POST-MODERNISM: La Vie mode d'emploi by Georges Perec

Postmodernism is in general the era that follows Modernism.^[1] It frequently serves as an ambiguous overarching term for skepticalinterpretations of culture, literature, art, philosophy, economics, architecture, fiction, and literary criticism. Because postmodernism is a reactionary stereotype, it is often used pejoratively to describe writers, artists, or critics who give the impression they believe in noabsolute truth or objective reality.^[2] For example, it may derogatorily refer to "any of various movements in reaction to modernism that are typically characterized by... ironic self-reference and absurdity (as in literature)" or to "a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language".^[3] It is also confused with deconstruction and post-structuralismbecause its usage as a term gained significant popularity at the same time as twentieth-century post-structural thinkers.

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_modernism)


The Story:

Between World War I and II, a tremendously wealthy Englishman, Bartlebooth (whose name combines two literary characters, Herman Melville's Bartleby and Valery Larbaud's Barnabooth), devises a plan that will both occupy the remainder of his life and spend his entire fortune. First, he spends 10 years learning to paint watercolors under the tutelage of Valène, who also becomes a resident of 11 Rue Simon-Crubellier. Then, he embarks on a 20-year trip around the world with his loyal servant Smautf (also a resident of 11 rue Simon-Crubellier), painting a watercolor of a different port roughly every two weeks for a total of 500 watercolors.

Bartlebooth then sends each painting back to France, where the paper is glued to a support board, and a carefully selected craftsman named Gaspard Winckler (also a resident of 11 rue Simon-Crubellier) cuts it into a jigsaw puzzle. Upon his return, Bartlebooth spends his time solving each jigsaw, re-creating the scene.

Each finished puzzle is treated to re-bind the paper with a special solution invented by Georges Morellet, another resident of 11 rue Simon-Crubellier. After the solution is applied, the wooden support is removed, and the painting is sent to the port where it was painted. Exactly 20 years to the day after it was painted, the painting is placed in a detergent solution until the colors dissolve, and the paper, blank except for the faint marks where it was cut and re-joined, is returned to Bartlebooth.

Ultimately, there would be nothing to show for 50 years of work: the project would leave absolutely no mark on the world. Unfortunately for Bartlebooth, Winckler's puzzles become increasingly difficult and Bartlebooth himself becomes blind. An art fanatic also intervenes in an attempt to stop Bartlebooth from destroying his art. Bartlebooth is forced to change his plans and have the watercolors burned in a furnace locally instead of couriered back to the sea, for fear of those involved in the task betraying him. By 1975, Bartlebooth is 16 months behind in his plans, and he dies while he is about to finish his 439th puzzle. Ironically, the last hole in the puzzle is in the shape of the letter X while the piece that he is holding is in the shape of the letter W.

(from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life:_A_User%27s_Manual)

The Criticism:

The story fits the theory in the sense that it is fictional and it tackles about a man who wants to live his life in a way he does without the concern of others. Which during the time it was written is nearly impossible, because of the government.

Furthermore, it tackles about how a man creates his own fate in the world in a sense that he dictates what he is going to do, but in the bitter end he is going to suffer. In the modern times this is not how life goes. Just look at our parents' lives and our lives, we are not that free even democracy is everywhere. The book is teasing us on how we can manipulate our own life, which is not so possible for we are still under the government.