a characture he still reveals some level of individuality Tod had thought people like Harry were devoid of. The remark of Harry's almost enjoyment for suffering possibly proves to Tod that Harry enjoys the pain because it makes him feel an emotion that is not false or that is meant to please a crowd. It is as if Harry yearns to be as human as possible yet his entire life he has had to conform to facade.
In "The Day of the Locusts," Harry’s uses his acting career as a spectacle to ignore the issues in his reality. Harry refers to every moment in reality as a new acting opportunity: “Harry framed the word ‘no; with his lips, then groaned skillfully. It was a second-act curtain groan” (109). Despite Harry suffering actual pain, he uses this new experience of his to strengthen his acting capabilities. By “groaning skillfully” the narrator entails that Harry is placing effort in his performance. Unlike facing the reality that he is sick, Harry uses his acting to ignore his current truth. Tod who is the spectator of Harry’s performance realizes that Harry is no different to anyone because of his acting career: “Harry suffered as keenly as anyone, despite the theatricality of his groans and grimaces” (109). In essence, Tod begins to categorize Harry’s position in Hollywood and realizes he is one of the many who uses distractions to ignore his reality. This can be reflected through Harry’s acting in itself keeping him busy and pacifying his perception on his life and his current health status.
Clarence, I found your interpretation of Harry very interesting, and I completely agree with you. Harry seems to be a very theatrical character in the book. His whole life, including his sufferings, is devoted to his acting career. In order to fully play a certain character, actors and actresses always try and put themselves in the character's shoes to be able to play that character well. In Harry's case, since he is completely devoted to his acting career, his sufferings are rather an opportunity for him to use his pain to be a better actor and be able to play a character who is in pain. This is very peculiar, however. Why would Harry need to strengthen his acting skills playing a character in pain when he's already in pain himself?
Tod Hackett's obsession with the thought of an apocalypse is very intriguing. The idea of LA being burned down to ashes makes him very happy, interestingly. He is himself amused by the satisfaction received while thinking about this, as can be seen when he says "were all prophets of doom and destruction such happy men?" [pg 107]. In the scene where he is running after Faye and away from Earle's camp, thinking about his painting that depicts the starers burning the city down easily pushes Faye out of his head along with the events of the evening. But why does it have such an effect on him? He too, like the starers feels like an outsider in this artificial world. There are only a few here who match the complexity of his character. This frustration, I feel, is what is eased by the burning down this fake city.
When it comes to Tod’s relationship with Faye, one can argue that he is “obsessed” with her and loves her very deeply. However, Tod’s behavior towards Faye throughout the book shows how inconsiderate and selfish he is, proving that his “love” for Faye may just be lust; he does not truly care for her the way someone would when they are in love with another person. Despite knowing that Faye would be mourning at Harry’s funeral, he decides to drink heavily right before it for the sole purpose of having “the courage to quarrel with her” (118). His lust for her is also shown on page 119 when he watches Faye sob at the funeral. Rather than comfort her like a loving person would, he admires her beauty instead, saying, “She had never looked more beautiful. She was wearing a new, very tight dress and her platinum hair was tucked up in a shining bun under a black straw sailor.” Afterwards, he even asks her for a kiss and does not let her escape his grip on her, continuing to think about how beautiful she is despite the fact that she was “raging at him” (120). He states that she still looks beautiful while being angry because “her beauty was structural like a tree’s, not a quality of her mind or heart” (120). This scene of Tod’s drunken encounter with Faye reveals how inconsiderate Tod is, as well as that he has lust for her rather than love, seeing only her appearance as beautiful and admitting that she was not beautiful on the inside.
Mahyea, I completely agree with your argument of Tom being inconsiderate along with also being vain. I also wrote about this topic, but with the focus on how the narration seems to try to hide these traits of Tom, normalizing rape culture and putting down women. In your argument you can see that with analyzation Tom can be depicted as a bad person, no matter how the novel tries to counteract that. It is also interesting the distinction between love and lust that you mention in your argument. The novel seems to classify Tom’s feelings for Faye as love, something sweet and kind, but as you depict in your argument, it is nothing more than lust which disregards the woman as she is and only looks at her in the physical. The evidence you use is very evident of this argument especially your analysis of the scene with Faye crying where you explain how Tom still looks at her appearance rather than be kind and respectful towards her, as her father just died.
Mayhea,I agree with your argument about Tod's attraction to Faye. While reading the book, i really began to question whether Tod actually had true feelings for Faye or if his attraction to her was based on something other than "love". This question question kept on arising more so after we read about his rape fantasy with Faye. Tod's descriptions of his attraction to Faye ever since have made me think that he is attracted to the superficial characteristics of Faye and not the "real" Faye. This form of attraction pushes him to have forceful and aggressive thoughts about her, as opposed to tender loving thoughts, because it is based on something that isn't substantial.
As previously mentioned before, Tod repeated comments on the superficiality of Californians through his recurring statement of people coming to California to die. As states in the beginning, hi statement most likely criticizes the act of conformity and lack of individuality when becoming a Hollywood sell out. California or Hollywood in specific is chosen as it distorts the people such as Faye blinding them from reality. On page 128, Tod admires a hilltop view of a dumping ground connecting it the drama filled life of studios: "just as that imaginary body of water with a history of civilization in the form of a marine junkyard, the studio loft with the one in the form of a dream dump." The dumping ground becomes an immediate symbol for the unrealized dreams of Hollywood and the wasted potential of people caused by talent pressure. Tod constantly linking California as the end of humanity also connects with his obsession with the apocalypse since it strips one out of its own humanity. For instance, image is valued more by distorted characters like Faye that are products of California. This calls into question whether Tod is a reliable narrator for he is a "sellout" in California waiting to be blinded by false reality and ultimately ending up in a dream junkyard.
Similar to what we mentioned in class, the third person narration of the novel dissociates the characters from their actions while also justifying these actions with their thoughts, adding on to the heteronormal expectations of relationships, which denounces the moral wrongness of rape culture. As a third person limited narration, it causes the reader to almost pity the observed, in this case Tom, as someone who is genuinely trying to be nice but is rudely and repeatedly rejected: “‘I’ll get the money.’ Both girls ignored him” (116). This lack of inclusion of other perspectives creates a biased view in which the reader is confused as to why Faye will not accept Tom’s generous offer, and it causes a view of women as ungrateful or rude. This is also depicted later on in what is the beginnings of a rape scene: “‘Le’go, you bastard.’ Raging at him, she was beautiful… In a minute she would scream for help. He had to say something,”(120). The severity and the wickedness of the situation is dissolved by Tom’s ‘pureness’ and true thoughts where he considers Faye to be “beautiful”; this compliment counteracts the situation and makes it seem like Faye is wrong as she is rejecting his actions that are driven by ‘good’. In addition his need to “say something” before she screams illustrates the situation as Faye not allowing him a fair chance to prove himself, where in reality she believes she is going to be raped.
