Reification as a way of control in Naked Lunch

Abstract

Burroughs's Naked Lunch presents the social, political and economic domination, manipulation and control of individual in the modern market-centered economy. Scientific techniques, politics, and addiction to power and control are the principal dimensions of control. In this process human mind, language and creative potential are reduced to the level of an object. Individual uniqueness and characteristics are brought to the level of uniformity or some identifiable form so that they are easy to control. Just as things are easy to control because they are predictable so are the human beings made by reification. For instance Dr Benway wants to replace a mouth with an anus as an all purpose hole to eat and eliminate; the common goal of all the political parties of Inter zone the Liquefctionists, the Divisionists, and the Senders, whether by proliferation or reduction, is to replace all individuality with total conformity. This objectification and reification is precisely a way of control over the human mind and body. Moreover, drugs are the ultimate merchandise and Burroughs sees addiction as part of the global conspiracy by presiding powers of our world which are determined to reduce us to the objects totally dependent on addiction as an easy way to deceive and delude the public.