Analysis of Vox Book by Nicholson Baker - Essay Example

?Vox, a book by Nicholson Baker which was published in the year 1992, is a short and sharp account of a phone sex conversation between two young adults. It brazenly touches upon the sensitive and somewhat taboo issues of sexual desire, female sexuality and safe sex; all underlining a strong singular theme of sexual presentiment among the youth. The novel starts off with a rather banal tone, and picks up gradually to develop into an intimate account of the sexual thought process of the two protagonists, namely Abby and Jim. The most chastising aspect of Nicholson’s writing is that, although extremely provocative and tactile, it beautifully ceases to be pornographic. As Baker himself explains his writing style, “I'm often called obsessive. I don't think I am ... but I agree that when I decide to go in one direction I really go in that direction.” (2009: The Guardian). It makes the reader silently glance into the minds of the two characters, and thus form an exhaustive general idea about the sexual comprehension prevalent in the mind of young adults today. Vox borders on the realms of art and vulgarity, and never crosses the fine line reaching from the former to the latter; moreover, proving to be informative. As Saltzman puts it, “Can Baker do for carnal practices what he did for office procedures and washroom etiquette, which is to depict the private and perverse so ingeniously, to…..as to purge them of indecency…point. Baker implies this goal at the close of the telephone conversation.” (1999: Understanding Nicholson Baker) The plot opens with Jim and Abby dialing the same adult phone-sex line and ending up being in conversation with each other. There is an immediate sense of hesitation and sensousness in the setting. The first dialogue unfolds, “What are you wearing? He asked.”(3) The answer from the other side comes in the form of a full blown description of the clothes Abbey is wearing, written in a deliberately simplified manner, in order to bring out the eroticism of the moment. The conversation continues with Jim asking her what she’s doing and her answering again in the same resigned tone, with phrases such as ‘lying on bed’ thrown in casually, enhancing their magnetism. Baker flawlessly succeeds in depicting the exact nature of a phone sex conversation between two level headed, educated and upper middle class adults. He displays with eminent ease, the delicacy of their talk and the sensitivity of their desires, simultaneously giving the reader an inquisitive peek into the minds of young adults in today’s time. Baker helps establish a general idea of the mindset of the present generation towards sexual practices. He depicts that young adults today, are extremely comfortable and confident with their body and mind and do not shy away in accepting their sexual needs and desires. Moreover, in certain circles, stories of sexual endeavors are considered a mark of charm and wit. Abby tells Jim about a guy who gave her some silk cloth, she goes on to exclaim, “And the guy who gave it to me had not come on me. He came elsewhere—that much I was sure of.”(4) This discussion valiantly illustrates the bluntness of the sexual thought of the young, and how they treat it just as another necessity or object of desire. As a sub-theme, Baker also slightly delves into the rather undermined affair of female sexuality. It has been a common trail to assume everything sexual to have a direct relation with men. Females have been largely alienated from this concept since long, with their longings and wants brushed under the carpet in the name of morality and tradition. There has been much said and discussed about the male sexual habits, desire and in all, every thick and thin aspect of the concept. On the other hand, the subject of female sexuality remains a road on which very few have trodden. Vox makes a gallant attempt at dragging female sexuality under the limelight, putting it if not ahead, at least in the same line as male sexuality and giving it the much deserved attention and respect. “Vox was a nice book, an egalitarian book where the woman had as much to say as the man,” Baker says. (1994: Baltimore City Paper).In the book, Abby fearlessly shares her sexual endeavors with Jim and recalls each incident with a sense of humor, emotion and awe. Baker also succeeds in showcasing the supportive nature of the male society towards the opening up of women and thus gives the reader a fair idea of the changing attitudes and thinking of the people in the society. It makes the reader aware that times are changing, taking a turn for the better, and as a result the minds of people are broadening to take in and accept everything new and improved that they see and observe. This frivolous environment further encourages women to come out in the open and declare their freedom of expression and thought. It gives them the courage to take themselves seriously and say and do what they feel without the fear of society, culture or tradition. The book implants a rather astounding but tasteful alliance between the real and the imaginary, the ‘have’ and the ‘if had’. Abby and Jim both narrate imaginary sexual encounters to each other, simply making up a story in which the other person is present and then putting it out in an erotic manner in order to keep up the conversation. The most striking thing about this is that although the tales being told are nothing more than plain fantasy, the feelings aroused in both of them while hearing these stories are as true and real as they could be! The fine line between what’s in the mirror and what’s out very gently blurs as both the callers give passionate imaginary accounts of each other and become completely engrossed in them until they actually feel as if they are a part of the story being told. The reader himself is plunged into an ocean where the real and the imaginary exist as one and the exquisite use of language and thought is very clearly visible which makes it