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One of the most noteworthy characteristics the book Shampoo Planet
is the manner in which it integrates apparently ridiculous and
impossible occurrences into the otherwise normal characteristics of the
life of the Tyler Johnson, the narrator. This, moreover, is something
that is repeatedly illustrated in as much as the various, highly
unconventional and basically humorous circumstances that Tyler manages
to get himself into during the course of his diverse journey into
maturity. He is portrayed to be in a continuous struggle to achieve
some sort of individual anchorage within a world where everything
appears to be on a course of change and transformation.
It would be relevant to here consider that the prime underlying
theme throughout the novel is one of sociologically intrinsic conflict.
This, moreover, tends to be a theme that is repeatedly reflected in as
much as Tyler ’s repeated lack of satisfaction regarding the features
of his varying circumstances. Take into consideration, for instance,
the manner in which he refers to his mother Jasmine. Although he is not
overtly disrespectful or demeaning towards her; the tone of his
referrals to her do imply a certain inherent sense of disdain.
This disdain, moreover, as becomes increasingly apparent with the
insight that the plot begins to shed upon Tyler’s character, appears to
be especially borne of Tyler’s contention that ‘the Sixties’ represent
an era comprised of ideologies that don’t prevail anymore primarily due
to the fact that they are obsolete. This tends to extend sufficient
explanation in concern to the why the broadcasting to us [readers] of
Tyler ’s mothers image is subtly influenced by Tyler ’s statement that
she is an individual who has a ‘predilection for substance enthusiasts
’ (Coupland, 1992).
This is something that tends to be particularly relevant towards the
notion that Tyler ’s continuous search for making the state of his life
satisfactory is fuelled by the conflicts that he faces in as much as
living in a world where things are influenced by older generations in
spite of being influenced by a constant cycle of change. The reference
to his mother having armpit hair, and especially the disdainful
implications of this referral, for instance, can be seen as Tyler’s
complex in concern to accepting Jasmine as part of a generation that is
completely separate from his.
Tyler ’s grandparents, moreover, hoard their wealth and greedily
pursue their ‘pyramid sales scheme ’ (Coupland, 1992) via ensuring the
marketing of a cat food while his mother shows a marked lack of regard
for such schemes. This is something that further intensifies the
chaotic nature of Tyler ’s struggle for societal anchorage within a
society where he has a problem relating to the prevailing sociological
features and characteristics. This is since he finds himself unable to
categorize himself in accordance to being within either of the societal
segments, that of his mother’s or that of his grandparent’s’.
It would also be relevant to acknowledge that the exceptionality of
Tyler ’s dedication and devotion to hair-care, sleek technology and big
corporations can be interpreted as strategic preferences in order to
define himself according to the societal norms that he sees as being
justifiable. This incessant desire to achieve control over the features
of his individually defined world, moreover, is something is reflected
within the portion of the book where he decides to make a list of the
ostensibly negativist characteristics of various people; these
characteristics are viewed by Tyler as ‘tragic character flaws ’
(Coupland, 1992).
It is quite apparent, thus speaking, that prime reason for Tyler’s
inherent sense of aloneness is born of his incapability to relate to,
to inductively project a proverbial avenue of communication to his
sociological surroundings. It would be apt to consider that these
surroundings, comprised primarily of his acquaintances, gradually an
eventually lose their foreboding essence of unconventionality as Tyler
matures and begins to adopt a more accommodative mindset. It would,
therefore, be conclusively relevant to consider that Tyler ’s
disorientation regarding his surroundings is something shown to be born
of a sense of sociological eccentricity.
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