After today's discussion, I think it is clear to argue that Faye is the center of Tod's world. Not only after his obsession with the apolocapyse in his painting, but also the fact that Faye is his entire world, it is clear that Faye is the center of his world, as it would be if he were to draw a picture of the apolocapyse. Moreover, this connects to a past moment in the book when he recalls Faye as someone he would "throw himself from a skyscraper" (49) for. This idea of almost suicidal actions taking place is something that has come up numerous times throughout the novel because Tod's attraction to Faye is so intense. It is clear that the multiple references to suicide and end of the world to Tod are always in relation to Faye and therefore it is arguable that Faye is the center of Tod's universe and not getting her would be almost suicidal.
After the reading it is clear that Tod Hackett is constantly thinking about Faye and some may argue he has a deep love for Faye. Throughout the novel we are shown Tod’s self-centered actions and how he can be so inconsiderate towards a women he supposedly loves. These selfish acts would only show the reader how Tod’s feeling towards Faye would be more closely align with lust than love. This is seen when Tod goes to Harry’s funeral Drunk so “he can quarrel with her [Faye]” (118). This feeling of lust can be seen in other male characters in the novel. In chapter 12 when describing Homer Simpson, “There are men who can lust with parts of themselves [...] burn fiercely, yet nothing is destroyed. But in Homer's case it would be like dropping a spark into a barn full of hay” (85). No only does lust cause Tod to act selfish but it also affects Homer to an even greater extent. Comparing lust to fire is West’s way of showing it is a negative but powerful force that can destroy these men’s lives.
Faye's reaction to her father's death in the presence of Tod and Mary reveals her inability to separate her two identities; the real Faye and the Faye that desires to be a star. When Tod is informed that Harry has died, he goes into the unlocked apartment and finds Faye in distress in her room: " she opened it for him, then turned without saying a word, and stumbled to her bed. She was sobbing into a face towel"(121). When Mary Dove comes in and urges her to be strong, Faye pushes her away, "takes a few wild steps"(121), sits down on the bed again, and then begins to blame herself for her father's death "in a voice heavy with self-accusation"(122). Faye's reaction to her father's death is filled with exaggeration once Tod and Mary Dove are in her presence. The action of throwing herself onto the bed to cry into a face towel, along with action of taking wild steps, are obscene. Another obscene action was her decision to heavily blame herself for her father's death, even though it was well known that he was an already very ill old man. Although Faye's sadness the death of her father is real, she exaggerates and, in a way, performs these actions which takes away from the actual situation and draws more attention to her. This reveals that, even in a serious situation, Faye cannot separate herself from the characteristics of the actress she wishes to become. In other words, Faye is always performing; even when it comes to serious events.
In The Day of the Locust characters are generally incapable of human actions without relying on material things. Throughout the story we hear the inner dialogue of characters, their want for action. However, many times those actions never happen, something stops them. When Faye decides to work for Mrs. Jenning, this upsets Tod. In order to “have the courage to quarrel with her” (118), he shows up drunk to her father’s funeral. This is no coincidence; Tod drank for the sole purpose of being able to confront Faye. Therefore, had alcohol, a consumerist need, not been in the picture, Tod would not have had the ability to tell Faye how he feels. Communication is a basic human process, yet he cannot do so without fiending into consumerism.
For today's open argument, I would love to discuss Faye and the jealousy she triggers with the men in her life. It is clear that Faye is a young, cunning, sexy and promiscuous women who Hollywood's men naturally fall in love with instantaneously; this much is normal. However, I was astounded deep envy she evokes in mature men, men older than she is to begin with. Take her second suitor, Earle, for example; Earle is a handsome man from Arizona. As Miguel dances with Faye and the rhythm infectiously causes both Miguel and Faye's dancing to become more sexual, "Earle raised his stick and brought it down on the Mexican's head" (117). By doing nothing but enjoy herself, Faye is capable of driving men insane because nothing perturbs a man more than their woman made happy by another man. Unlike Earle, Tod is a sophisticated man out of Yale, a man too smart to hold jealousy as a justification for range. Despite the envy of seeing Homer and Faye together, Tod says the following: "The happy grin on Homer's face made him feel ashamed of himself. He was being unfair. Homer was a humble, grateful man..." (136). This caused to me to respect Tod's ways as he as acknowledges the kindhearted nature of Homer and has accepted Faye's impetus for requiting his love.
ReplyDeleteRene, your blog post was very insightful and interesting. It really brought up ideas I had not seen while reading. I really like how you talked about the effect Faye just being herself, and being happy can have on men. This analysis is important in the novel as it helps to explain the relationships between Faye and not only, Earle, but all the male characters present. To add on to what you said I think it is interesting to see how Faye’s character represents the power women can have over men while simultaneously being held down by sexism in society. I also thought it was interesting how you contrasts Tod’s sensibility and understanding when he is dancing with Faye. This brings up the idea that envy and lust are primal instincts felt by more unsophisticated people.
DeleteRene, I agree with you that Faye does hold this sort of charm over men that are older than her. I wonder if she somehow believes that the older the man, the more likely they are to please her, the more likely they are to be rich and handsome. Given this speculation I also wonder why she continues entertaining and teasing these older men when it is clear that none of them have come close to pleasing her--or at least been able to handle her character and all that encompasses it. For this reason I disagree with your analysis on Tod as a more sophisticated man who keeps his jealousy at bay. Though it is true that he behaves better than most of the men in the novel towards Faye, Tod is not without his flaws. Take for example the ways in which he perpetuates his love for Faye. She essentially(and constantly) sexualised. He highlights all these flaws that Faye has throughout the novel, and yet, we still see him running back to her, offering to help pay for her fathers funeral, asking for extra kisses during her father's wake (of all places!). Why does Tod think that Faye has not yet latched on to him? Actually, the better question could be: Why are they all still chasing this substance-less women and how does it reflect on their own charterers as shallow men-- no matter where they come from or how they act?
DeleteVery true Rene, Faye does invoke jealous feelings in men throughout the novel, and I think analyzing how the different men react to her actions is very important in determining who they are as characters. However, questions that I came up with are: Why does Faye do this? And does she have the capacity to actually love? Faye told Tod earlier in the novel that she will only love a handsome man, and let a wealthy man love her, but don't you think she is being a little dishonest? She must be able to love someone for who they are and not only how they look, or how much money that they have. And if she cannot, why are so many men drawn to this hollow character that only cares about outward traits? What is Nathaniel West saying about the people in Hollywood?
