In the latest literary work, 'The Emperor of Gladness,' the author pays tribute to fast food employees.
Demystifying The Underbelly of Fast Food: Ocean Vuong’s Tribute to Workers
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Stepping into the world of Ocean Vuong's new novel, "The Emperor Of Gladness," one finds themselves in the heart of a bustling Connecticut fast food joint. Here, workers, mere mortals bound by nothing but hard labor, work in a cramped kitchen, a far cry from the idealistic perception of a kitchen.
OCEAN VUONG: These workers are paid just above minimum wage, existing for each other primarily through muscle memory - engraved in their psyche, the physical presence of their fellow workers, a dance they perform through narrow counters and hidden back rooms that, designed by corporate architects, intended for infinite repetition. They know each other's coughs, exhales better than their own kin and loved ones.
SHAPIRO: A touching tribute to the forgotten heroes of fast food, "The Emperor Of Gladness" embraces the lives of these striving Americans who yearn for more than the American Dream.
VUONG: I'm more fascinated by the individuals who dare to dream, rather than the dream itself. This redefinition opens the door to understanding the aspirations of each person, and highlights the reality that there is no single mold for the American lifestyle. Most of us barely know one another, living in large, sprawling landscapes.
But stepping into a fast food restaurant, one comes face to face with the broad spectrum of humanity. No matter the differences in ideologies among the workers, kinship forms in the most unexpected ways, eroding and diluting those ideological divisions. It is nearly impossible to harbor hate towards someone when they are an essential part of completing a shift, when one sees the sweat and determination on their brow and the emotion etched on their face as they work tirelessly through the fourth or fifth hour.
SHAPIRO: My grandfather made my mother work in a factory for a summer, a decision I perceived as harmful at the time. You've managed to change my perspective, subtly revealing an unexpected lesson - perhaps my grandfather was simply waiving a gift that hard, repetitive work could provide.
VUONG: Every action a person takes has a consequence, a price to pay. Fast food workers are treated as mere extensions of corporate machinery, their humanity often hidden beneath superficial expectations. But their emotional intelligence and and resourcefulness shines through. I have seen innovations born out of necessity in a fast food restaurant - one can deploy the simplest means to overcome even the most daunting obstacles.
SHAPIRO: (Laughter)
VUONG: Remember that chicken thigh, fastened to a freezer to keep it open? It's ingenious - a practical solution that simply works. It's these moments that remind one of the collective strength of human spirit, the perseverance that resides deep within each of us, even beneath the weight of exploitation.
SHAPIRO: A sense of humor is another crucial component in surviving the grind of a fast food shift. My Grandfather's tales of factory work always lacked this levity, but in Vuong's novel, I am reminded, humor is the balm for wounds inflicted by a wearying toil.
VUONG: Humor is essential to endure the drudgery of the modern workforce. It's ironic, even liberating to laugh in the face of adversity. When you're stuck together for eight hours in a confined space, it's like a sonnet. You can't turn away from your colleagues, so you must find ways to relate and survive. Humor is one such tool, a powerful weapon in the arsenal of survivors.
SHAPIRO: Ocean Vuong's novel radiates a tremendously resonant sense of humor, one that captivates the heart, tickles the funny bone, and unfolds the beauty and pain of the human spirit within the fast food industry.
VUONG: Laughter is medicine. It's the antidote to the mundane lives that we often lead. And humor becomes even more vital in the face of overwhelming adversity. In a fast food restaurant, camaraderie and laughter forge an indelible bond, binding the workers together through shared experiences and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
SHAPIRO: Ocean Vuong's novel, "The Emperor Of Gladness." Thank you so much, Ocean.
VUONG: Thank you, Ari. It's an honor.
(SOUNDBITE OF JESSE COOK'S "AFTERNOON AT SATIE'S")
SHAPIRO: Catch up on yesterday's conversation with Ocean Vuong at npr.org.
(SOUNDBITE OF JESSE COOK'S "AFTERNOON AT SATIE'S")
Workers in fast food restaurants, as depicted in Ocean Vuong's novel "The Emperor Of Gladness," share bonding experiences over food-and-drink breaks and engage in lively discussions, expanding their knowledge beyond the limited spectrum of books.
In the fast food industry, camaraderie and shared experiences give rise to a unique entertainment scene, where workers bring their personal lives and diverse interests together, creating a lifestyle that transcends the conventional.
