The Economic Upheaval
The Unnamed
Ferris is the writer of an acclaimed book “Then We Came to the End”. He is a modern writer and the “Unnamed Man” is his second Novel. The Unnamed is a novel in the genre of domestic fiction. The novels the story about a man, named Tim, who has a strange compulsion to walk and the challenges that the compulsion brings to his life. After a review of the reviews about the novel I do not feel that the novel is a literary work of great contribution. This is because it does not seem to be cohesive or particularly engaging in its themes, style and delivery. The main character a man, called Tim is a lawyer in Manhattan where he is successful in the firm. He has a wife with whom he has a daughter. His family lives a very comfortable life. (Schuessler, 2010). In novel everything seems to be okay in Tim’s life until he is afflicted by the disease that leads him to walk compulsively until he is spent. The book traces the impact of the disease on Tim and his family as he battles the disease and all else that ails him.
The target audience of the novel is general public with the corporate world being the prime target. According to Schuessler (2010) the novel addresses the common issues that corporate world deals with including careers, families and prices that people pay as they aim for success. Although there is no indication that Tim is unwell because of his work there are a lot of issues that come to surface once he gets unwell. The thin bonds that exist at one are one concern. As Tim gets ill his work is often reissued to others. He doers not get the support that would enable him to continue working despite the challenges (Gioia, 2010). However, Jane becomes the strength for Tim. Despite her own difficulties with Tim’s condition, she finds it in her to assist him deal with his challenges (Schuessler, 2010).
According to the critics, the novel has a fluctuating tone that begins with fast pace and seems to concentrate on the case at hand in which Tim tries to defend a defendant accused of committing murder. The tone is serious in the beginning of the novel and serious with focus on the outside world of Tims work and life (McInerney, 2010). Gioia (2010) refers to the tone as melancholy with few exceptions when the novel turns comical in instances of everyday office squabbles. However the tone changes as the story begins to focus on the inner world of Tim and acquires the tone of every day life (McInerney, 2010). As the inner struggle manifest, Tim becomes withdrawn and his desperation and frustration grows as more doctors fail to find out what is causing his compulsive walking (Gioia, 2010).
The style that is used in the novel is what perhaps makes critics of the novel disagree most. For some the style used in the novel is lacking. One of the critics McInerney (2010), states that the novel does not offer what might help to exclaim the ordeal Tim goes through but that rather, the reader is left with questions about the realities of Tims life and their meaning. Even when a novel has complicated material and style it still needs to satisfy the reader without leaving more questions than answers. McInerney therefore has a valid point in hinging the success of the style on Ferris ability to carry the work to an acceptable end.
However, Yabroff (2010) states that the most disappointment from reading The Unnamed” might be the readers expectation. Given the complex style and interpretations people have come to expect from literary works, Ferris straightforward novel puzzles readers who expect more subtext (Yabroff, 2010). The expectations of the readers therefore play a great role in the appreciation of the work. The novel according to Yabroff would when judged for its own value has a lot to give. It is in the comparison with reader’s expectations and certainly after reading Ferris earlier novel that presents difficulty in appreciating the unique style of the “The Unnamed”.
McInerney (2010) agrees with Yabroff in that just because there are no subtitles it does not mean the novel is simplistic. McInerney (2010) offers many other ways in which the novel in engaging in the use of what might be construed as metaphors. The affliction that Tim suffers could mean a lot of things. It could mean addictions that are ripe in the world (McInerney, 2010). Tim’s obsession with his professional success could very well be represented by his compulsion. Just because Tim feels he has control over his profession does not necessarily mean that he does (McInerney, 2010). He might just take the walking as more compulsive just because it is unwanted (McInerney, 2010). This form of openness give the reader more to go on with regards to the style of the novel.
Gioia (2010) describes the style in the novel as unengaging. In the novel what happens to Tim seems to be purely beyond his control. Tim therefore becomes a victim of something he has no ways of defeating because it does not represent any cause. The novel therefore become a tale of a man forced to live hardships without reason and that do not seem to set him on a course of change (Gioia, 2010). All that he seems to do is endure his fate.
Schuessler (2010) however offers a different view citing that through Tim’s condition Ferris reaches out to the readers in a more solid way into getting them to examine their own lives. The style he uses leave the reader with more of their own lives as opposed to just focusing on Tim’s misfortune. By the use of the instance where Tim is without compassion for a homeless man (Sch, 2010). Ferris novel therefore engages the reader more acutely because they can identify with Tim.