DeleteI very much agree with this analysis of the reading. It appears that Faye has a controlling effect over all the men she encounters in such a way that makes it seem as if she were very aware of it. It seems that Faye takes pleasure in playing with the emotions of the men she surrounds herself with, as she is clearly aware of their attraction towards her. I think that Nathanael West could have done this on purpose. I think that West uses Faye in order to expose both the emotional side of men and perhaps the more primal side along with the flaws that accompany them. I think that the quote you referenced to is a great example of how emotions can take a hold of people, specifically men and in this case Earle, and cause them to do irrational things. It seems that jealousy triggered some primal instinct in Earle to eliminate his antagonists in the competition for Faye. The fact that Faye is able to drive a man to do something certainly points to the envy that you described she evokes.
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DeleteRene, I think you made some very strong points. It is very interesting to think about Faye and the effect she has on the men around her. She is simply being herself and nothing more, yet she still has men following her around, relentlessly. This really helps us understand the male characters more in the novel. We all know that every man we meet in the story loves Faye (in different ways), and to see them fight for her is something we should definitely examine with a closer lens. Do you feel Faye has the same effect Daisy had on men in “The Great Gatsby”? I believe the only difference between the two is Daisy had more of an idea of what she was doing to Gatsby. I think Faye is completely oblivious of the power she has, which will make for an interesting story down the road.
DeleteRene- interesting analysis! The level of interest men took in Faye also intrigued me, but I interpreted it to reflect more on societal standards at the time, than anything else. She is clear about what she wants saying, “I am going to be a star some day” (79) and this is attractive to the men. However, she maintains her submissive position. One might question why someone who knows so clearly what the want remains submissive? I think that the ideas of the times are crucial in answering this question. Faye is required to remain, at least externally, shallow, sexual, and beautiful so that she does not come off too strong. Unfortunately, the men remain infatuated with Faye because of this fragile exterior, even though she also expresses desire of pursuing her dreams.
DeleteRene, this is very interesting. While I agree that Faye does have the capacity to spin the men around her in circles fighting with each other, what I found most interesting about this scene was the pure, primitive violence they resorted to. When the almost manic competitive dancing between Earle, the 'Mexican,' and Faye is at its peak, Tod "saw Earle raise his stick and bring it down on the Mexican's head. He heard the crack and saw the Mexican go to his knees still dancing...Faye...ran...[Tod] reached for her ankle to pull her down, but missed" (106). As West describes the battle for what seems to be sexual dominance, brought on by spectacle and its effects on self-detachment, he also comments on violence in Hollywood. Earle, Mig, and Tod become animalistic, which is in part brought on by their sex drive, but to a greater extent it relates back to the de-sensitization of violence in the movie industry, particularly its effects on masculinity and how men treat one another. West demonstrates that violence in Hollywood compels men to treat others violently and resort to the most primitive ideas of what it means to be male.
DeleteI agree with your argument Rene! I believe Homer is the most conscious character out of everyone in the novel. For example, after Mrs. Jennings went to his apartment he did not take advantage of her like most people would and instead comforted her and gave her a place to rest. Also, it is easy for homer to get situated in settings and he seems to be so used to going from place to place he finds moving homes meaningless which is very interesting. “It took Homer only a few minutes to get settled in his new home. He unpacked his trunk, hung his two suits, both dark gray, in the closet of one of his bedrooms and put his shirt and underclothes into the dresser drawers… then lay down.” (55) Homer made no movement of enthusiasm or trying to look around in the house and seemed to have already knew what the house contained and everything.
DeleteRene, unlike everyone else, I disagree with most of your post. The first aspect of it was your comment that “this much is normal”, referring to the men’s interest in her. Although it was a different time, Faye is still a 17 year old girl (like most in our class), and grown men chasing after her is anything but normal. Secondly, I do not think it is Faye’s happiness that drives men towards insanity, I believe the problem is the men themselves. They regard her as an object, and much like babies, they do not like to share. Earle was acting much as a toddler would over a lego. Lastly, Tod is no more sophisticated than Earle. His degree does not outshine the fact that he has disgusting impulses, making him just as savage and inhumane.
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ReplyDeleteThrough the death of Harry Greener, Nathaniel West shows that being too self-absorbed is detrimental to one’s long term relationships with relatives and loved ones. When Tod entered the room to comfort Faye for her dad’s death, she continuously stated that she killed him. Although Faye realized that her father was not responding to her when she entered the house, “she didn’t turn around because she noticed what looked like the beginning of a pimple” (113). Because of her self-concern about the pimple on her face, Faye literally blocked out the death of her father. A pimple is something that is temporary, and that is destined to go away or pop eventually, however it is able to take all of Faye’s attention away from the real world. Faye’s obsession with looks is a product of her living in Hollywood, and always wanting to be a big star. However, by focusing so much on this life that she wants to live, Faye stops paying attention to the life she already has. Thus, Faye was too pacified by the spectacle of being a Hollywood actress that she pays little attention to her father, showing that the spectacle diminishes human to human interaction.
ReplyDeleteThe quality in which this is written has moved me to tears due to its sheer sublime composition and utter brilliance - bravo, Jason. And I agree with all of what you said, especially the part about how "Faye’s obsession with looks is a product of her living in Hollywood, and always wanting to be a big star." When she guilts herself, however, I don;t think she deserves the pain; as self-centered and vain she may be, no one person can be blamed for fate. This reminds me of our lectures on the will of God and how people can not take His decisions to heart because they were always in the works anyway. Harry Greener's death was always on the horizon, his mental breakdowns and maniac-like laughter was a foreshadowing of that. However, this is the last thing an aspiring actor needs and, as much as I resent Faye, I do feel pity for the young girl. And I do not blame her for trying to look her best; I blame Hollywood for convincing her that her natural self isn't good enough.
DeleteJason, I really liked your analysis about this section of the book; I thought that quote about her pimple was interesting too. I also found that it was intriguing how she simply turned away for a brief moment and then immediately felt a sense of regret. To me, this illustrated how important it is that we live in the moment, because if we find ourselves caught up only with appearance and material items, then we aren't living in the real world. If this is the case, then the only true moments in which we feel in touch with our humanity are negative ones (like the death of her father).
DeleteWith all the talk about those who come to California to die, it increasingly becomes apparent that Tod believes he plays an essential role in this. Tod has this interesting obsession with the apocalypse. Though it can be argued that people who fear death the most also enjoy life the most, it is clear that Tod does not fear death, he fantasizes and takes pleasure from it: “He was amused by the strong feeling of satisfaction this dire conclusion gave him. Were all prophets of doom and destruction such happy men?”(107). Evidently, not only does Tod believe that there are those who come to California to die, he wants to conduct the trail of destruction and depict it for all to see; he is the“prophet”. However, there is evidence still that Tod himself could be one of these people. Throughout the novel Tod’s professional life, his own reason for being in California has been drowned out by his obsession with Faye. Tod has become a purposeless man and has deliberately set himself up to life without meaning if that life does not include Faye. In addition, it seems as if he is unable to find any purpose beyond pursuing her, much in the way that Homer is also infatuated with Faye. Interestingly enough, Tod happens to define Homer as a man who has come to California to die. However, he refutes this point on the account that “ Homer Simpson was only physically the type. The men he meant were not shy”(51). My inference, however, is that the real reason Tod goes back on his claim is that he sees much of himself in Homer; men with meaningless existence beyond the women in their lives, and thus men ready to die.
