Analysis Of Automat By Edward Hopper - 732 Words

A Bleak Seclusion Loneliness. A choice or an imposition, it can sometimes be hard to simply shut out the world and listen to the world in our minds. Rather, as our populations and communities continue to swell, our social inclination only encourages us to broaden our relationships. In the search for a companion to disclose our superficial thoughts to, the painting Automat by Edward Hopper reminds me that it’s important to set aside a little time for self-reflecting, so that I may learn more about the one companion that I have for life: myself. Painted at the height of the Roaring Twenties in 1927, this Hopper painting depicts a solitary woman sat at a table in an automat, hence the title. The painting itself is muted and cold, complete†¦show more content†¦A comment I found especially intriguing was one of a journalist named James Peacock, who, in reference to the Automat, said, â€Å"with vivid colours against dark shades, Hopper has a knack for capturing humanity’s default state of isolation.† According to Peacock, the woman, like all of us, is a naturally introverted creature, and while I disagree that humans do not crave interaction, I appreciate Peacock’s description of how Hopper’s color scheme strengthens the somber mood. Additionally, the empty chair across from her further symbolizes that she is without company as the vacant furniture accentuates the mostly unoccupied space. While it remains unknown as to what the woman’s plan is, it can be concurred that the woman is me ant to symbolize reclusiveness. Conversely, in a more technical sense, automats have found a slight resurgence within the last few years with the opening of Eatsa in San Francisco (Stein). In short, automats are glorified vending machines, equipped with tables for eating the meals you bought sans human interaction. But this lack in the formality of ordering from a human being creates the dilemma of what automats will mean for us as a society. The practice of social situations can often be found in the interactions of those in the service industry, and Hopper’s painting only increases my confidence in the hypothesis that automats have a foreseeable future in creating a less social community. The woman sat by herself obviously