Another area of interest is the characterization in the novel. According to Sch (2010) Ferris uses the characters in a way that embody the themes in the novel. Jane is one of the characters who bring hope. When Tim’s world gets narrower she does not falter in giving hope. Even after Tim leaves his family behind Jane does not give up. McInerney (2010) views the character development as well achieved especially for Tim who undergoes much. One accustomed to being in control and proud of his faculties especially at work, Tim degenerates and begins t question himself.
As the doctors try to find out what is wrong with Tim, Tim has to dig deep and attempt to find out for himself what the problem could be to the point that he starts to talk to himself (McInerney, 2010). Although Tim does not come to a dramatic solution to his condition he begins to take time to examine his life, something he has not been able to do owing to his busy professional life (McInerney, 2010). However the novel does not grow as expansively as it might have McInerney, 2010). The subsequent end of Tim’s remission and the new problems for his wife do little to bring the novel to a end. It is as if the characters themselves are completely held to their fate.
The plot in the novel is not complex. According to McInerney (2010), The story begins with Tim’s third occurrence of the walking compulsion. Having seen doctors who are unable to diagnose the disease Tim has tried to find out what could be the problem. His wife Jane supposes that the problem is caused by something outside her husband (McInerney, 2010). The compulsive walking soon affects a case that Tim has been working on. As the occurrences take a hold of Tim’s life, he lies about his absence from work but soon his life is taken over by the walking compulsion. The ordeal goes on for months before finally subsiding only to reoccur later.
However the action in the novel does little to propel the story (McInerney, 2010). Gioia (2010) agrees with this assertion citing that Ferris seems undecided about the movement of his story. According to Gioia (2010) this compromises the vision of the novel is lacking. As a result the story becomes too narrow. The descriptions are also too general despite the many walks that Tim takes (McInerney, 2010). For a novel for this kind dealing with a constant from the beginning to the end, it would be worthwhile to fully engage the audience. Perhaps this is the reason why Gioia (2010) describes the book as unengaging. If more descriptions had been used, the journeys that Tim took would have been more engaging to the reader and played a greater role in the development of the character and the setting.
The issue of the setting is yet another way in which “The Unnamed” received attention. According to Yabroff (2010) had been non fiction one of the ways in which Ferris would have made the novel successful would have been to bring out the terrors of such a condition. This is usually effectively done by the setting. According to Gioia (2010), the setting in the novel however falls short of delivering terrors accurately despite being fictional. Much of this is because the setting does not adequately prepare the reader for what follows. Tim’s story raise many speculations. It is hard for the reader to be sympathetic to his ordeal when it is hard to pinpoint exactly what is is happening (Gioia, 2010).
For Schuessler, 2010) however, the setting is appropriate for delivery of the themes. According to Schuessler (2010), the novel is open to the all because readers can identify with the main themes of love and hope. This seems to redeem the novel. Setting for a piece of literature is quite important. Without it a work can be difficult to understand and to fully appreciate.
Conclusion
Although the novel is has not received acclaim form critics, it is none the less not a write off. Ferris approach is not usual or what was expected from him and as a result many have expressed more appreciation for his earlier work. However he has potential as a writer. The main point might be to use a genre that he is comfortable with and in which he can excel. His style and delivery was problematic in the appreciation of “The Unnamed”
I would not recommend “The Unnamed” as a must read to someone as I do not feel that it has much to offer based on a review of the reviews. My thoughts about the book do not change and I do not feel that it contribute amply to literary world.
References
Gioia, T. (2010). Book review: “The Unnamed” by Joshua Ferris. Retrieved on 5th December,
2010, from http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-the-unnamed-by-joshua/
McInerney, J. (2010). Long march. Retrieved on 5th December, 2010, from
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/books/review/McInerney-t.html? pagewanted=1&_r=1
Schuessler, A. (2010). One man’s odd ‘unnamed’ disease: compulsive walking. Retrieved on 5th
December, 2010, from http://beacon.nwciowa.edu/2010/11/one-man%E2%80%99s-odd- %E2%80%98unnamed%E2%80%99-disease-compulsive-walking/
Yabroff, J. (2010). The meaning of no meaning. Retrieved on 5th December, 2010, from
http://thefloatinglibrary.com/2010/01/25/the-meaning-of-no-meaning-jennie-yabroff/