ReplyDeleteVery well done Divine! You have a lot of interesting ideas, one that I found particularly interesting was when you stated that, Tod's own reason for coming to California has become diminished by his obsession of Faye. This idea leads to the question of the importance of the female role, and more importantly the female role that is praised in Hollywood, and how that role becomes influential and essential in a mediated society. This idea is highlighted in the chapter with the symbolism of the bird, Nathanael West states, "When the bird grew silent, he made an effort to put Faye out of his mind and began to think about the series of cartoons he was making for his canvas of Los Angeles on Fire" (106). From this, it can be inferred that the bird, which symbolizes the fast past like of Hollywood (which like a bird is always moving), rarely ever becomes quiet, and their is little time to have peace in a society where fame and success is encouraged. Thus, his ability to forget about Faye is very minimal and the effect that famous woman have in society ultimately is doing a job of distracting men, specifically Tod from living out his dream of being an artist. To add on, your point about his life becoming purposeless can also be seen in the novel, because he is continuously striving for the best, and if he is not reaching his goal of having Faye and becoming an artist, his time in California is a waste.
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ReplyDeleteI also find it interesting how Tod acts to try to win over Faye. As we are introduced to more of the men in Faye's life I think that Tod's actions become more violent and obscene. Not only does Tod try to comfort her following Harry's death, he also tries to force himself on her during the funeral. Faye's artificial beauty has cause Tod to become obsessive and his love seems to be a competition with other men instead of being authentic. Following the incident between Earle and Mig, Tod thinks, "If I caught her now, she wouldn't escape" (106). Tod seems to have his most violent thoughts of assaulting Faye when he feels threatened by the other men in her life.
DeleteWest indirectly describes Faye as a bird, commenting on her desire to be free, as well as the societal norms that keep her trapped. When Tod runs after Faye the narrator says, "If he caught her now, she wouldn't escape" (55). However later says, "when the bird grew silent, he made an effort to put Faye out of his mind" and "the bird began to sing again. When it stopped, Faye was forgotten" (55). There is a clear connection made here between Faye and the birds described in chapter 14. This moment also comments on Faye's constant need to cry for attention because "when it [stops], Faye is forgotten." This critiques the fact that she is only given attention and care when she is "singing." Whether this singing is with her sexuality or her charming personality, it is clear that the societal norms of the time oppress Faye and require her to stand out because when she goes silent, she is forgotten.
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DeleteEmma, I agree that West defines an interesting connection between Faye and the birds, particularly in the sense that Faye is so literally and emotionally flighty. Yet her flightiness is what attracts Tod, very much in the same way that it is “her completeness, her egglike self-sufficiency, that makes [Tod] want to crush her,” as she always seems just out of reach (92). Faye’s “self-sufficiency” makes her the ideal representation of the Hollywood dream--the unattainable, intangible goal pursued by those who come to California to die. She is depicted with an almost holy quality in her naivety and childishness, as if she is the key to saving those already ‘damned’ by the crushing reality of their own inadequacy. Tod is a painter who, rather than actually painting, frequently theorizes about his painting, and for him, Faye represents the key to action; her ‘vibrancy’ stems from her ability to enter and leave people’s lives as she chooses--like a free-flying bird--always on a path towards her envisioned stardom. She is uncrushable in the sense that she is so detached from reality, she appears to be above it all. In reality, Faye’s own superficiality is what confines her; despite all of the drama she seeks to create, she lives a cyclical life, constantly looking for carbon copies of the same man desperate to chase her for validation.
This is a very interesting point Emma. I did not think about it this way. The idea that Faye is like a bird in the sense that she cries for attention is very accurate. I also agree with your statement that societal norms are keeping her trapped. I wonder if alongside societal norms, her dreams and aspirations to be an actress also play a part in keeping her trapped, forcing her to cry out for attention. Also, since she is “trapped” in a sense, does that mean that there is no hope for her to break free? Perhaps being “trapped” correlates with Tod’s notion that many people come to California to die.
DeleteIn The Day of the Locust, the biblical allusion to playing the role of Jeremiah reflects Tod’s desire to find self-control by simulating a sense power over Hollywood society. When Tod falls after chasing Faye, he considers the importance of authenticity in his future work “The Burning of Los Angeles”: “His work would not be judged by the accuracy with which it foretold a future event but by its merit as paining. Nevertheless, he refused to give up the role of Jeremiah" (107). The joy Tod experiences in playing Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet" of the Hebrew bible, reflects his desire to assume a god-like power through artistic creation. Painting himself as an empathetic artist rather than a cruel puppeteer, Tod humanizes his desire to unmask the truth of Hollywood society. He reduces Faye and those around him to mere mortals unaware of the existential struggle they play into, almost glorifying himself as their savior. In this way, Tod ponders whether “all prophets of doom and destruction [were] such happy men,” finding fulfillment in having the power not only to destroy a society on the canvas, but reconstruct one to his own liking (107). Hence, Tod uses the authority of an artist to maintain a sense of ignorant bliss--convincing himself that he possesses enough self-control to manipulate the superficial world in which he has become entangled.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, “The Day Of The Locust,” Nathanael West utilizes different characters surrounded by the Hollywood lifestyle to show how celebrities are treated differently in the everyday life. The different approaches in which the characters take to comfort Faye during her fathers death do not only show the different personal relationships she has with each character but it exemplifies which characters underestimate Faye’s ability to cope with a sudden change in life and which characters believe in Faye’s strength to overcome the situation. Following the death of Faye’s father, Harry, Tod approaches her and states, “You poor kid” (112). Along with Tod referring to Faye as a child, Mary chooses to do the same, and the purpose of this was to receive a reaction from Faye being called a “kid” (112). Faye Immediately responds by shoving Mary away, to only further prove that she is certainly not a kid and does not need extra comfort from other beings that are the same age. Not only does this show how men look at woman by their “egglike self sufficiency” (92) and how they are easy to “crush”, or manipulate, but it also shows how regular society members view actors/actresses as being frail and not able to handle a life changing situation alone. In contrast, when Mrs. Johnson enters the room, she approaches Faye as “Mrs. Greener” (114), which sets a tone in which Faye is not being treated as a child, but rather a young adult that is in fact responsible during this tough time. The response that Faye gives Mrs. Johnson establishes that Faye appreciates when she is respected, and she is smart enough to tell when she is being manipulated and when she is not. Faye’s strength as a female character in Hollywood is defended in the novel, when she rejects money for her father’s funeral from Mary and Tod, who underestimate her, because she has the determination to get the money on her own.
