Georges Perec's debut novel, 'Things: A Story of the Sixties,' chronicles the lives of Sylvie and Jérôme, a young Parisian couple deeply entrenched in consumer culture. As they seek to furnish their lives with material possessions and a refined aesthetic, they conflate this pursuit with personal fulfillment and identity. The narrative exposes the futility of their desires, culminating in an existential crisis as they face the realization that happiness remains unattainable. This theme resonates in Vincenzo Latronico's 'Perfection,' where characters express nostalgia for a past perceived as simpler in terms of identity.
In 'Things,' the couple's quest for material desires reflects their deeper struggle for identity, as they conflate personal taste with a need for understanding and belonging.
Ultimately, the characters of 'Things' are portrayed as 'tame pets,' symbolizing a society that demands conformity and reflects a sense of defeat and resignation.
Latronico's 'Perfection' echoes Perec’s work, as Anna and Tom nostalgically believe that previous generations had an easier time deciphering their identity in a complex world.
Georges Perec's debut novel cleverly critiques consumer culture, where the search for taste leads to existential confusion rather than true fulfillment or self-awareness.
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