All We've Got is Who We Are

        Whether you choose to call him Lewis or Teabag, young Miner has become someone very well known through his updates to the Catamount news as a man with not much purpose in life or hope of becoming someone extraordinary. We as readers discovered that Lewis was nothing more than an average, unpopular kid in high school whose results of being bullied followed him through life by his nickname. Well, what's wrong with that? Is it so bad to be someone average or a classified loser?  Lewis shows the reader that maybe all we can really be in life is ourselves and that that's just the way things are.
        Throughout the book Lewis gives us a huge insight into his life. He shows us the truth, what's real, and although some parts are extremely weird and disturbing there's still a sense of respect that comes from him being brave enough to put himself out there. When so many of his old classmates pretend, or fake happiness, Lewis doesn't try to hide anything. If something makes him happy or unhappy we know. For example, Stacy is engaged to Philly but when Lewis asks her what she sees in him her response is, "What do you mean what do I see in him? He's my fiance, that's what I see in him." (p. 203) She's not really with him out of love. It's more like it's what she thinks is acceptable and expected out of people like her and him. Whereas when Lewis spoke to Gwendolyn at one point he flat out told her, "I don't still love you. I don't still love you at all." (p. 116) Lewis might be messed up and have confused perceptions of love at times but he can still recognize who he is and what he wants out of life. I think that takes strength to step outside of the norm and be yourself.
         Towards the end of the book, after Fontana's death, Loretta tells Lewis that Fontana really admired him. She said, "He said you were a guy who did the best you could with what you'd been given." (p.222) It's at this moment that Lewis really starts to consider that idea. He always thought that his whole life was like a waste and that he didn't amount to much but, it makes him consider that that's ok. When talking about the men in his family lineage and all the great things they accomplished with their lives, Teabag states, "I guess somebody had to break that glorious continuum chain...I knew that somebody would be me."(p.178) At a young age he knew that he might not be as good as the rest but he never really expected differently.  He didn't have to be someone spectacular because he worked hard to just be himself and be brutally honest about everything. I think Lewis begins to understand this not only in his own life but in the lives of his fellow Catamounts and those around him. Mikey Saladin admitted to using steroids, Craige Sperlman spends his days reading books and magazines after his burn out with his job, and even Gary starts going back to his meetings.Even when they seem to be doing great and have everything, I believe the characters in this book really just want to be honest, open and themselves. That's why they still pick on Teabag, because no matter how much of a loser he may seem, they still respect and envy him for telling it how it is, blunt and real.
     Essentially everyone just wants to grow up and be someone productive and great in this world. We want to be someone who makes a difference and is remembered, but what if we don't? What if we end up like Lewis and don't accomplish much in life? Despite all the times that Lewis complains and expresses his dislike of things, I believe that he has accepted who he is and that he has the life he was meant to live. He can't please everyone or have everything that he wants but there are people who want to be around him despite his lacking lifestyle. That's why they asked him to speak at the Togethering and why Fontana admired him so, because Lewis knew that all he had was who he was and that was ultimately ok with him.

Lewis: All-American Masturbator

            In “Homeland,” Sam Lipsyte presents us with a character who is stuck in the past for the opposite reason that the typical American is.  Lewis Miner cannot get passed his high school years not because they were his “glory days,” but because he wasn’t accepted and still cannot seem to understand why.  In the typical story of life after high school and the ever-important high school reunion, it is the nerdy kids, like Lewis, who come back more successful and happier than their classmates who were the “cool kids.”  This is not only because the nerdy kids have the talent to become successful, but also because they have ambition and want to show everyone, including themselves, that they are in fact “winners.”  Lewis clearly does not lack the talent, and no matter what he tries to convince himself, he wants to be considered a winner, but he goes about it in the wrong way.  Instead of leaving his high school town to go out into the world and try to become successful, he stays obsessed with high school and constantly tries to puts people down to help explain to himself why he was a loser and why his classmates were wrong about him.

