Now I'd better confess that I sympathize with Acosta quite a lot. Annoyingly insecure, a bit too aware of body image, trying (and often failing) to assimilate, indecisive (especially career-wise), brown (or rather, yellow-brown), compulsive thoughts (and sometimes actions), and sturdier-than-average build. (I do not throw up though, no worries.)
In class, we talk much about how Brown Buffalo is pathetic and disgusting. From these traits we make connections to contemporary American culture and think about how he embodies the unrepresented part of America. But I just want to point out that, since we're all Americans, each of us is more or less a brown buffalo as well. The book is disgusting not because we hate what Acosta says and does, but because we see parts of ourselves that we do not want to see...?
I just thought that Acosta would appreciate it if we not only expand what we get from the book into a wider social/cultural view, but also look into ourselves as an individual and see things in us that we normally avoid recognizing.
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6 comments:
That's an interesting perspective on the shock factor of Acosta's book. There is such a social taboo about talking about much of the subject matter Acosta throws in the reader's face. But perhaps the reason that everyone is so disgusted by his entire character is that we can all see a part of ourselves in him, the sides of ourselves we try to repress: the insecurities, faults, etc.
I tend to disagree with this interpretation. It's not simply that Oscar is American. In fact, I'm tempted to say that the reason for his identity crisis is that he doesn't feel truly American. Yes, geographically, we are all Americans; the point, I think, of Oscar's struggle is that he is nowhere at home, nowhere in the company of those of like mind. The scatological tendencies serve to reinforce this feeling of loneliness; what he seeks is a cure, a life that will slowly make his loneliness, and his ulcers, and his "limp prick," go away. Your conclusion, though, may be spot on; certainly the vulgarity of Oscar is simply a magnification of what the rest of us see and deal with in daily life. Oscar simply takes this, as well as his feelings of alienation, to a greater degree than the rest of us.
From reading the book, I also tended to sympathize with Acosta. On one hand, I see parts of Acosta that directly parallel my own life. However, I try my best to also keep in mind that his actions are also the unique outcome of the circumstances of his life. Therefore, to decry his life as one that is immoral and wrong would be a view that is incredibly short-sighted.
The idea you put forth is certainly worth examining. As we have touched on before, nothing makes us feel more uncomfortable than having a mirror in our face. By revealing his inner thoughts and habits that are not acceptable to discuss, we are forced to reflect on our own inner lives. Those thoughts we never share, the habits we wish we didn't have, and the insecurities are all brought under examination in Acosta's writing.
It is interesting how our initial reactions of shock and disgust rightfully turn to sympathy and empathy. Wanda's comment was great in that you had to look at yourself a little bit. Also, by knowing the detailed ins and outs of Acosta's thoughts and body, you can understand the physical and emotional pain he undergoes. When he finds himself at the end, there is a sense of excitement. You surprisingly find yourself cheering for the underdog, and feeling like a proud parent, for you know from intimate descriptions the true extent of his want for meaning.
I also agree with you. I think that we always try to find the similarities between ourselves and the characters we read about in books. Acosta makes those similarities really obvious - we are all the same if not in our mentality, at least in our bodily limitations and concerns. I think that's the reason he chooses his body to symbolize the nation - even if we try to deny how much like him we are mentally and socially, we can't deny our similarities when it comes to bodily functions.
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