possible to achieve such realms of awareness through the written word. One such account where Jim describes Abby working in a store carving ornaments takes the reader on a delightful journey of a story within a story and by the time the reader comes out to the actual story, he has had a truly enriching story telling experience, which is both rare and awe-inspiring. On a more practical note, by talking about phone-sex, Baker very subtly makes a strong point for the importance of safe-sex. In the story, the characters experience everything one would actually feel in case of a sexual encounter, but all of it is done through the sense of hearing, through the power of speech and expression. They never ‘touch’ each other and the telephone plays the central role, helping in establishing a sexual connection between them. The book came out in 1992, a time the world was just wakening to globalization and everything new and unorthodox. People were experimenting with their minds and bodies, and sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS were on an alarming rise. To a large extent, such is the situation today as the world stands on the edge of another revolution. In such a scenario, this book lays down a fine example of safe sexual practices which minimize risk, and do not compromise on the ‘enjoyment’ section. Moreover, such a medium is free from any physical shortcomings which hover over traditional methods. Jim and Abbey can ‘make love’ as long as they have the time and the money to be on the phone. Also, there are no restrictions of place, city or country, as; Jim and Abbey are both in the opposite parts of the globe. Jim asks Abby, "Where do you live?" “In an eastern city." "Oh. I live in a western city." (4, 5) Thus the two of them live thousands of miles apart from each other and are so easily brought together in such a passionate manner with the help of a single telephonic conversation. Such is the beauty of technology which makes lives safe, convenient and happy which has been so vividly portrayed in the various pages of the book. Moreover, when two people come close in such a manner, the risk involved is both psychological and physical. The idea of phone-sex incorporated in the novel also figures out as an ‘easy way out’ for people are afraid to get hurt in a relationship. Being intimate with an unknown person through a mere phone call gives one the advantage of taking things in their stride. By being only ‘technologically’ connected, the risk of attachment, heart break and other relationship woes is nearly eliminated, making the endeavor all the more exciting and fulfilling. The characters chalk out new names for certain parts of their body and some sexual practices, thus extracting maximum pleasure out of the conversation without the risk of evaluating what the other person might think. The callers are free to fantasize about what the other person might look like, or what would be his overall personality. They can make their phone partner to be anything they want, thus giving them the complete charge of the situation. Also, they are completely at ease to end the ‘act’ when they want. It can be achieved by the simple act of disconnecting the call, without any fear of a breakout or a fight. Thus, it provides a convenient yet fulfilling way to satisfy one’s sexual desires. As Toledano puts it in his book, "There is a contract that exists between phone sex operators and the people who call. It is a contract of self-delusion. The caller agrees to pretend that he (or she) is calling a young, beautiful girl.”(2008: Phone Sex) Having said much about how phone-sex minimizes risks of both kinds and provides a straightforward solution for certain problems, the novel also boldly underlines the trend of materialization of sex by the new generation and how people these days view it as nothing else but a way to satisfy their needs and wants. Although sex has been rooted in our history and cultural practices, it was always seen as a form of reciprocation of love or simply as a means to advance one’s family. It guaranteed affection, attachment and unparallel trust between two people. However, recent times have seen young people who just see it as a means of excitement, entertainment or satisfaction for their body. Emotional attachment has taken a backseat and young people these days don’t look for companionship but straightaway plunge into the pool of sexual activities just for the heck of it. They no longer feel the need for a ‘special person’ with whom they share their innermost desires. This is very clearly evident in the novel by the fact that two completely unknown people are so comfortably discussing their sex lives. Baker has made a resolute attempt at carving out a piece of literary delicacy which tranquilly follows the part erotic part inquisitive conversation between two people. It enriches the reader with a deep and clear understanding of a complex yet fragile aspect of human personality under the garb of a fun phone call. Through the real and imaginary accounts of the two characters, Baker succeeds in telling the reader exactly what the youth has in mind when it comes to the word ‘sex’, and most importantly, what are their desires and ideals regarding the same. The story makes the reader realize how people have evolved since ancient times as far as sexual understanding is concerned, and thus provides us with a rare and tender insight into the sexual anticipations of the youth. Works Cited Baker, Nicholson. Vox. Vintage Books, 1992. Saltzman, Arthur Michael. Understanding Nicholson Baker. South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1999. Toledano, Phillip. Phone Sex. Twin Palms, 2008 Nicholson Baker: “’I'm often called obsessive. I don't think I am ... but I agree that when I decide to go in one direction I really go in that direction.’” The Guardian. 19 September 2009. Nicholson Baker: “’Vox was a nice book, an egalitarian book where the woman had as much to say as the man.’” Baltimore City Paper. 1994 Read More