I am going to go with the cellphone
as a symbolic form. Nowadays it is impossible to go anywhere without seeing
someone with a cellphone, whether it be driving, a business meeting, or even
the bathroom. These devices provide users with nearly everything but ultimately
it simply connects the world to each other. It allows users to do individual
tasks like reading or playing a game like Candy Crush but it also gives way for
conference phone calls or video chats. It incorporates everything needed to
stay connected to the world in a small, distinctive device.
Most importantly, in terms of
symbolic form, the cellphone contacts everyone on a global level. It takes
Moretti’s form of the nation-state and multiplies exponentially. While marriage
in Austen novels expands to a nation, cellphones expands to the globe. It can
even incorporate marriage to some degree (weird dating apps). The technology of
the 21st century simply expands Moretti’s definition. Business is now much easier on a global scale
and talking to someone overseas is no longer a hassle. Something so small
connects not just two people, but also an entire population.
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