Nichols 1 Ashley Nichols Professor Andrew McFeaters ENG481 31 October 2013 A Society That Shapes in Tomasula’s and Farrell’s Vas In Vas: An Opera in Flatland, the authors, Steve Tomasula and Stephen Farrell, exert an unorthodox multimodal approach in which the main character Square uses to express his thoughts whilst deciding to get a vasectomy. The array of mode, images, and words come together to create a unique experience in which a pedestrian, or common, story is told. The mundane story being mixed with the creative illustration reflects how people, in particularly Americans, see small things personally large. As seen in the manner that Square’s small paper cut suddenly erupts into issues on life, genetics, and science causing his issue to drastically become larger. Americans, especially, tend to believe that whatever it is they are experiencing that no one else has ever experienced it before, thus a dramatic thought process ensues. The same can be applied to Square and his genealogical reflections about the impending vasectomy he cannot ignore getting. Vas can be seen as a general collection of multimedia that has erupted from society’s response to individual small issues, like Square’s paper cut to his vasectomy. Tomasula’s and Farrell’s use of hyperbolic imagery and multimodal material exposes the interior of the typical American mind of internal cognitive bias when it comes to common experiences. As the title reveals, this ‘novel’ is about a man named Square who, while deciding to get a vasectomy, goes through a spiral of thoughts related to life, genes, and science. It all begins with a paper cut ironically received from the vasectomy form. The “first pain” of the small slice is portrayed through comic formatting which is the beginning of Square’s cognitive bias
Nichols 2 (Tomasula 9). He took something so small, a paper cut, and began launching his thoughts into the history of man himself. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe once said that “men are to be viewed as the organs of their century, which operate mainly unconsciously” (Tomasula 5). Well, if that were the case, wouldn’t Square be completely at ease with his imminent vasectomy instead of drowning in his mid-life crisis ponderings of procreation? Square is much too conscious, in fact his thoughts become something quite dramatic and colorful. In Vas “both the visual elements of writing and the forms that writing is produced under, participate in the manufacture of the text” (Sweeney 16). Tomasula and Farrell use their skills to combine materials as interactive, which make the general message relatable; it allows readers to find a commonality with Square. The simple narrative mixed with lively imagery is Square’s way of concealing or justifying his fear of the operation and how it will affect his identity. After all, it is just a “common story, so common that many people wouldn’t even consider it a story a pedestrian story, as common as paper cuts” (Tomasula 18-19). Like the typical American he is, Square is turning something societally simple into an introspective personal tragedy. Inside of his confused middle-aged mind Square begins examining his life through an indepth personal reflection. He starts with the physical; “in the shower, Square examined his scrotum-wrinkled-another kind of body shock-compared to what it had been when he as a teenager, the last time he’d looked this intently” (Tomasula 49). It’s as if he was surprised that with age his body would change. Yet another thing he has a difficult time accepting: change. He recognized and understood that evolutionary changes were a necessity to survival and yet he could not quite grasp how his vasectomy played a role in the evolution of his family. Due to his wife Circle’s age and past abortions due to negative gene results, he was unable to convince himself that it was his turn to take the pain. “Change = Life” or a lack thereof in Square’s case
Nichols 3 (Tomasula 84). Square had acknowledged the biological necessity of evolution, yet he still felt the need to find more information to justify the vasectomy (Tomasula 30). The reason Square was still seeking information was that he desired a method of comfort. He knew that he would have to, eventually, get a vasectomy, otherwise he never would have filled out the form, but he still felt the need for facts to give him relief. He began thinking of genes and pedigrees, the history of what makes a person who they are. Square saw himself as “the words forming double-helix sentences of genes which filled pages of chromosomes within the cells which made up the books of his body” (Tomasula 51). He was also his history and lineage; ancestors determined their children’s traits, therefore Square was a mixture of his antecedents’ genes (Tomasula 57). Family, specifically males, was a form of immortality through the passing on of genes and surnames. Since Square only had a daughter, Oval, getting a vasectomy would forever eliminate the possibility or chance of having a son to pass on his name. Getting a vasectomy would literally be cutting off his future. “Surnames die out since not all men have male children, who have male children, who have male children” (Tomasula 65). It was a great travesty