Generation X by Douglas Coupland reveals the struggles of the post-baby boomer generation in asserting themselves as conventionally successful members of society. Written and set in Palm Springs, California, the book tells the tale of three close friends who, falling into the group of people born after the post-war baby-boom, have left behind their old lives and moved to Palm Springs in search of a cleaner, less materialistic existence. Originally meant to be a non-fiction handbook for the generation born after the baby boom, Coupland’s final fictitious work had an increasingly profound effect worldwide after being published in 1991. Influenced by his own life among other things, Generation X discusses the plights faced by “twentysomethings” …show more content…
Many things influenced Coupland’s development of this story. The X in the book title Generation X, which later became the name of a generation, was taken from Paul Fussell’s 1983 book Class. Coupland explains: “In his final chapter, Fussell named an 'X' category of people who wanted to hop off the merry-go-round of status, money, and social climbing that so often frames modern existence." This description of people who wanted to leave the confines of materialistic society behind fits the author’s three main characters perfectly. He also credits the rock band Nirvana with “creating an identity for [his] generation” – it “really made my life easier. I didn’t have to explain myself.” Additionally, Coupland was living in Palm Springs (the setting of the story) at the time of writing, which undoubtedly influenced how he presented the tourist town. Years after the success of his first novel, he reflects on it: "I remember spending my days almost …show more content…
Through stories told by the different characters through fragmented narrative, Generation X opens the world’s eyes to the struggles of “overeducated and underemployed” twentysomethings. His vivid diction is a large part of the excellent word quality. Compelling issues that Gen X kids are “tired” of, most noticeably consumerism and materialism (a chapter in the book is titled “I Am Not a Target Market”), are discussed with informal but thoughtful language. The author’s own neologisms, or newly coined words or expressions, can be seen in the margins of the pages. This inventive component is eye-opening and helps the reader understand and enjoy the book better. In one case, the definition of a “Mid-twenties Breakdown” is given after the narrator notes that one of his friends has already had his: “A period of mental collapse occurring in one’s twenties, often caused by an inability to function outside of school or structured environments coupled with a realisation of one’s essential aloneness in the world. Often marks induction into the ritual of pharmaceutical usage. Another creative aspect of this book is the inclusion of cartoons to better illustrate a point. For example, the most well-known drawing from this book is of a woman saying, “Don’t worry, mother… If the marriage doesn’t work out, we can always get divorced.” These interesting traits make Generation X a more
Gen Z is later described as not similar to millennials but “‘more like their grandparents (or, in some cases great-grandparents)’, Mr.Howe said [who is a researcher and a social trends consultant]”(Williams). They grew up in the same kind of struggle, them with the Great Depression and Gen Z with the Great Recession.
While personal stories and historical references played a major role in developing her message, Kamenetz also uses rhetorical questions in the excerpt. She questioned why “everything America has always its children no longer holds true” (Kamenetz 732) and how things would turn out if people of the generation “does worse than our parents” (Kamenetz 733). The questions allow the reader to think about her claims and accusations as they progress through the excerpt. She addresses a young adult audience who are experiencing the same problems, and accuses the older generation as the source of the problem as a means to allow readers to recognize the reality of the situation.
North Americans born between 1945 and 1963 are all referred to as the Baby Boomers. During this time period or 75 million babies were born in the U.S alone. After WWII the birth rate in North America was on the rise. Growing Families created growing and expanding markets for new housing, automobiles as well as many other products such as toys, food and of course the wonderous television. Baby Boomers were the first generation in history to be raised in front of the television. The drastic increase in population completely changed the social and economic make-up of North America within a span of about eighteen years. But in the late seventies things began to change. Generation X accounts for those born between 1964 and 1981, these
Psychologists usually agree that the teenage years are among the most difficult periods in one’s life. Most teens are trying to figure out who they are, what they believe, and how they fit into the world around them. Beginning in the late 1970’s, a whole genre of fiction, referred to as coming-of-age literature, emerged and serves, at least for many teens, as believable presentations of young people learning to navigate the difficulties of their lives, often fraught with feelings of rejection, seemingly unresolvable personal turmoil, social problems, school and family issues, etc. Indeed one value of reading is to see and better understand some aspect of ourselves through studying others. The reading of SPEAK, a somewhat controversial book
As an adult reader who has crossed over to the reality of life, reading about these characters can be a transparent, futile exercise because as adults looking back at youth we have the experience to know where these characters are headed before they even start their journey. However, for young adults who are still in the throes of existential angst this is a powerful novel that handles teenage rites of passage and coming-of-age issues such as loyalty, friendship, belonging, and even death and loss very well.