ReplyDeleteIn "The Day of the Locusts," Nathanael West epitomizes Hollywood's devaluing of reality through valuing representation above substance. On the day of Harry Greener's funeral, Tod describes Faye as "never [looking] more beautiful" (119). Even amidst all the despair around her, the most notable quality about Faye is her looks--Tod is only enthralled by her superficial representation, rather than taking interest in her mental state. Mrs. Johnson treats Faye similarly, focusing excitedly on the cost of Harry's funeral and interrogating Faye on her father's financial whereabouts (115) instead of caring for her intimately. This behavior of Tod and Mrs. Johnson is largely due to spectacle, particularly how West illustrates it through Hollywood. Like Hollywood, both Mrs. Johnson and Tod ignore the meaningful individuality of those around them, only seeking out their selfish desires. West demonstrates this tendency of the city in his discussion of the Gingo family, "Eskimos who had been brought to Hollywood to make retakes for a picture about polar exploration" (122), being used solely for their stereotype rather than substance.
ReplyDeleteClara, this is a great analysis of the theme of image above meaning that is prevalent all throughout "The Day of the Locust." I completely agree that Mrs. Johnson and Tod only view the appearances of those around them, failing to understand the complexities of the humans they interact with - and they do so even in the most dire of circumstances. For example, before Harry's funeral, Mrs. Johnson complains about the quality of Harry's funeral casket: talking to the delivery man, Mrs. Johnson says "your estimate said bronze. Those handles ain't bronze and you know it." The fact that Mrs. Johnson is focusing on the material used to make the casket rather than the man that is in it shows that she has very little regard for the true human emotions surrounding her. Perhaps she is scared of her own human urges, and thus falls back on the things she can control - that is, bronze handles.
DeleteClara, this excelent analysis for a deep theme in the novel that will only expand as we read through it more and more. To add on to the side of your analysis where you focus on Harry, another example could be how earlier in novel the laugh that Harry lets out to Faye when they are in Homer's house. It is described as being a "metallic crackle" but was used as a punishment, which shows how even the buisness of Hollywood as seeped its way and has embedded itself into the personal lives of people live there, to the point where their act and their real lives are blurred. This can also be interpretted as Hollywood almost appropriating emotions.
DeleteFaye’s obsession with fame and appearance is shown during the death of Harry. Not was Faye checking herself in the mirror during her father’s death because, “she noticed what looked like the beginning of a pimple” (113). Although Faye realized that her father was not acting normal, she dismissed it because her priority was no longer on Harry but her appearance. Not only does Faye feel the need to be flawless and beautiful, but she also wants to be the center of attention. By blaming herself for Harry’s death, Faye becomes the subject instead of Harry because Harry’s death becomes less important than her story. Faye says, “I killed him, I tell you! I did! I did!” (113). Faye is driven by fame and appearance even during tragic events because she always has to act in her hollywood life.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel and specifically during this segment thereof it is quite evident that Faye has tremendous influence over the men with whom she surrounds herself. Nathanael West uses Faye as a character in order to expose and even criticize both the emotions of men and the primal influences that factor into relationships between two people of opposite gender. At the beginning of the reading Tod observes the chicken in their coop: "There was one old hen and a half a dozen game cocks," (101). The game cocks, which the Mexican uses in cock fights, are ultimately forced to compete for the single hen in their coop. This is very much representative of Faye's situation in which she is the hen in the coop who is surrounded by men that compete with each other for her. Earle striking the Mexican with a stick illustrates his primal nature when it comes to women, characteristically this is very similar to the way in which the game cocks function. Faye is in the position of selecting which suitor she fancies best and in order to evaluate this she observes the competition for her. Likewise, the primal aspect that she brings out in men can be observed when Tod pulls her aside at the funeral: "She became annoyed and demanded an explanation. He searched his head for one. It wasn't his head he should have searched, however," (120). It appears that Tod's interests in Faye are no longer fueled by genuine emotion, but instead perhaps his attraction to her is situated on more sexual premises as is eluded to here. Faye is able to stimulate a response in men that can be viewed as primal, a phenomenon, which West seems to want to expose in the novel.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book, Tod's love for Faye is very one sided. She does not share the feelings Tod has for her. Tod ultimately realizes he is out matched by other men such as Earle, thus, he forces himself on her when she is emotionally unstable. Many instances show Tod fighting for her love but what sticks out as the book progresses, is how he approaches her now. When Faye finds out that Harry died, Tod acts very quickly: “From Faye’s room came the sound of crying… Finally, he went over to the bed and tried to comfort her. He patted her shoulder. ‘You poor kid’”(112). By comforting her instantly, he is able to do something other men that love her cannot. He can demonstrate his love for her. I find this to be very low for Tod because he is acting when Faye is at her lowest. He feels that this will win her over so he can fulfill his weird desire with her.
ReplyDeleteNick, I agree with your observations based on Tod’s relationship with Faye. His obsession with her allows him to take advantage of every situation in which Faye isn’t in a good place, most of the time morally. However, the one thing I do disagree with is Tod’s love for Faye because I personally see their relationship as him lusting after her while she strings him along. Additionally, the dynamic between the two is so shallow, such as when you mentioned that when Faye is facing a hardship in her life, Tod wants to step up to show the validity of his feelings, but Faye moreso does the same to Tod, as she strings him along consistently throughout the novel to make it appear as though he may have a chance with her.
DeleteI completely agree Nick, I found interesting how much he is willing to do to make her feel special and give her that attention she like to get. Faye clearly is aware of all these men trying to get her attention and I feel like Tod knows that as well, yet he continues to try and win her love. I definitely agree with abigail that she strings him along while he lusts after her. When Tod found out about her dads death he tried to comfort her and after a while "The change that had came over" her "started Tod. [she] had suddenly became very tough. " (116) to Tod this was the perfect opportunity to be there by her side, however she clearly didn't need him there.
