Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture
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| Author | Douglas Coupland |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Postmodern literature, Novel |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
| Released | March 15, 1991 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 192 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-312-05436-X (paperback) |
| Followed by | Shampoo Planet |
Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, published by St. Martin's Press in 1991, is the first novel by Douglas Coupland. The novel popularized the term "Generation X", which refers to Americans and Canadians that reached adulthood in the late 1980s. Coupland has stated that the novel was meant to show the lack of a single description for this group.[citation needed]
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[edit] Plot introduction
The novel, consisting of mostly brief anecdotes, portrays the economically bleak and emotionally taut lives of three friends who try to escape the overly commercialized world by living simply in California’s Mojave Desert.
The original edition of the novel, as well as most that followed, is presented in a wide-paged dual column style. One column contains the storyline, and the other contains cartoons, slogans and neologisms used to describe the lives of Generation X members. In later editions, the content in the margins is presented as footnotes.
The often biting, ironic tone of the novel and its pop culture allusions helped bring about a new era of transgressional fiction, including the work of authors Irvine Welsh and Chuck Palahniuk.
[edit] Explanation of the novel's title
Coupland took the X in the title from Paul Fussell's 1983 book Class, where the term "class X" designated a part of America's social hierarchy rather than a generation. As Coupland explained in a 1995 interview, "In his final chapter, Fussell named an 'X' category of people who wanted to hop off the merry-go-round of status, money, and social climbing that so often frames modern existence."
[edit] Plot summary
The novel's main characters -- Dag, Andy, and Claire -- have moved to small bungalows in Palm Springs, California to escape what they see as an overly commercialized world and rediscover themselves. They tell each other (and the guests that drop by) stories, some about their lives and others made up to represent aspects of their lives. These stories, as well as the main narrative, chronicle the lives for members of Generation X. Limited to careers in the service industry, unable to afford housing, and forced to live in a commercialized culture, their generation lives a bleak life that is only getting bleaker.
[edit] Characters
- Andy
- The book's narrator and main character. Andy is a bartender (a "McJob," as he describes it). He is close friends with Dag and Claire.
- Dag
- Short for Dagmar. A former office worker, he now works with Andy at the bar, and lives next door to him. He is obsessed with the possibility of a nuclear apocalypse, and is prone to occasional erratic behavior. Unlike the other characters, he is Canadian, hailing from Toronto, Ontario.
- Claire
- A friend of Andy and Dag that lives in a neighboring bungalow. She is from a large family connected by multiple divorces. She wants to live life as Andy and Dag are trying to, but struggles, partially because of her relationship with Tobias.
- Tobias
- Claire's boyfriend, and a superficial yuppie. He finds the lifestyle of Andy, Dag, and Claire interesting, but is unable to commit to it. Neither Andy nor Dag likes him.
- Elvissa
- Claire's best friend.
- Tyler
- Andy's younger brother. As the youngest child in a large family, he is somewhat spoiled, but secretly wishes he could live as Andy does.
[edit] Literary significance & criticism
The novel became widely popular after its first publication, partly due to its assortment of neologisms. Some of these terms, such as "McJob," fell into common usage.[citation needed] More notably, however, was the media’s widespread adoption of the term "Generation X" to describe the age group portrayed in the novel. Most critics praised the novel, although some criticized it for a lack of character development, a critique made of much of Coupland’s early work.[citation needed]
Many critics have linked Generation X with the popularity of grunge and alternative rock, an important aspect of the generation’s culture. However, the novel makes no reference to grunge at all -- there is little talk of any music -- and the song that is widely credited for boosting grunge into mainstream popularity, Seattle-based Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," was released after the novel’s publication. The characters' attitudes and dress styles were seen by some critics and readers as being reminiscent of grunge fans and musicians.[citation needed]
[edit] Editions
- ISBN 0-312-05436-X (paperback, 1991)
- ISBN 0-349-10331-3 (softcover, 1992)
- ISBN 0-312-11814-7 (hardcover, 1994)
- ISBN 0-349-10839-0 (paperback, 1996)
- ISBN 0-06-039250-9 (hardcover, 2000)
[edit] Notes
- ↑ Similarly, some critics have also claimed that Coupland predicted the rise of Microsoft with his novel Microserfs.
[edit] See also
