So… the comparison was made in class, and now I feel personally obligated to draw it out in a blog post. It’s time to bring back around The Lego Movie and the heroic journey of Emmet Brickowski. Not only can parallels be drawn between Emmet’s and Gregor’s narratives, but we can also bring in Howie from The Mezzanine as well. All three of these characters initially (and for some, continuously throughout their narrative) exhibit a similar characteristic of being obsessed with their work. They all seemingly fail to have a sense of individualism because the capitalist system has taken over them and surrounded their worlds.
As we’ve discussed in class, all Gregor can seem to think about is his work. Every aspect of his life connects to his work. Even when he wakes up, having transformed into a giant cockroach, the first thing he can think about is the fact that he is late for work. Gregor feels the need to provide for his family because they are unable to, and so, in order to do this, he feels he must dedicate his entire life to his work. While this can be seen as a very unusual and quirky characteristic, it is also a very admirable quality that is unappreciated in his family.
Now in The Mezzanine, Howie is a lot different from Gregor. Yes, they are both heavily involved in their work, but Howie seems to enjoy his more than Gregor. Every single aspect of work and his surrounding environment enthralls Howie to no end. He is fascinated by the way the capitalist system runs, and how efficient it can be, while Gregor, although he appreciates the system at times, feels that it is demanding and exhausting. Although Gregor and Howie may seem like similar people from the outside, when you analyze their true, inner thoughts and feelings, Howie is more accepting of the system, whereas Gregor is forced to tolerate it until he can supposedly break away and be free.
Now we get to Emmet, the seemingly perfect Lego construction worker. In the beginning of the movie, Emmet’s mind had been totally brainwashed by Lord Business and his corrupt administration. He is a man (lego) who follows the rules and doesn’t complain. Supposedly, he’s “normal”; the most normal lego man one could know. He wakes up every morning by saying “good morning” and then follows instructions on how to “fit in, have everyone like you, and always be happy.” Emmet follows the instructions to fit in so well, that people don’t even notice him. He is entirely invisible to the people who are around him, making him seem totally alone and unwanted.
These three characters show what happens when a character is sucked in by the capitalist system. Although Howie’s view in more positive, we definitely get a sense that he doesn’t voice his true opinions out loud, making him seem relatively normal to those around him. Whereas Emmet yells that everything in President Business’ system is awesome. Because of this, Emmet is a social outcast. If Howie would also voice his true thoughts and feelings, I assume he would also be a less popular figure to converse with. (It makes me wonder how he has a partner...but I suppose there’s always someone for everyone). Gregor, on the other hand, is a case where, on the outside, he appears to be loving life in the system like Emmet. But deep down, he’s in pain. He is trapped by his own work and personal obligations and is therefore unhappy with his life. He isn’t able to thinking positively like Howie because of how much he realizes that the system has robbed him of a truly happy life.
So basically, these three characters represent the three perspectives in a controlling capitalist system. One of side of the spectrum, you have Emmet, who has been brainwashed by the leaders to follow instructions on how to live one’s life. Because he openly voices his satisfaction with these set rules, he is an outcast and forgotten worker in the Lego world. And then we have Howie, who also loves the system, but doesn’t voice it. He has picked up on social cues and knows what is acceptable to say and what isn’t. In a way, he has found a way to beat the system and stay happy. Good for you, Howie. And then on the other side, we have Gregor, who only voices his satisfaction with the system so he can provide for his family, but deep down inside, he is unhappy and wishes to be free. So I suppose everything is only awesome for Howie; the other two men must find other ways to truly be happy and free (and if you watch The Lego Movie, you will find how Emmet learns to find true happiness and acceptance).
There are definitely some key similarities between these three characters, namely in their lack of individuality because of a system that exploits them, as you pointed out. I think Howie definitely gives off a similar vibe as Emmett and Gregor in terms of his enthusiasm for ordinary and unexceptional things, however I think Howie fits in the least with this group because he does have more of a sense of individuality and expresses the most self-reflection of all of them. While Howie is completely intertwined with industrial consumer society, he isn't controlled by it. He still has opinions on what he loves and hates about it, and he still has thoughts about ideas and philosophies and people that aren't related to his work life. I think the fact that Howie's story has no intended plot, but is merely there to reflect on things he wants to reflect on, does show a lot of individuality. No one can read that book and find any one person who embodies all of Howie's opinions and tastes or can replace him the way Emmett and Gregor seem so easily replaceable.
ReplyDeleteI think that a really good parallel between Gregor and Emmett is the realization at some point that they weren't nearly as important to their communities as they originally thought. The interviews in The Lego Movie where half the people don't even recognize Emmett and the other half just describe him as a boring person seem to have a really negative effect on him and leave him somewhat depressed. Similarly, there's a sense as the other members of Gregor's family get jobs and become self-reliant that he wasn't actually necessary to them; it was nice to have someone to get them all money, but they were able to manage without him. While Emmett does show that he's important and has a happy ending, Gregor's family moving on without him leads to his neglect and death.
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