When it comes to allegories, there have been few in contemporary literature that match the weight of Colson Whitehead's "The Intuitionist." The debut novel from the acclaimed author finds an odd premise that may not make sense at first, but will slowly come to be a provocative text full of rich imagery and social allegory. By focusing on the struggles of elevator repairmen, he helps to build an economy of ideas that are constantly clashing with each other. What emerges is a power struggle between those who have the skills and those who have the wherewithal to get operations moving. It's a striking little novel and one that is consistently entertaining. Few works could hope to be as surrealistic in painting the mundanity of life as hiding these greater truths about what it means to be alive and working for someone. It's a great start to an even greater career. Colson establishes himself as a voice to watch and it's hard to deny that he more than earns a place at that table.
With a rotating cast of characters, Whitehead introduces the reader to a list of characters who work in the elevator industry. There's a constant talk about things going up and down, suggesting a sense of upward and downward trajectory in people's careers. Even with those at the top, there's a clear awareness of how reliant they are on those beneath them. They must keep the gears operating and present things as functional. They may not get the credit they deserve, but they're even more important and often not respected within life. When one of the employees dies, it leads to speculation as to how it impacts everyone else's careers, putting certain tasks at risk. Will the hazardous working conditions be considered among the staff, or are they doomed to perilous situations for the sake of some perception of progress?
Whitehead has a knack for writing likable characters who have great interior lives. Even as they're being interrogated in odd situations, there's a sense of confusion and distrust within the prose. He's constantly questioning motives of those in charge, asking if they really know the truth. With this level of espionage, the novel evolves into a paranoid mystery about how these characters will endure this madness. What intuition do they really have to achieve a better life? The way that every dot connects together presents a taut story that never becomes dull. It's full of humor and existentialism, finding a commentary on greater society that is steeped in questions. "The Intuitionist" may sound like a novel that is ripe with complicated and even convoluted metaphor, but Whitehead presents it all with accessible language that makes these characters feel real. At no point does it fully feel removed of this world.
As far as first novels go, this is one of the best attention-getting titles that one could go with. From the plot description, it is likely that the reader will have a hard time forgetting this clever metaphor for social class struggles and the racial tensions that exist within industries. It may be simple but it's also ingenious how he crafts it as the story of evolution and creation. There is a necessity to rely on labor but what happens when that labor can no longer function? It's the fear that things will only get worse, and Whitehead's journey into everything is engrossing. It's a brilliant story with plenty of thought-provoking ideas on every page. It recontextualizes the familiar and makes one appreciate the potential of the American novel. It can be so much more. We just have to keep looking up ways to do it.
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