High school leaves Lewis with diminished self-confidence and a lack of self worth.  He is insecure, and responds by trying to love himself to an extreme degree. He completely rejects the idea of self improvement because he feels since there was nothing wrong with him in high school, there is no reason for him to change. He rejects the idea of making something of himself because it “implies I am both the raw material and the artisan manipulating it.” He feels like if he goes out into the world and tries to better himself, he is admitting that he was a loser in high school and this is something he will not do. He spends the book trying to convince himself that he is happy with where his life is, and since all he thinks about is high school he is really trying to convince himself he is happy with his high school status, but he clearly wishes he was more accepted and more part of the community. This thinking is exemplified in his relationship with Gwendolyn. He clearly loves her but can’t deal with the fact that she doesn’t love him back, so instead of going out and finding another girl, he spends his time thinking about it in order to justify it to himself.  He decides he is the world’s best masturbator, which is clearly an attempt to convince himself he doesn’t need women because he loves himself.   He tries to convince himself that he is so much smarter and more independent than other people that all he needs to be happy is himself. To Lewis, other people must not be as good as he is at masturbating so they need a women, and other people must not be as happy with themselves so they try to improve. With this view of masturbation, we see a lot of Lewis’s view on life.  He literally and figuratively views himself as the best at loving himself, and he’s proud of it. 

Overall, Lewis is too clever for his own good.  He can’t get anything done because he over analyses everything. He is honest with himself about where he is, but not about what he wants. He wants much more out of life but isn’t willing to put himself on the line to get it. He has an idealized view of himself and he is afraid that if he really tries at something and fails at it this view will be ruined and he will have to face his deep insecurities head on.  These are the fears that cause him to ruin his relationship with Gwendolyn, hold him back from being more successful in his career, and ultimately keep him from experiencing any excitement in life. Lewis has his life views down, but he lets them get in the way of his actual living of life. 

A scared little boy

   
    Lewis Miner proves a failure in every sense of the word. Since high school, Lewis has virtually accomplished nothing professionally, struggles with relationships, and has let himself down personally. These failures are not a result of unintelligence or misfortune, simply fear. Lewis is afraid that by undertaking any serious task that he will leave himself vulnerable and exposed.  He makes an effort to conceal this fear with a constant and witty sarcasm protecting his own false reality in which he is special.
    Perhaps the first insight we receive into the failures of Lewis is his writing style. He clearly possesses  an above average writing ability using advanced vocabulary and expert prose. For example on page 1 the words “Let a fever for the truth speed it now. Let me stand on the rooftop of my reckoning and sought naught but the indisputable: I did not pan out.” It is later revealed that Lewis works at a newsletter creating soda fun facts that he often forges. He does not take his job seriously, find any meaning in it, but yet does not express a desire to find a career more suited to his abilities. Lewis seems take a smug pleasure in the ridiculous lies he concocts (page 15) referring to his work as “crap”, but in a way seems proud of his ability to deceive others. It would be one matter if Lewis was content with his soda writing newsletter, but it is clear to the readers that Lewis does not even value his own job, yet seeks no route of improvement.
    Lewis uncharacteristically reveals some of his true feelings on page 4, stating “ What you may not realize is how much I truly loved here”. Lewis’s future actions however do not support this statement. He berates her relationship with her brother calling it “incestuous” does not make any sort of effort to commit and is eventually dumped. Lewis treats the relationship with a sense of child-like maturity, frequently telling Gwendolyn to go “fuck yourself”. Gwendolyn recognizes Lewis’s arrogant and sarcastic attitude saying “you wake up every morning like you should get a parade”. It is this arrogance combined with Lewis’s inactivity that eventually drives Gwendolyn to break up with him.
    Most important of all, I believe Lewis fails himself. We rarely see any true emotion expressed, and when we do, it is quickly covered with his defensive sarcasm. On page 117, Lewis expresses a deep seriousness when speaking of settling down with Gwendolyn, but quickly reverts back to his crude language calling her “a dumb selfish cunt”. This quick reversion into his old ways perhaps signifies a refusal on Lewis’s behalf to truly experience his deeper emotions. Lewis’s extreme loneliness is also revealed through his interaction with Auggie Tabor. Their first interaction is riddled with cynical banter (pg 96-97), and Lewis later described his reason for talking to Auggie is to avoid the “terrible silence”. Lewis makes no effort to experience any emotion at all. The brief glimpses of his deeply personal side reveal a troublesome personal conflict, but is always quickly covered with a quick reversion to his original behavior.
    Lewis is afraid of the real world. While this is something I can sympathize with to some point, Lewis takes it to an extreme level. He is not content with his career, yet makes no effort for change. He will not commit to Gwendolyn and fears her poignant yet accurate comments about his arrogance. He even will not admit to himself that he is miserable and feels horribly alone. Lewis’s inner misery is a result of the world it is something he has created. He lives in a false reality where he believes himself the most clever and intelligent; however, Gwendolyn provides a challenge to this reality which he does not appreciate. He is afraid of having his reality shattered. He is afraid of failure in the real world, and would rather live in his false reality than admit he is miserable and take the necessary steps to improve his quality of life.

