The paranoids
I have found the band known as The Paranoids to be one of the more interesting elements of the novel thus far. They are some of the few young characters, and I believe they represent the direction of society at the time (Or at least the predicted direction).
Their easy-going demeanor and constant song contrasts with the rest of the novel, which is more pessimistic and monotone. They don't bother themselves with social norms, and are perfectly willing to blast music by the pool or sneak into guests' rooms, regardless of what others may think of these actions. While being shown to her room, Miles did come off as slightly paranoid because he was suspicious of an older person offering to do something beneficial for him. Once they caught Metzger and Oedipa in the middle of an affair (a traditionally heinous action), they decided that these older people were indeed cool and even left a bottle of booze for them. The paranoids exemplify the counterculture movement.
The band is ambitious, believing that they will become successful with their music. However, the fact that they practice singing with an English accent implies that they are unoriginal. It brings up the question of whether rebellion is truly rebellion if everyone participates. Also, their careless attitude at Fangoso Lagoons might be a way for the author to suggest despite their grand aspirations, the new generation is just a bunch of dumb wannabe kids that are stealing boats. They even tried to poach the sandwiches that Metzger had brought with him.
As Oedipa becomes more and more isolated, she is stuck between two extremes: the future and the past. Either she can stick to her "old fashioned" values and be lonely, or hop on the bandwagon and ignorantly enjoy life like the Paranoids, leeching off the productive members of society. I think the band of teenagers serves to provide an idea of what the future looked like at the time, which takes into account both the positive and negative aspects.
Their easy-going demeanor and constant song contrasts with the rest of the novel, which is more pessimistic and monotone. They don't bother themselves with social norms, and are perfectly willing to blast music by the pool or sneak into guests' rooms, regardless of what others may think of these actions. While being shown to her room, Miles did come off as slightly paranoid because he was suspicious of an older person offering to do something beneficial for him. Once they caught Metzger and Oedipa in the middle of an affair (a traditionally heinous action), they decided that these older people were indeed cool and even left a bottle of booze for them. The paranoids exemplify the counterculture movement.
The band is ambitious, believing that they will become successful with their music. However, the fact that they practice singing with an English accent implies that they are unoriginal. It brings up the question of whether rebellion is truly rebellion if everyone participates. Also, their careless attitude at Fangoso Lagoons might be a way for the author to suggest despite their grand aspirations, the new generation is just a bunch of dumb wannabe kids that are stealing boats. They even tried to poach the sandwiches that Metzger had brought with him.
As Oedipa becomes more and more isolated, she is stuck between two extremes: the future and the past. Either she can stick to her "old fashioned" values and be lonely, or hop on the bandwagon and ignorantly enjoy life like the Paranoids, leeching off the productive members of society. I think the band of teenagers serves to provide an idea of what the future looked like at the time, which takes into account both the positive and negative aspects.
Great comparison between everyday teens!
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