DeleteIn "The Day of the Locust," Nathaniel West presents his protagonist, Tod, as the only fully-conscious member of Hollywood in order to highlight the vacuum of society. This is evident in Tod's description of the malfunction of the set design during the filming of a scene involving faux-Napoleon and his faux-army. West writes, "The man in the checked cap was making a fatal error. Mont St. jean was not finished...It was the classic mistake, Tod realized, the same one Napoleon had made" (134). By allowing Tod this realization, West demonstrates Tod's knowledge of history, and thus his ability to transcend Hollywood's vacuum. Hollywood's pastiche of movie sets and overconcumption of media allow for a feeling of timelessness, of a vacuum. In this vacuum, there is no sense of the past or the future, as everything that ever was is available to those living in the present. The dangerous effects of this vacuum are showcased as "the whold hill fold[s] like an enormous umbrella and cover[s] Napoleon's army with a painted cloth" (134). Because the set designers had no knowledge of history and were not aware of mistakes made in the past, they could not avert a catastrophe in the present. Here, West foreshadows the inevitable - and slightly larger-scale - catastrophe that will occur later in the book as a result of the omnipresence and timelessness of hollywood society. Thus, by choosing Tod, a man who is knowledgable about historical events, as narrator, West helps readers understand the faults deep within Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteTod’s obsession with the chase demonstrates his personal fall into a spectacle placed into the novel. Tod describes that “[t]he violent exercise had driven most of the heat out of his blood, but enough remained to make him tingle pleasantly. He felt comfortably relaxed, even happy” (55). This demonstrates the idea that while Faye is running from her situation, she is also running to be part of the chase; the chase is what drives her life and gives her power over male characters. However, why Tod participates and fuels the chase for Faye is another example of how Tod uses the spectacle of Faye to lust after her and to continue his obsession with her.
ReplyDeleteAbbie I agree with your analyzation of Faye and Tod and how they both share these stereotypical qualities of different archetypes. Faye thrives off of the attention of different men, and how it creates an air of superiority for her, meanwhile Tod idealizes Faye in a way that he plays into her and his own ideal reality of Hollywood. I believe this relates to the dream-like quality of Hollywood and how in itself it appears to be hidden within a simulacra, and these characters are used to depict this. Faye and Tod are each pawns to show the true meaning of how Hollywood creates a dream for people, and they act upon those dreams into their own reality, making it an escape for them to go to.
DeleteI agree with your analysis however, I feel you can expand on your thought by see the chase as a societal pressure for women chased by their beauty ultimately diminishing them to outward appearance. On the other hand, you may argue the power a women possess during this time of male power in that women are able to manipulate their men like Faye to empower themselves. In addition, Fayes dream of becoming a star directly correlate with her escape in the woods and Tod holding her back with his pursuit.
DeleteThe repeated mention of birds represents those that Tod describes as the people who come to California to die. These birds are also mentioned in correlation with both Faye and her father Harry, pointing out that the Greeners are indeed a part of those unsuspecting individuals that came to California to die. When describing Harry, the narrator says, “He gave a great performance…He imitated…even did the off-stage noises, twittering like birds to herald the dawn of Love” (110). These “twittering noises” made by the birds demonstrate a sense of happiness and an unsuspecting nature, unaware of the possible dangers surrounding them. This unsuspecting mood is also emphasized as Tod describes the situation at Earles camp when Faye runs off. Once Tod begins to describe his chaotic painting, “The bird began to sing again. When it stopped, Faye was forgotten and he only wondered if he weren’t exaggerating the importance of the people who came to California to die” (107). In this chaos, the birds sing, unaware of what is really going on and when the singing stops, so does the though of Faye, as she is one with the birds. Earlier, the narrator says, “A mockingbird was singing near by... Then a quail began to call, using two soft guttural notes… It was a trapped bird, but the sound it made had no anxiety in it, only sadness, impersonal and without hope” (102). Although the birds are trapped, clearly with nowhere to go, just as Faye and her father are in their acting careers that are not progressing, they continue to go on showing no form of concern, unaware that they have come and out themselves in the situation, much like the birds that became dinner, to die.
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DeleteBianca- This idea is really interesting! When I was reading the novel, I did not necessarily make any connection to the birds in the book. I was more looking at the idea of an apocalypse world but this connection makes me think a lot. For example, I really enjoy how you describe the Greeners in the same realm of the people that came to California to die. The parallel between them and the birds is very accurate and I also feel that Tod in a sense could be characterized into this group as well. Tod is also living in the same building/area as Faye, he socializes and involves himself with the same people as Faye, and finally seems to be trapped in his quest to get Faye to reciprocate his love. I feel that Tod, like the birds, is trapped in a vicious cycle and it is sad to watch. I feel that in the back of his mind Tod has no hope for his quest with Faye and that the birds almost symbolize everything he cannot do. On another note, I feel the birds singing can almost be seen as a cry for help from the people that come to die in California. However, like the singing of the birds, these people often go unheard and noticed which displays a similar parallel to the pathetic acting career of Faye and her father. This is apparent when West includes "“The bird began to sing again. When it stopped, Faye was forgotten" (107). This ultimately shows that the singing and these people can be forgotten and West is almost arguing in favor of Tod's point- that some peoples lives are destined for failure and contain little substance.
DeleteIn "The Day of the Locusts," I have increasingly become skeptical of Tod's apparent "love" and "obsession" for Faye. Over the course of the book I do not actually believe that Tod loves Faye and is simply chasing her for his own self esteem and his own superiority complex. Tod loves the chase but I feel if he gets Faye or has the chance to win over Faye's love, we will see that Tod does not actually love her. What prompts this thought is the idea that Tod continuously discusses the people that come to die in Hollywood and the fact that he feels the need to try and outdo Earl. By saying that people just came to Hollywood to die really allows Tod to put himself above a certain group of people. Along with this, we also see in Tod's pictures-or ideas of his pictures- that he wants to "show the city burning at high noon, so that the flames would have to compete with the desert sun" (107). This quote relates back to Tod's quest for Faye because this moment in the novel came directly after Tod wanted to get Faye out of his mind. His automatic reaction was to think about his own city burning and in his mind, he would be the one controlling the flames and controlling the damage to the city. Tod would have all the power and this shows that he uses his pictures to obtain power when he cannot get the sufficient power he needs from Faye. The narrator even says "[Tod] was amused by the strong feeling of satisfaction this fire conclusion gave him" (107), thus showing how he truly is happy when he has total power
ReplyDeleteDylan, I think this is a very interesting point you make about Faye and Tod. I personally thought it was the opposite and that Tod was obsessed with Faye, but now that you make this point I can see it differently. I do however believe that Tod does indeed love Faye and is obsessed with her. I think his apolocapytic notion is truly based on his obsession for Faye. But my question for you would be if you think she's the center of his world?
DeleteAn argument I came up from today's discussion is that Faye is hiding a dark truth of some sort. I say this because from my experience when people bring something up a lot they try to make it the thing people see them for as I apposed to what they truly are. Faye is always talking about how she wants to be an actress. "she often spent the whole day making up stories"(88). Although Nathanael West likes to create this "characterizers of people I believe Faye is hiding something about her self and I am curious to find out what.
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ReplyDeleteIn response to today’s reading, the role the the female characters play throughout the novel is quite ironic. Many of the female character such as Faye Greener take the dominant role in the novel. From the beginning when Faye in first introduce, Tom immediately becomes obsessed with her. Faye clearly has a big impact on Tom’s life. When they’re both sitting down in the small box, “Tod could sense her growing excitement”(103), Tom is always focus on what's going on with Faye, ultimately revealing hi obsession with her. Later on Nathanael West reveals that Mig, “ Kept smiling at Faye in a manner that Tod didn’t like. The more he drank, the less he liked it” (104). Considering the time period in which this book was written, the female character seems to have total control of the relationship rather than the male having control over it.