Teabagged by Life

            Through a series of submissions to the Eastern Valley High alumni bulletin, Lewis Miner rants about his failures in life and criticizes nearly everyone that he knows. It is evident through his lack of productivity, wasted potential yet arrogant attitude, and critical outlook on life and those involved in it, that Miner is a self-absorbed, underachieving loser.

            Miner, or “Teabag” as his previous classmates referred to him, lacks a substantial job, has little responsibility when it comes to paying his bills on time, wastes a significant amount of time on his weird obsession with women’s calves and leg warmers, and consistently does drugs with his stoner, best friend Gary. His actions hardly reflect that of a grown, working man, but he is proud of these hobbies and views them as accomplishments. His constant state of over-analysis and pointless stories reflect his lack of productivity. Miner no longer has a license because he just “can’t deal” with the stresses of driving, demonstrating his denial of anything requiring energy and focus.

            Perhaps the most unlikable trait in Miner is his arrogance. He has wasted potential, knows this about himself, but chooses not to change anything. Despite his failures, he views himself highly and makes comments such as “I count myself among the wise. My misadventures have taught me to covet the little things, to cherish, in short, the short straw” (pg 3). He also often notes his lack of motivation, “I am more than satisfied to remain unsatisfied” (pg 3), which is most evident in his menial job. Obviously gifted in the field of sarcasm and wit, with a passion for writing, Miner instead works for a newsletter called Fizz, producing FunFacts that he likes to call “FakeFacts” about soda. Gwendolyn recognized his self-absorbency and tells him “you wake up every morning like you should get a parade” (pg 4) to which he rambles about how he does deserve a parade because of his terrible nightmares. Lewis actually possesses a greater amount of intelligence than his career would suggest, but not even attempting using his skills represents a greater failure than possessing no intelligence at all.

            Another distasteful habit of Miner, reflecting his lack of character, is his constant criticism. He criticizes himself “I did not pan out” (pg 1), but more often he criticizes the people in his life, reflecting his own insecurities. From the start of the story, Miner makes fun of former Eastern Valley High principal and publisher of the bulletin posts, Fontana, with whom he shared many conversations. Fontana may have lacked some direction in life and shares similarities with Miner, which Miner recognizes “men like me and Fontana....we pull up lame, or just plain fade,” (pg 3) but he at least had a somewhat substantial job and shows a sense of character. Miner’s repeated criticism of Fontana in phrases such as “He’d maybe lit out from one of his busted selves years before, wandered tundras of indecision, kept himself alive in bleak altitudes...” (pg 18) reflect on his awareness of his own lack of direction. Miner constantly refers to his “fellow Catamounts” to whom his posts are written, with demeaning names such as “Valley Kitties” (pg 4) and “Ostrokitties” (pg 61). His criticism largely falls on the successful graduates from Eastern Valley High, including Doctor Stacy Ryson and State Senator Glen Menninger whom he consistently mocks and condescends. These constant criticisms represent the expression of Lewis’s deep insecurities that he refuses admit to himself, instead degrading others.

