Literary Mechanisms in "Everything I Never Told You"

When you hear the word "system," what do you think of? A system of parts? Rebelling against the system? What about a "mechanism?" Do you think of a light bulb? Or to you think of automobiles?Now, what's the difference? They seem pretty interchangeable, right? You may not know, but there is one key difference between the two.

Systems are continuous cycles that can be represented either abstractly, or more literally, such as a system of parts or going against "the system." Mechanisms, on the other hand, also take advantage of many different components working together, but their goal is to create a desired product or achieve a specific function. For example, a light bulb is considered a mechanism, as the different components of the light bulb work together to achieve a certain function: light. So, the main difference between the two is that mechanisms are working to produce a goal or product, whereas systems are a continuous cycle of different parts, without an obvious goal. Now how to this relate at all to "Everything I Never Told You," by Celeste Ng? The author's narrative in this novel uses literary mechanisms and various themes to create a final product to the reader: a novel full of many deeper meaning, emotions, and undertones.

The first way that "Everything I Never Told You" is similar to a mechanism is through the author's use of flashbacks, which flashes back to Marilyn and James' past lives, and their two different experiences: Marilyn's need to stand out, and James' desire to blend in, to be just like the rest. “Because more than anything, her mother had wanted to stand out; because more than anything, her father had wanted to blend in”(Ng 25).The flashbacks broaden the perspective of the story, allowing the reader to comprehend Marilyn and James’ mixed, complicated feelings toward one another, and to also show her their family has been influenced by their pasts. Marilyn is determined to live a richer and more productive life than her mother’s trivial one. Her primary focus will continue to affect the family and how Marilyn acts throughout the novel in the face of tough situations. Flashbacks are one of the several mechanisms Ng uses to create her final product, working hand in hand with the other literary components.

James' affair with Louisa can also be considered a literary mechanism working toward the novel's primary function. The reader can most likely predict that nothing good will come out of it and that sooner or later, someone will find out. Although James feels guilty about what he is doing, he feels as though it helps him to escape the chaos of his family life. James' affair with Louisa conveys a theme of anxiousness, since it is likely that someone will find out, but also offers an explanation of how James is affected by Lydia's death. This component of the mechanism works well alongside Lydia's death: the crux of the story's mechanism.

Lydia's death can be looked at as the core or focal point of the novel's mechanism. Her death is the obvious conflict in the story, and the other components seem to branch off of it. Lydia's death puts a strain on the family's well-being after finding out the terrible news, and not knowing what caused it. Marilyn is especially distraught after the occurence. "What Marilyn has been doing is pacing Lydia's room, tingling with fury. It's obvious what the police think, with all their hinting. No evidence of anyone in the boat with her. Would you say Lydia was a lonely girl?(Ng 118-19). Marilyn is dumbfounded as to why Lydia is dead, and is trying to work through all the possible reasons. They're not sure whether it was due to Lydia's loneliness or caused by an outside force. Lydia's death works as the driving point of the novel's mechanics, since it causes an overall sense of bewilderment in the family, as well as affects their relationships with one another.

The flashbacks in the story, as well as Marilyn's perspective on traditional gender roles are also highlighted after Lydia's death, which illustrates the connection between flashbacks and the main conflict, showing how the mechanism uses its different parts to work together. Due to the death, James is convinced that Marilyn is driving herself insane. After the two of them argue, James says, “Because you’re acting hysterical. You hear one news report and you get all these ideas in your head. Let it go. James still hasn’t lifted his head from his hands. Marilyn, just let it go”(Ng 115). When James says this to Marilyn, she instantly defends herself, suggesting that James is also being sexist and perpetuating traditional gender roles. “So I’m just a hysterical housewife? Marilyn’s voice is cool and sharp now, like the edge of a steel bland, and under the table Hannah hold her breath”(Ng 116). The death causes a multitude of emotions for the Lee family, and brings out tensions between the parents, as well as Marilyn’s views on traditional gender roles, which she is trying to break free from.

The novel "Everything I Never Told You" closely follows a traditional model of a mechanism: a system of individual parts working together to create a product, goal, or achieve a specific function. The narrative is the result of the different literary elements working together, where interesting parallels between each component are revealed; the connection between Lydia's death, James and Marilyn's lives, as well as the cultural and gender influences that drive the novel. So next time you hear the word "mechanism," hopefully you'll think more outside the box.