Well-known essayist, short story writer and editor, Joseph Epstein, in his observational essay, The Perpetual Adolescent, indicate that modern adults behave much more childish than their previous generation peers. The Epstein’s purpose is to reveal to the reader that nowadays, people want to stay young forever. He creates a contemptuous tone in order to convey to his readers the picture of contemporary grownups’, and suggests how ridicules their immature behavior is. He’s addressing young and middle age people, and pointing out that it’s taking them too much time to grow up and mature.
While the “Greatest Generation” is a title often given to those Americans who lived and died during the era of the Great Depression and World War II, their offspring, the “Baby Boom” generation, significantly shaped and improved the American landscape as well if for no greater reason than the sheer number of people who make up this population (Steinhorn, 2006). Today, based predominantly on that very same reason, the baby boomer population is now making a very different, yet equally as profound impact on American society. More
Nearly 3.7 million American babies born in 1982 were the first members of the new Generation Y, or more affectionately known as millenials (Thompson, par. 1). Many things play into whether a generation is considered to be faring ‘better’ than another one; job opportunities, the state of the environment, whether the U.S. is at peace or at war, income vs. living expenses, the general happiness of the people, and the list goes on. Millenials are part of a special generation because
Stories of teenage years and coming-of-age have always enrapt children, teens, and adults alike. But why do they? These groups share virtually none of the same interests, and reside in very different emotional levels of life. In every other form of media, these groups can scarcely coexist—the prospect of watching Power Rangers for the six hundredth time would make any parent blanch, and the thought of their four year old asking to borrow his parents’ copy of The Canterbury Tales is laughable. And surely no other age group would condemn themselves so deeply to internet culture than teens. Coming of age stories, however, are the exception. Nadine Gordimer beautifully explains this phenomenon in her short story “A Company of Laughing Faces”.
Chapter 4 of “Generation Me” by Jean M Twenge; a professor of psychology at San Diego State University. Twenge explains that Generation Me is going through depression at a higher rate than the previous generations, causing loneliness and isolation. Twenge does a fantastic job showing all the statics from Americans born before 1915, compared with Americans born in Generation Me. Twenge describes how college students are stressed after college trying to find a job. Twenge says that student’s loans used to be payed off with a part time job in college thing have now changed. Twenge also states on how the economic system is changing. Twenge shows that things are changing for Generation Me, chapter 4 is a true warning sign for Generations to come.
Did you know that you are considered part of the first generation symbolizing the decline of the nation? Generations are labeled all the time by historians, novelists and journalist in an attempt to capture the spirit or essence of an era. But the term Generation X carries all the negativity of propaganda and stereotype.
The authors extend the comparisons using descriptions and adjectives. The past generation of youths was made up of go-getters eager to “hit the road and find freedom”; they were even the inspiration for Bruce Springsteen’s vivacious album, “Born to Run.” The authors claim that today’s youths are far from that, holding nothing back as they describe the young people of this generation. “Risk-averse and sedentary,” they don’t bother to get their driver’s licenses, are satisfied to be at home browsing Facebook, and put too much faith in luck than effort. In other words, “Generation Y has become Generation Why Bother.” The authors appeal to the audience’s sense of patriotism, stating that American is “a nation of movers and shakers” and enumerating the accounts of bravery shown by the youths of previous generations, images that are admittedly different from the image they have crafted of the modern young person. The praises and favorable descriptions that the authors lavish upon previous generations of youths contrast sharply with the lackluster and borderline-insulting descriptions of today’s young adults. The juxtapositions accentuate how far Generation Y has fallen from its predecessors and prove, once again, that its constituents are leading stagnant lives.
Each generation has certain characteristics and values with which the members of it can identify. Members of Generation X highly value their job and family time; so they try to find a balance between these two aspects of their lives. Generation X are hardworking people, but they are
“Generation X” (“Gen-Xers”), born from about 1960 – 1980, maintained some attributes typical of the “Baby Boomer” generation, but feel that their upbringing was too strict. They added an emphasis on work/life
Anyone who is familiar with our generation knows that our generation is extremely different from our parents’ generation. Thus, creates a gap between the two generations, and has been acknowledged by many sociologists. Aside from today’s young people inability to accomplish the millstones of becoming an adult, there is lot more differences between this generation and the older generation. Therefore, in this essay, I will be comparing and contrasting both generations. From how their career expectations are different, what was their definition of happiness, and how their parents played a role on making their dream or expectation turn into reality?