Dangerous Laughter

    Steven Millhauser's book of short stories creates an ultimate portrayal of things that while wondrous and inventive, should have never been attempted. A man sits on his workbench, scratching away at ivory, creating a button for a nearly invisible coat. This coat, whispering, 'genuis!' from every carved fur of its lining, was created to be invisible for the fulfillment of an artist with a craving. An artist whose work, while on the verge of being microscopic, should be marveled over and should be seen. A tower begins to crumble, a tower that once had rumors crawling up and down its impenetrable length; rumors that it had reached the heavens, rumors large enough to send the townsfolk up the tower's now fragmented stairs, dreaming of the monstrous fantasy that lay above their heads. Benjamin Hershfeld, the designer of shapeless yet shamelessly suggestive clothing (and later on, the painter of mobile figures, Harlan Crane) wonders about the world, providing for thankless, ravenous customers, people who mindlessly attempt to decipher their art.
     Mysterious and intriguing, all of the masterpieces represented in this book were vital mistakes, resulting in a longing for what shouldn't have been. The craftsman of invisible art, once respected in his practice, was politely and secretively mocked, regarded as a madman. But how meticulous his work had been! How alluring and unusual! It was, though, this strange and lovable art that did him in. This particular artist found himself selfishly needing more. He labored, as though in a trance, over a creation that no other eyes would be able to witness. While self-fulfilling, this practice was discrediting him, he wanted for his art to be praised by others. Yet, he had created a barrier for himself.
     The other stories are the same, creations and creators, while holding the key to their own prison, couldn't help but prefer being locked inside. Each story told the tale of how something dug a ditch for itself, and sometimes in an attempt to get out and, other times, in an attempt to redeem itself, ended up digging only deeper, slowly becoming trapped.
     In the stories this process was so gradual that I quite nearly over-looked them. Having had been transfixed by the characters settle despair, I found myself being slowly dragged down along with them, believing that they, indeed, were the correct ones. I was angered at those that attended Harlan Crane's art expeditions, how could they disgrace such a beautiful painting, dragging down the artist's name? Why be so unsatisfied with a designer's work? It's not as though Hirschfeld forced you to wear his clothes! Then, slowly, I realized why this passion was yet another critical and intentional move on Millhauser's behave. I was forced to reflect on human nature. I saw exactly how comparable the patterns of the general populace was to our reality. In the stories, the humans either blamed or dismissed what they were either angered by or made bored by. Fads in these miniature, alternate universes carry the same patterns as they do here. People to get bored, even by the most spectacular. When confused, they turn away or become red in their faces, throwing a fit. This anger leads to finger-pointing, the blaming of others, and, at the end of it all, it's always that fault of the artist, no matter how superior their work may have been.
     I do find it to be slightly ironic though, that the author of these stories is so heavily praised!