“Y.T. is what Y.T. does.” In this
quote Y.T. is talking about how her actions speak for themselves. I wonder why
she is presented that way?
Snow Crash by
Neal Stephenson
is a book about a futuristic, apocalyptic society with a horrible economy.
After Y.T. helps out a
hacker/pizza delivery guy named Hiro Protagonist (no, really) they go out to
discover why a brain-virus being spread by a new religion is infecting people.
Y.T. “Yours Truly” is a street-wise
15-year old “Kourier” (courier) who is presented, as I said before, as the kind
of in-the-moment girl teenager stereotype.
Mr. Stephenson, from the
start, portrays her as this aforementioned kind of stereotype by having her not
tell her mother where she works and really just lying about where she is at all
times. She also drinks alcohol and has had (it is implied) more than one sexual
experience. As I read, it I became increasingly more aware of how she was shaping
up to be like a tomboy from a bad 80’s action movie. (And that’s coming from a
guy who loooooves 80’s action movies.) She refuses to do things in any way
except her own, rejects any kind of feminine activity, cracks wise, rejects all
help, and never wears a dress.
After
I noticed this it was impossible not to notice it. In almost every line of
dialogue she was acting like a stereotype. For example, she says “Name’s Y.T.” and “Maxing the Clink” (in
prison) and “You’re my boyfriend. If I get popped you’re supposed to get me
out.” (Popped = get caught during illegal activity/put in prison). After I
noticed this I started to look at the other characters, who had sort of a same
idea. For example Hiro Protagonist is a limber, Nipponese-sword wielder with
years of training by a sensei, and his ex girlfriend Juanita, is an attractive
girl with a flair for computer model design.
In addition to all this, Y.T. is
thrown into this society where everything is futuristic and high-tech, whereas
she is a impulsive, smartmouthed, and rebellious teenager, that is very out of
place for this setting.
So, in conclusion, Y.T. is a 1980’s teenager
stereotype in a futuristic setting.
