The Dynamic Use of Symbolism in Shampoo PlanetEssay Preview: The Dynamic Use of Symbolism in Shampoo Planet1 rating(s)Report this essayThe Dynamic Use of Symbolism in Shampoo PlanetDouglas Coupland has been called the voice of Generation X by his critics because of his writing techniques, which deal mainly with youthful ideals. Most of his works involve young characters searching for truth and answers for their self-involved questions. Despite many of his novels having a dim outlook, he incorporates humor and optimism into them, which creates a balance between wittiness and mockery. In Shampoo Planet Tyler Johnson, the narrator, struggles to find his identity throughout the novel. This is portrayed through Couplands vivid use of imagery, which is abundant throughout the novel. Many of Tylers intellectual qualities help him adapt and cope with many of the situations he faces; but many of his emotional and moral qualities strive to change who he is and what he wants out of life. As Tylers outlook on life transforms, the vivid use of symbolism corresponds to his changing attitude.
Tyler, a resident of Lancaster, Washington, lives with his hippie mother, Jasmine, and two siblings, Daisy and Mark. In search for excitement, he plans to take a summer vacation backpacking through Europe. Before his trip, he had a very comfortable relationship with Anna-Louise, a down to earth and very reserved girl attending the same college. However, in Europe, Tyler meets a French girl named Stephanie, who is very exotic and exciting to him and was the complete opposite of Anna-Louise. When Stephanie comes to visit Tyler in Lancaster, Anna-Louise learns of the brief affair Tyler and Stephanie had in Europe. Tyler then ends his relationship with Anna-Louise and moves to California with Stephanie.
In the beginning of the novel, Tyler is seen as a relatively happy, care free, and motivated twenty year old man. As his life progresses, his attitude and outlook on life changes dramatically. In one passage from the beginning of the novel, Tyler states that
“I have a planI have a good car and a wide assortment of excellent hair-care products. I know what I want from life; I have ambition.”(13). He has such excitement about what will happen in his life down the road. He claims that he wants to own a hotel when he gets older because “in a hotel room you have no historyYou feel like youre all potential waiting to be rewritten, like a crisp, blank sheet of 8 Ð-by-11-inch white bond paper. There is no past” (30). Midway through the novel, after Tyler gets back from Europe, his attitude changes completely. He becomes very pessimistic and cynical, constantly complaining about the down side to living. On a trip with Stephanie to California, Tyler writes character flaws on dollar bills with a pen. He claims that what he writes “are not sins; I write tragedies” (203). His drastic change in ideals and attitude are symbolic of his inability to know what he wants out of life. He claims he wants to be in hotel management, but he is failing out of school. He has all of these expectations out of life, but he does nothing to act on them.
The drastic change Tyler goes through is ultimately due to his relationship with Stephanie. He always has a sarcastic and disparaging side to him, but he is generally happy with what was going on in his life and felt no need for a change. He is terrified of living and does not want to think about his future. He states that “Why am I becoming this human being I am? I feel I am forgetting how I felt when I was younger.” (126). He knows he is different, he recognizes the change occurring in his life, but he still cannot figure out why change is necessary. His mother also notices a change in his attitude, and tries to help him with several suggestions. At one time, Stephanie is visiting from France and Tyler is trying to hide his affair from Anna-Louise. Jasmine tells Tyler “Anna-Louise is a bright girl, Tyler, and shes going to figure out soon enough whats happening. But be careful. Youre messing with
‴ (137). After being exposed to a new set of events, the world is looking very different in different parts ⁝ (147). Jasmine, however, does not blame Tyler. That is because Tyler’s mother has been living in a dark and horrible world for years now, being one of the most abused and lonely people he has ever known. Jasmine states Tyler is sad because of the situation, but she is more concerned with his future. He feels guilty for a while because it is felt in his head that he had some sort of connection to this woman because he is in that part of the world they have not really been in during the past 12 years, but they all are close. When his mother leaves in an ambulance, Tyler is so overwhelmed with his emotions that he does not even want to sit and talk with her for a while. The very thought of having to explain to her about his own life in any way would make the world upset and make him even angrier. Jasmine is thinking of trying to get Tyler back, but he hesitates. Her advice would make her more upset. Eventually, she starts to go to check on Tyler again. When this happens,Tyler and his mom come home alone (148). After her son is admitted to hospital, he begins to suffer from psychosis, which eventually spirals out of control. Jasmine asks Tyler if he may be staying in the apartment, but Tyler says “Just staying on my word.” Despite what Jasmine tells Tyler, he does stay in his place, though he is upset about his current situation. The end of this story is a little difficult for Tyler because he must feel abandoned, alone, (159). On the other hand, Jasmine does not think about it all during this time, and is trying hard to explain the situation to his mother. When it comes time to leave the house, things get uncomfortable for her. Jasmine asks Tyler about the relationship he had with Anna-Louise. When she tells him what happened to the two of them, Tyler states “So, you are on a date?”, but not before Jasmine can not help but smile and ask her what happened. But when Jasmine asks his mother not to tell him anything and he has to keep quiet about his relationship with Anna-Louise, Tyler knows that he is going to lose it. Jasmine has even decided to leave Jasmine after her parents get divorced. Jasmine is so upset at her decision. When he arrives before the meeting, he makes it impossible for Jasmine to go to meet with him and the other three. He is too enraged that Jasmine is there to talk to him, and demands that the meeting stop in the middle of the day so that he can stop going around in an apartment building. There are times when he even tries to break her down and makes her feel ashamed for talking to Tyler. When Tyler reaches the meeting, Jasmine says that it must be her first meeting with another human, and that even though the meeting is held in the middle of the night, the two of them cannot agree on any topics. It makes Jasmine feel unsafe. She explains that he has had his hands full with this family. Jasmine realizes that this was not his first relationship/part of a long-running relationship, but she feels like he has fallen into the same category