It is interesting to examine Tod’s reaction and condolences to Harry’s funeral because it was very bad and immature. “On the day of Harry’s funeral Tod was drunk> He hadn’t seen Faye since she went off with Mary Dove, but he knew that he was certain to find her at the undertaking parlor and he wanted to have the courage to quarrel with her.” (118) Tod seems to not care much about his best friend’s death and walks around drunk looking for Faye the whole funeral. Also, despite his overwhelming encounters with Faye and his fantasies with her, he can’t speak to her about how he feels about her and bring up the courage to ask her out. Why?
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is somewhat peculiar that on the day of Harry’s funeral Tod would get as drunk as possible rather than help Faye with her father’s passing. I think this specific scenario that you’re commenting on reflects Tod’s interest in Faye’s appearance and lust rather than her actual emotions. As we can see through the other characters such as Homer and Earle, Faye has this ability to cause them to almost compete with each other for her attention. I think part of the reason why Tod can’t express his feelings towards her is mainly because there is a lack of feelings towards her and rather more of this aspect of lust surrounds his interactions with her.
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DeleteTod's reaction really is very interesting. It makes the reader question whether he really cared about the Greeners. It is strange that he would respond in such a way after spending so much time with Harry while he was ill. Moreover, it questions what Tod really felt for Faye.
DeleteWest's repeated mentions of birds signifies Tod's need to personify something into a picture of innocence that he treasures in Faye. When describing the birds he creates a picture of purity, such as when he says "A mocking bird was singing near by. Its song was like pebbles being dropped one by one from a height into a pool of water. Then a quail began to call...Their call was not like the cheerful whistle of the Eastern bobwhite. It was full of melancholy and weariness, yet marvelously sweet" (102). The same depictions of innocence are shown when he speaks about Faye, and his idolization of her age and beauty are portrayed into becoming something more sexual. Tod's imagination helps further this idealization of Faye into something less realistic, and create a dream-like simulacra of what she should be rather than who she actually is as a character.
ReplyDeleteFayes emotional distress (whether real or not) is trivialized not only by Tod, a male character, but also by Mary Dove, a female character which exposes a massive contradiction in their society. When Tod walks in and finds Faye crying over the death of her dad, Harry, he "comforts" her by saying, "You poor kid" (West, 112). When I read this I read it with a demeaning tone, as if he was looking down on her. Even when she's in such a vulnerable state, he makes a point of calling her "kid" which is used in a way that limits her experience. Women in this society are simultaneously expected to be overly emotional yet vacant.
ReplyDeleteBased on tonights reading, it has become appearent that Tod's views on the people of Hollywood have altered from meeting people like Harry and Homer who contridictions to his previously conceaved notions about people like them. Tod in the beggining of chapter 15 postulates to himself: "Harry suffered as keenly as anyone, despite the theatricality of his groans and grimaces. He seemed to enjoy suffering" (West 15). Tod realizes in the moment of Harry's clear sign of an illness that he is more human than he had thought, where despite the fact that he is constantly acting as a characture he still reveals some level of individuality Tod had thought people like Harry were devoid of. The remark of Harry's almost enjoyment for suffering possibly proves to Tod that Harry enjoys the pain because it makes him feel an emotion that is not false or that is meant to please a crowd. It is as if Harry yearns to be as human as possible yet his entire life he has had to conform to facade.
ReplyDeleteIn "The Day of the Locusts," Harry’s uses his acting career as a spectacle to ignore the issues in his reality. Harry refers to every moment in reality as a new acting opportunity: “Harry framed the word ‘no; with his lips, then groaned skillfully. It was a second-act curtain groan” (109). Despite Harry suffering actual pain, he uses this new experience of his to strengthen his acting capabilities. By “groaning skillfully” the narrator entails that Harry is placing effort in his performance. Unlike facing the reality that he is sick, Harry uses his acting to ignore his current truth. Tod who is the spectator of Harry’s performance realizes that Harry is no different to anyone because of his acting career: “Harry suffered as keenly as anyone, despite the theatricality of his groans and grimaces” (109). In essence, Tod begins to categorize Harry’s position in Hollywood and realizes he is one of the many who uses distractions to ignore his reality. This can be reflected through Harry’s acting in itself keeping him busy and pacifying his perception on his life and his current health status.
ReplyDeleteClarence, I found your interpretation of Harry very interesting, and I completely agree with you. Harry seems to be a very theatrical character in the book. His whole life, including his sufferings, is devoted to his acting career. In order to fully play a certain character, actors and actresses always try and put themselves in the character's shoes to be able to play that character well. In Harry's case, since he is completely devoted to his acting career, his sufferings are rather an opportunity for him to use his pain to be a better actor and be able to play a character who is in pain. This is very peculiar, however. Why would Harry need to strengthen his acting skills playing a character in pain when he's already in pain himself?
DeleteTod Hackett's obsession with the thought of an apocalypse is very intriguing. The idea of LA being burned down to ashes makes him very happy, interestingly. He is himself amused by the satisfaction received while thinking about this, as can be seen when he says "were all prophets of doom and destruction such happy men?" [pg 107]. In the scene where he is running after Faye and away from Earle's camp, thinking about his painting that depicts the starers burning the city down easily pushes Faye out of his head along with the events of the evening. But why does it have such an effect on him? He too, like the starers feels like an outsider in this artificial world. There are only a few here who match the complexity of his character. This frustration, I feel, is what is eased by the burning down this fake city.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to Tod’s relationship with Faye, one can argue that he is “obsessed” with her and loves her very deeply. However, Tod’s behavior towards Faye throughout the book shows how inconsiderate and selfish he is, proving that his “love” for Faye may just be lust; he does not truly care for her the way someone would when they are in love with another person. Despite knowing that Faye would be mourning at Harry’s funeral, he decides to drink heavily right before it for the sole purpose of having “the courage to quarrel with her” (118). His lust for her is also shown on page 119 when he watches Faye sob at the funeral. Rather than comfort her like a loving person would, he admires her beauty instead, saying, “She had never looked more beautiful. She was wearing a new, very tight dress and her platinum hair was tucked up in a shining bun under a black straw sailor.” Afterwards, he even asks her for a kiss and does not let her escape his grip on her, continuing to think about how beautiful she is despite the fact that she was “raging at him” (120). He states that she still looks beautiful while being angry because “her beauty was structural like a tree’s, not a quality of her mind or heart” (120). This scene of Tod’s drunken encounter with Faye reveals how inconsiderate Tod is, as well as that he has lust for her rather than love, seeing only her appearance as beautiful and admitting that she was not beautiful on the inside.