            Miner’s pessimistic outlook on life and cynical perspective of himself is probably the cause of his failure. Even when some sense of regret is apparent when Miner meets with his father and wants to discuss how he has been a disappointment (pg 4), he quickly shakes it off and continues a meaningless rant. However, analyzing Miner’s seemingly worthless life and thought process opens up an interesting point. Perhaps it is the others who spent their life studying and working long hours with goals of making money, who never stop to analyze their life or realize in the end everyone is the same, that are the true losers.

Disappointment in Life

Lewis seems to have many internal conflicts in his life that take a toll on his emotional wellbeing and from the very beginning of the book we see a strange father son dynamic between Lewis and his father. Most of the time this insight into their relationship is some sort of conversation between the two followed by what Lewis thinks his father’s words really meant. But mostly Lewis thinks his father isn’t proud of the life he has lived and the person he has become. This lack of pride weighs down on Lewis and he carries the burden of disappointment around with him. It’s a side of Lewis that we as readers aren’t shown often, but when Lewis does open up, I can tell we see how he truly feels about his relationship with his father.

I first noticed the tension in their relationship when Lewis sold his car, which in retrospect seems like a weird thing for a dad to get upset about. It was Lewis’s choice, as a grown man, whether he wanted to own a car or not. But Lewis’s father said to Lewis, “America is a car country” and went on to explain how Lewis can’t “buck the system” if he isn’t even a part of the system (38). At the same time, Lewis’s father told him he doesn’t care what Lewis does in life because the world doesn’t revolve around anyone’s happiness. To an outsider this statement counters the argument of Lewis being a disappointment, but really to Lewis his father was saying, “be your own disappointment. There’s a whole wide world to fail in” (41). We will never know what “Daddy Miner” really meant by his statement, but we do know how Lewis responded to it and the lasting imprint it left on him. Lewis gives off the impression that he doesn’t care what the world around him thinks of the choices he has made in life, which may be true, but he certainly cares what his father thinks.

On Hazel’s birthday (Lewis’s mom), Lewis asked his father a question that really stood out to me. He said “are you proud of me” dad (178)?  His father only responded, “I didn’t say that. I said you were a good boy” (178). It is little insights like this into Lewis’s life that show he does care about the world around him and there’s more to the strong barrier he puts up in his writings to his high school class. Lewis is missing the one person in his life who should be proud of him for whatever he does and he doesn’t have the motherly figure he can turn to when life is though. I think this is one of the reasons Lewis has a distanced relationship with his father and the reason he feels like such a disappointment. 

The Power of Love

Through all his rebellion and distain for society, try as he does, there is no way of denying that Lewis (like most people of the world) has fallen heavily to the powers of love. In fact, it can easily be said that love is the one factor that motivates Lewis beyond all other aspects life. As readers, we can come to such a conclusion by looking back at several different character interactions between Lewis and those that surround him.

The first interaction of love occurs, most obviously, between Lewis and his mother. While Lewis recounts the tale of his mother’s act of candy bar theft, the admiration and affection that Lewis feels are irrefutable. Lewis is not angered by the theft, but rather in awe of it. Whereas most kids would have resented and begrudged such behavior, Lewis on the other hand makes it his new goal in life to become a great sorcerer as his mother once was. Throughout the novel Lewis continuously jumps back to recollections of his mother. Lewis longs for the unconditional love that was once showered upon him in his youth.