when Square realized that all he had to show for his life was his daughter; it was not that he did not love her, but rather that his name would die with the operation. As any other typical American, Square had become used to living with what he had, mainly the functions of his male genitalia, that the thought having to change seemed utterly drastic. “When an individual becomes so well-adjusted to the hospital milieu that he knows of no other way of life, he is said to have become ‘institutionalized’” – Mental Hygiene (Tomasula 55). If America were a hospital, Square was a patient. He had always had the power to procreate therefore, even the thought of not being able to pass on his genes never occurred to him. He had become desensitized to the issue of a vasectomy, because it had never personally affected him, so
Nichols 4 he never really cared or thought about it. Now, it was consuming his every thought; he was fully aware. Growing up in America, people are raised with the belief that they are free to choose. However, choices were “mainly a matter of eliminating options;” they were code for restrictions or forced compromise (Tomasula 71). For Square, that is exactly what the vasectomy is, a forced compromise. If Flatland was really a land of freedom and choices, why then would Square feel so trapped and hopeless? “Were the number of salad dressings in Flatland one of the reasons some people have found it so hard to leave institutions” (Tomasula 73)? Maybe all of the choices and options were part of Square’s confusion and feeling of entrapment; perhaps he’d rather face Circle’s desires than choose for himself. In an institution, no decisions need to made, but in life they are required. Square had momentarily seen life as an institution, somewhat how people feel trapped by their own issues and seek answers amongst society (i.e. websites, peers, scientists, etc.). All of these resources have appeared from these common issues or concerns. For Square, the information about genetics, the quotes, and images have all derived from his simple paper cut which led to his over analysis of his common, but personally impending, vasectomy. Square is a representation of American individuals, specifically, at large; much like his name, his issues are square, or common, nothing extravagant or uncommon. Much like people nowadays, Square’s issues have created a societal response and the multimedia is spurring on his issue. For example, a person experiencing common symptoms may turn to the internet or society for explanation, but rather come away from those sources feeling worse about something benign. Likewise, Square has sought out ‘help’ or information about his procedure from society, who in turn caused him to see his common issue in a larger, out of proportion scale. He saw societal principles as reality, urging him to feel or do things that
Nichols 5 prescribed to their standards. All suggestions, and potential decisions, were made “for the good of society and the good of the individual, a matter of discriminating between good genes and bad; for the good of the patients” (Tomasula 117-120). Society, even the doctors, had encouraged Circle that if it were between an abortion and having a child with ‘unacceptable’ genes that she would be wise in choosing the abortion. Now, Square must get a vasectomy to please his wife, who in turn is trying to abide by society’s harsh standards, whether she acknowledges it or not. This reflects America in the reality that being different, even more so as a child, in a world of conformity is not always seen as unique, but rather as a hindrance. After all, one should follow “the trend. It’s easier” (Tomasula 248). Vas “engages with the permeable boundaries of word and letter” to connect readers with Square’s issues (Sweeney 73). The images are more than illustrations, they are physical representation of life in society today. Society, in general, is like a flame: brightly burning a mesmerizing glow of light (Tomasula135). Individuals, in general, are like moths: easily swayed and attracted to mind-numbing shine (Tomasula 137). Seeking the fire would allow one to acquire social acceptance, but one should not be surprised by the “pain” it brings (Tomasula 9). Those who follow along with society are either ignorant or smart. Square believes that “smart people had figured it out” (Tomasula 124). They had discovered the truth about society and that their level of acceptable genes and traits was, by no surprise, very shallow. Does knowledge equate to freedom or imprisonment? For Square, the more he knew the more he would have to ignore. “Families being considered the material of society; people being considered the material of families; genes being considered the material of people; people sometimes being identified as material as well, obviously” (Tomasula 251). If people were
