Manhattan Transfer · Theme

Modernity and Technology

How Manhattan Transfer develops Modernity and Technology.

The novel emphasizes the impact of modern technology—skyscrapers, subways, ferries, telephones, and cars—as both awe-inspiring and oppressive, shaping human experience and accelerating the pace of life.

Where it surfaces

IV: Skyscraper
The skyscraper, dirigible, and advertisements represent modern urban life, while Jimmy's hallucinatory experience of the city's mechanical and commercial rhythms highlights technology's impact.