On the two pages of Jimmy
Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth on which a robot is portrayed using
crutches, Ware gives many insights into the life of present day Jimmy. Although
this is simply one of Jimmy’s many daydreams, it is the most realistic and
parallels his real life.
Generally speaking, a robot does what it is programmed to
do. It is constructed by another human being and then, after programming, is
left to be fairly autonomous. Likewise, Jimmy has allowed himself to be formed
and programmed by other people; while his daily phone calls to his mother are
of his own accord, she shaped him to do that because if he does not call, she
will become upset. Additionally, robots might be expected to work on a regular
schedule because of programming and Jimmy does this by speaking to his mother
every day, without fail.
Especially in society today with robots becoming more and
more advanced, robots are often used as a companion for someone who does not
have a real person with whom to talk or spend time. It is ironic, then, that
Ware made Jimmy a robot in his daydream because he is actually the lonely one.
He keeps himself company on a daily basis, trapping himself in his own mind so
that he cannot escape. His “robot” is his mind and it is his only company.
Similarly, robots often serve a “master.” In this sense, Jimmy is seen as a
robot and his “master” is his own mind. He succumbs to random and often violent
fantasies and refuses to step out of his mind and live his life in a realistic
manner. His mind will not let him free.
Overall, I think that this part of a novel has a much
colder, simpler feel because of the presence of the robot. While the robot is
meant to have human characteristics such as emotions, it is still something
manmade. Robots are things that we, as humans, have created, so we have the
ability to fully understand them. They are relatively simply, at least in
comparison to human beings. Therefore, I think that Ware was trying to portray
Jimmy in a simplistic light, showing us that he is just a man who is incapable
of holding onto his life and moving forward. He is a lonely individual and his
life is relatively uncomplicated.
Specifically on these two pages, there is not only a robot,
but a robot on crutches. I found this humorous at first because one would think
that if a machine, such as a robot, sustains damages to its “body,” one would
simply fix the machine. However, in this case, the robot is given crutches
instead. Ultimately the problem is not solved, but temporarily fixed. This
represents Jimmy’s life because he covers up his problems. He keeps himself
going with his daydreams and his dutiful calls to his mother but he does not
fix the root of the problem.
Finally, the fact that this diagram that can be cut out and
made by readers is circular is significant. Ware could have made a flipbook
that makes the robot appear to be moving but instead he made a circle. This
represents the vicious cycle of Jimmy’s life. Never finding a way out of his
problems, he continues to do the same things, living in an unfortunate circle
all the time.
Overall, Ware used the robot in Jimmy’s daydreams to symbolize various aspects of Jimmy’s life. At that point in the novel, he is not living
the full, fulfilling life of a real person, he is just going through the
motions like a programmed robot.
I agree with both of these statements. I'm going to comment strictly on the crutches note.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very symbolic that both the robot and Jimmy Corrigan are seen with crutches. Jimmy is shown to have crutches throughout a great length of the novel. This demonstrates that Jimmy is his own "crutch". When he goes to the doctor, the doctor even tells him he doesn't really need a bandage for it and that he only has a minor sprain in his foot. When Jimmy meets his father for the first time, his father tells him that he is using the crutches incorrectly. This shows that he doesn't need the crutches to walk but uses them anyways. Why does he do this? To seem more pitiful to the people surrounding him? To feel sorry for himself? I think he uses them because he wants a little drama in his life to break the monotony. A sprained foot and crutches may get him a little more attention and make his life interesting.
It is also interesting how the robot dons the crutches. The robot shouldn't need crutches, as it's made to be a perfect machine. However, Jimmy can't escape his craving for attention even in his daydream. With the use of crutches, the reader can see the similarity between the robot and Jimmy and see that even in Jimmy's daydreams he is not perfect.
I do agree that it´s incredibly interesting that Jimmy uses crutches despite the fact that he clearly doesn´t need them (at least not physically). Having said that, I don´t think that Jimmy uses the crutches to get attention—his MO throughout the rest of the novel seems to be to avoid human contact as much as possible. So it doesn´t really seem like Jimmy would do anything to encourage more strangers talking to him. To me it seems like Jimmy uses his crutches as a way to explain or excuse his lack of success in life thus far. While he´s using the crutch he can justify his lack of action, blaming the depressing state of his life on his physical limitations. It´s almost a way to surrender his own responsibility/agency—because he´s injured he can´t reasonably be expected to do anything too strenuous, like step outside his comfort zone and improve his life. He always has the excuse of “oh, I´ll do something about it when my foot heals,” so he never has to actually confront his own issues and shortcomings. Similarly, the crutch kind of turns Jimmy into a more robotic being. In the same way that robots can only function in the very limited capacity for which they are programmed, Jimmy uses his crutch to write a very restrictive program for himself.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that this page symbolizes the emptiness of Jimmy’s life, I think it also represents Ware’s theme of fluidity in the novel. If you look at the page where the robot is walking with a crutch on the top and a round shapes at the bottom (page 24), you begin to realize this scene is supposed to replicate a circular motion. There is a panel of Jimmy looking at the robot in the spinning wheel. Ware is suggesting two different things on this page. First, he is suggesting that Jimmy Corrigan’s life is going in circles and constantly repeating. Every interaction seems to be the same, and Jimmy makes no changes in his life to avoid his loneliness. If Jimmy is the robot on crutches, the panel with Jimmy looking at the robot signifies his own understanding that he is trapped. Ware also places instructions to create this type of wheel on the following page, suggesting that many readers feel the same way about their own lives, and they need to understand and see their loneliness for themselves. Adding these instructions represents Ware’s belief that many people are stuck continuously repeating their boring and lame lives. Secondly, Ware uses the circular wheel to show readers this graphic novel can be read in many different ways. Instead of reading this novel as a linear book, you can also read it with a sense of continuity. That is why the novel jumps from reality to fantasy without any warning for the reader. Ware does not want us to distinguish between the fantasies and realities of this novel to show that both elements work together to form a reader's opinion of Jimmy Corrigan.
ReplyDeleteYour points about the robot on crutches are very enlightening and clear up a similar confusion I had: why on earth would a robot need a crutch? I remember you and I talking about this yesterday, and it dawned on me why it’s so ridiculous for a robot to possess a crutch -- simply because robots would never need crutches in the first place. Giving a robot a crutch would simply be covering up an underlying problem, ignoring the fact that change still has not occurred. Robots have human “masters” for fixing them and sending them back into the world, “good as new.” These fixes, as you mentioned, are permanent rather than temporary, and thus a robot would be able to progress in life, free from injuries or obstacles.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Jimmy does not have that luxury. Of course, he has his mother, his job, and eventually his distant father, but not even Superman can pull Jimmy away from his own self-destruction. The reality that Jimmy is now an independent, thirty-six-year old adult who must solve his own problems frightens him, and rather than be his owner “master,” he succumbs to the darkness of his mind. Working through these adult issues of lust, neglect, and loneliness would take time, and Jimmy does not seem ready to allot this time of healing. Thus, like the diagram, he runs in circles in his mind, never able to make significant positive changes when the unchanging present is so comfortable. Jimmy’s mind is his master, and he leans on the crutch of his comfort zone.