ReplyDeleteMahyea, I completely agree with your argument of Tom being inconsiderate along with also being vain. I also wrote about this topic, but with the focus on how the narration seems to try to hide these traits of Tom, normalizing rape culture and putting down women. In your argument you can see that with analyzation Tom can be depicted as a bad person, no matter how the novel tries to counteract that. It is also interesting the distinction between love and lust that you mention in your argument. The novel seems to classify Tom’s feelings for Faye as love, something sweet and kind, but as you depict in your argument, it is nothing more than lust which disregards the woman as she is and only looks at her in the physical. The evidence you use is very evident of this argument especially your analysis of the scene with Faye crying where you explain how Tom still looks at her appearance rather than be kind and respectful towards her, as her father just died.
DeleteMayhea,I agree with your argument about Tod's attraction to Faye. While reading the book, i really began to question whether Tod actually had true feelings for Faye or if his attraction to her was based on something other than "love". This question question kept on arising more so after we read about his rape fantasy with Faye. Tod's descriptions of his attraction to Faye ever since have made me think that he is attracted to the superficial characteristics of Faye and not the "real" Faye. This form of attraction pushes him to have forceful and aggressive thoughts about her, as opposed to tender loving thoughts, because it is based on something that isn't substantial.
DeleteAs previously mentioned before, Tod repeated comments on the superficiality of Californians through his recurring statement of people coming to California to die. As states in the beginning, hi statement most likely criticizes the act of conformity and lack of individuality when becoming a Hollywood sell out. California or Hollywood in specific is chosen as it distorts the people such as Faye blinding them from reality. On page 128, Tod admires a hilltop view of a dumping ground connecting it the drama filled life of studios: "just as that imaginary body of water with a history of civilization in the form of a marine junkyard, the studio loft with the one in the form of a dream dump." The dumping ground becomes an immediate symbol for the unrealized dreams of Hollywood and the wasted potential of people caused by talent pressure. Tod constantly linking California as the end of humanity also connects with his obsession with the apocalypse since it strips one out of its own humanity. For instance, image is valued more by distorted characters like Faye that are products of California. This calls into question whether Tod is a reliable narrator for he is a "sellout" in California waiting to be blinded by false reality and ultimately ending up in a dream junkyard.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to what we mentioned in class, the third person narration of the novel dissociates the characters from their actions while also justifying these actions with their thoughts, adding on to the heteronormal expectations of relationships, which denounces the moral wrongness of rape culture. As a third person limited narration, it causes the reader to almost pity the observed, in this case Tom, as someone who is genuinely trying to be nice but is rudely and repeatedly rejected: “‘I’ll get the money.’ Both girls ignored him” (116). This lack of inclusion of other perspectives creates a biased view in which the reader is confused as to why Faye will not accept Tom’s generous offer, and it causes a view of women as ungrateful or rude. This is also depicted later on in what is the beginnings of a rape scene: “‘Le’go, you bastard.’ Raging at him, she was beautiful… In a minute she would scream for help. He had to say something,”(120). The severity and the wickedness of the situation is dissolved by Tom’s ‘pureness’ and true thoughts where he considers Faye to be “beautiful”; this compliment counteracts the situation and makes it seem like Faye is wrong as she is rejecting his actions that are driven by ‘good’. In addition his need to “say something” before she screams illustrates the situation as Faye not allowing him a fair chance to prove himself, where in reality she believes she is going to be raped.
ReplyDeleteAfter today's discussion, I think it is clear to argue that Faye is the center of Tod's world. Not only after his obsession with the apolocapyse in his painting, but also the fact that Faye is his entire world, it is clear that Faye is the center of his world, as it would be if he were to draw a picture of the apolocapyse. Moreover, this connects to a past moment in the book when he recalls Faye as someone he would "throw himself from a skyscraper" (49) for. This idea of almost suicidal actions taking place is something that has come up numerous times throughout the novel because Tod's attraction to Faye is so intense. It is clear that the multiple references to suicide and end of the world to Tod are always in relation to Faye and therefore it is arguable that Faye is the center of Tod's universe and not getting her would be almost suicidal.
ReplyDeleteAfter the reading it is clear that Tod Hackett is constantly thinking about Faye and some may argue he has a deep love for Faye. Throughout the novel we are shown Tod’s self-centered actions and how he can be so inconsiderate towards a women he supposedly loves. These selfish acts would only show the reader how Tod’s feeling towards Faye would be more closely align with lust than love. This is seen when Tod goes to Harry’s funeral Drunk so “he can quarrel with her [Faye]” (118). This feeling of lust can be seen in other male characters in the novel. In chapter 12 when describing Homer Simpson, “There are men who can lust with parts of themselves [...] burn fiercely, yet nothing is destroyed. But in Homer's case it would be like dropping a spark into a barn full of hay” (85). No only does lust cause Tod to act selfish but it also affects Homer to an even greater extent. Comparing lust to fire is West’s way of showing it is a negative but powerful force that can destroy these men’s lives.
ReplyDeleteFaye's reaction to her father's death in the presence of Tod and Mary reveals her inability to separate her two identities; the real Faye and the Faye that desires to be a star. When Tod is informed that Harry has died, he goes into the unlocked apartment and finds Faye in distress in her room: " she opened it for him, then turned without saying a word, and stumbled to her bed. She was sobbing into a face towel"(121). When Mary Dove comes in and urges her to be strong, Faye pushes her away, "takes a few wild steps"(121), sits down on the bed again, and then begins to blame herself for her father's death "in a voice heavy with self-accusation"(122). Faye's reaction to her father's death is filled with exaggeration once Tod and Mary Dove are in her presence. The action of throwing herself onto the bed to cry into a face towel, along with action of taking wild steps, are obscene. Another obscene action was her decision to heavily blame herself for her father's death, even though it was well known that he was an already very ill old man. Although Faye's sadness the death of her father is real, she exaggerates and, in a way, performs these actions which takes away from the actual situation and draws more attention to her. This reveals that, even in a serious situation, Faye cannot separate herself from the characteristics of the actress she wishes to become. In other words, Faye is always performing; even when it comes to serious events.
ReplyDeleteIn The Day of the Locust characters are generally incapable of human actions without relying on material things. Throughout the story we hear the inner dialogue of characters, their want for action. However, many times those actions never happen, something stops them. When Faye decides to work for Mrs. Jenning, this upsets Tod. In order to “have the courage to quarrel with her” (118), he shows up drunk to her father’s funeral. This is no coincidence; Tod drank for the sole purpose of being able to confront Faye. Therefore, had alcohol, a consumerist need, not been in the picture, Tod would not have had the ability to tell Faye how he feels. Communication is a basic human process, yet he cannot do so without fiending into consumerism.
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