In The Mezzanine, Baker does a fantastic job portraying Howie as a character with multiple interests in perspective, different from characters we've usually encountered. While his detailed analysis of enjoying a lunch consisting of milk and cookies striked a chaotic scene, as a reader, I have come to understand how concentration is vital to notice the smallest of things. His behavior-- both as a strange individual for discussing issues perceived to be private and a normal guy trying to go about his day--is what makes this book more enjoyable, and sometimes relatable, in my opinion.
I believe the reason why Howie was able to contemplate the simplest activities is a result of the lack of distractions. On more than one occasion in the book, he was able to meticulously examine and honor the functions of the simplest thing. I mean, who feels honored to work at a company that serves paper towels in the bathroom? Or feels the richness of sliced olives? Such an impression, though simple, can mean a lot about Howie’s personality. While Howie gives a detailed description of the noteworthy objects to his interest like ties, he doesn’t even give a glimpse of his own occupation. Even though my actions may not be exactly relatable to this character, the mindset put forth has left a lasting impression about what are the things that matter (and worth talking/writing about) to me as an individual.
I was cautious about getting a smartphone this summer. Before having an object of distraction, I was wary of the way body language and thoughts sent messages about people’s behavior. From my experience with peers, this was the redundant pattern I observed: when receiving an update, the person would abruptly avert their attention to their phones and furiously type away, with an occasional nod every once in awhile to reassure that they were still involved in the conversation.
This behavior, though subtle, made the “I’m kind of busy and don’t have time to talk to you” impression. However, when I got smartphone, I started to feel myself losing the sense of time and detail in my life as I had transfered my attention towards checking social updates, taking pictures, and even playing games (my little sister nags on me to play with her so she can brag to her friends that she “won” against me).
After finishing this book, I have been making an effort to detach myself from things not entirely worth my time in order to focus on the things that actually matter to me. Baker was clearly able to elucidate Howie’s passions by keeping an open eye to his surroundings. The little details in life is what makes everyday life more enjoyable, right? All in all, the depth of description pertaining to things that mattered to Howie is what made him a well-rounded character.