The love that Lewis felt for his mother appears even more prominent an aspect of Lewis’s life when one looks back at the other interactions depicted in the novel that deal with the subject of love. Take for example Lewis’s first talk with Gary’s mother. While Gary’s mother believes that Gary is nothing more than scum beneath her feet because of all the mess he has put her and her husband through, Lewis is quite candid in challenging that thought. Gary’s mother claims that Gary ruined her life. In response, Lewis states that Gary “ruined his, too.” Gary is Clara’s son and, in Lewis’s opinion, familial love is one that should never be challenged. Rejecting one’s own son is “against nature.” For the first time in the novel Lewis defends someone other than himself, throwing blame on Clara for Gary’s troubled past. Lewis is not only defending familial love for Gary’s sake, but also for his own. Mother-son love is all that Lewis has ever found respite in, and by challenging such love one also begins to challenge the very essence of Lewis’s recollection of his late mother and thus, a big portion of his very existence.

Another instance when love becomes a point of reality for Lewis occurs when Lewis talks to Jared’s dad regarding what arrangements will be made now that Jared has been found to have a serious drug problem. Jared’s father is very pointed with Lewis. Jared’s father has set his mind on sending his son away to prison so that he will not continue to be “the pampered brat he is now.” When Lewis attempts to justify this statement by labeling it “tough love,” Jared’s dad immediately shoots the idea down. “There’s no love in it anymore,” he states, and the conversation is taken no further. Lewis, for once, makes no comment at all regarding the subject. He expresses no opinions or pessimistic impressions. Once again, coming nearer to the reality of lost parent love, Lewis has no words and chooses not to accept what he is told.

In conclusion, one might point out that the book even ends with a statement of love. After Gary has insulted Lewis’s mother, Lewis whacks Gary on the head. When questioned about the act Lewis responds that, “that would be love,” underhandedly implying that love is something that Gary couldn’t possibly understand, and thus ending the book. Throughout the novel, Lewis’s love for his mother appears to be a lone constant in a world of perpetual change. When all else has failed Lewis and left him is desolation, his ultimate love for his mother and his remembrance of her love for him remains. Above all else, there is love, and there has always been love. That is one thing that Lewis has not failed in, one thing that cannot be undone. 

Home Land Activity 2

Home Land has a cast of vivid and memorable secondary characters. Many of these seem to function as foils to the protagonist, Lewis; in other words, it seems as though we're meant to compare and contrast different aspects of these characters and their actions with Lewis. With your group members, choose two of the following characters and note their similarities and differences to Lewis. What does this comparison reveal about Lewis, or about any of the novel's broader themes? Why do you think the author included this character? Write your answers in your group's Google Doc.

- Gary
- Lewis's father
- Lewis's mother
- Principal Fontana
- Bob Price
- Stacy Ryson
- Auggie Tabor
- Gwendolyn
- "the Kid"

Home Land Activity 1

In Chatman's terminology, Home Land is obviously a heavily filtered novel; we see all of the events through Lewis's eyes, and he relates everything to us in a heavily guarded, largely ironic narrative voice. While nearly all of the novel is rendered in Lewis's highly sarcastic style, there are moments when his shield drops and the character's deeply-held beliefs and values are revealed.

Work with your group members to identify two such passages. Note both what aspect of Lewis's real or innermost character is revealed by the passage, and explain how you know that Lewis is being sincere rather than ironic, using specific evidence from the text to support your contention. Write your answers in your group's Google Doc.

Reading Quiz Sep 26

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1VqTKlgMn0XiAeMQRjWtnu4RLNXTpnpufntTaxfRVn08/viewform

Reading Quiz 9-24

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11bZaI-uH-Gumo4dl2GOTPw9YHCXHPtciYC_IW4xpzIo/viewform

Bonus Reading Quiz 9-19

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aXTTCSOPHm9M-EWJ6XVbNeVrmsJagJNbtRCuHPQQYzY/viewform

Activity: The Thing Without a Name / CYE

Find a passage in which each of the following figures confronts a desire to know the unknowable:

- Popo
- The narrator of "The Thing Without a Name"
- Mary from "CYE" as a young girl
- Mary the character-narrator of "CYE"

For each passage, briefly describe the character's attitude toward the unknowable object, and how s/he deals with that desire.