Nichols 6 viewed as material objects, their values as a person are cheapened base on their traits, as would Square’s identity after his vasectomy. Society had taken things, unique qualities, and cheapened them for general consumption, making all things public, no longer agreeing with individuality. Individual characteristics, just like “private parts” are “often mistake for public property” (Tomasula 286). In modern times an individual no longer seeks satisfaction with their natural body, they instead seek plastic surgery or other transformations to appease society’s insatiable needs. Some have come to believe that one’s decision should apply the masses, much like an abortion or a vasectomy. Square is faced with a permanent decision all because society has deemed this procedure as the answer to his familial concerns. It has come down to the “survival of the fittest. Sadly a story of decline” (Tomasula 306). Square’s simple speech packs a punch that all readers can relate to. Once geneticists discover how a specific chromosome functions, the question of what to do with that information becomes one that cannot be ignored. Thus, this notion of ‘ordering’ or choosing acceptable genes comes to light; if you could choose how your child would turn out, would you? As the novel reaches a conclusion, so does Square reach final realizations. Circle has been urging him to take his turn and now, between her and his newfound multimedia information, he sees he has “NO EXIT” (Tomasula 274). The bold font of the two simple words reflects their omnipotent power over Square. The clock was ticking and so was the fact that he had to face his fears. Square’s “fear of closure” is something that can be seen in everyone; change can be frightening, especially when it comes to body alterations. He began, much like people do, to console himself and justify his decision to get the vasectomy. “Even if Square was his materials, it wasn’t like he was going to rewrite them […] just doing a little editing. It’s natural now” (Tomasula 312). This modern notion that editing the body is ‘natural’ is indeed
Nichols 7 unnatural; natural by definition is “existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind” (“Natural”). According to the dictionary, Square’s vasectomy was quite unnatural. The novel reveals that nature is no longer ‘natural,’ it too has been morphed to meet society’s standards; they have changed the definition, just like their bodies, to fit inside a mold. “If the human body is a text which is free for anyone to edit-anyone with resources of course-Vas shows how the body still matters” (Sweeney 79). Square continues with his realizations and accepts that although he “contain[s] the multitudes,” that the vasectomy was unavoidable (Tomasula 298). This procedure meant cutting off his potential descendants, an end to his personal heritage. “Square realized he was suffering from that genetic disease called middle age and its main symptom: Fear of the Unknown” (Tomasula 180). By giving his fear a name, Square has finally recognized the inevitable. Square is a generalization of American society; almost any reader could see a piece of themselves through his thoughts, reactions, and ways of dealing with issues. Americans, for example, tend to ignore things until they are faced with them head on and giving them a name is like recognizing reality. Content with his ‘duty’ to society, Square received strength and acceptance from the opera. It urged him that evolution was a necessary step for survival and if Square wished to survive his marriage, he would get the vasectomy. At the doctor’s office, everything becomes clear. “The doctor rushed in as doctors always did anymore, bounding from cubicle to cubicle like production-line workers who assemble jets or other bodies too ponderous to move” (Tomasula 367). The novel ends with this very anticlimactic scene; Square’s describing the procedure as something done in a production like, reveals its commonality amongst men his age. He had made such a spectacle with his thoughts and research, because of his cognitive bias that getting a vasectomy was not a pedestrian option.
Nichols 8 Americans in particular suffer with this same condition of cognitive bias; they believe that their small issues, like a paper cut, are massive. However, it is because society has responded to the individual concerns with multimedia that the small issues are suddenly given room to breathe and grow; they suddenly, in an individual’s mind, manifest themselves into much larger things than they really are. For Square a small paper cut was suddenly transformed into a genetic search of pedigree, origin, and life itself. Tomasula’s words and Farrell’s illustration give life to the issues that people tend to ignore inside of societal walls. If a person faces a problem, they usually deal with it internally, although they seek society’s advice. Now, society and multimedia are giving people more unnecessary resources to become even more cognitively biased and selfabsorbed. Does more information really lead to freeing knowledge or does it give way to a more egotistical society full of individually concerned people?
Nichols 9 Works Cited
"Natural." Def. 1. Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/natural>. Sweeney, Ron. PAPER CUTS: THE MATERIAL PAGE AND THE BODY OF WRITING. Diss. Graduate School of the University at Buffalo, 2011. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest, 2011. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. Tomasula, Steve. VAS: An Opera in Flatland : A Novel. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2004. Print.