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Excerpt

Excerpt from "Undo": A Novel, by Joe Hutsko

"I sent him a message," Matthew said. He realized that he needed
to check to see if William had received the memo and replied to
it. His concern asserted itself. "William's not going to be
pleased. He wanted me to exhaust every possibility to keep Peter
onboard. But after seeing the way he reacted I doubt he'll stick
around." Matthew stood. He had to use the toilet...but rather
than use this one he wanted to use the one downstairs. "I better
go check my e-mail," he said, excusing himself.

He hurried downstairs to his library office. He turned on his
computer and hung his jacket over the chair. His Joey was
outfitted with every add-on option, including a color monitor, a
CD-ROM drive, a laser printer, and a mouse. Seeing the mouse
lying there, he abruptly remembered Laurence and the thoughts
he'd had of her yesterday in his car; he recalled too the image
of her lovely hand clutching the manila folder less than an hour
ago in his office. While the computer started up, he went into
the library's small toilet. He stood before the toilet and opened
his fly. At the same time he closed his eyes, concentrating.
There came no flow. Instead, he felt himself hardening in his own
hand. He locked the door, dropped his trousers to the floor, and
seated himself. At the age of ten, Matthew Locke had had the good
fortune of discovering masturbation. It had altered the course of
his life forever. For whenever he became distracted from his
studies, thinking about girls instead of geometry, he had simply
relieved himself. It was to this dedication that he owed his
success. It had enabled him to focus all of his energies on
important things. He had achieved autonomous coupling - a boy and
his hand. Even in college he favored this method. Of course there
had been girls, but none of them ever proved worth the time or
effort. Though this was the price he paid in order to come so far
so fast, he had never seemed to fully grasp its relevance until
the day he'd met Greta. The instant he'd laid eyes on her, her
hands, he determined it was time to think about marrying. It was
important to his career, and if he was going to do it, then why
not with a woman who's hands were more alluring than his own?

Were.

Explanation

This excerpt from Undo, a novel by Joe Hutsko, is a striking blend of psychological realism, dark humor, and existential introspection. The passage focuses on Matthew Locke, a career-driven, emotionally detached protagonist whose inner monologue reveals his obsession with control, efficiency, and the suppression of human connection—until a past encounter with a woman (Greta) disrupts his self-imposed isolation. Below is a detailed breakdown of the text, its themes, literary devices, and significance, with an emphasis on close reading.

Context & Source

Undo (1997) is a satirical novel that explores themes of alienation, corporate culture, and the dehumanizing effects of technology and ambition. Hutsko’s prose often blends mundane office life with surreal, introspective digressions, exposing the absurdity of modern professional existence. The novel’s tone is cynical yet darkly comedic, akin to works by Bret Easton Ellis (American Psycho) or Douglas Coupland (Generation X), where characters grapple with emptiness beneath a veneer of success.

This excerpt occurs early in the novel, establishing Matthew’s mechanical worldview—where even bodily functions and relationships are optimized for productivity—before hinting at the cracks in his armor (his fixation on Greta’s hands, the past tense "Were").

Themes

Dehumanization & Efficiency
- Matthew treats human interaction as transactional. His concern about William’s displeasure is purely professional ("exhaust every possibility to keep Peter onboard"), not personal. Even his urination attempt fails because his body rebels against his rigid control—his arousal is an involuntary disruption of his "efficient" routine.
- His masturbation habit is framed as a productivity hack ("it had altered the course of his life forever"), reducing sexuality to a tool for focus. The phrase "autonomous coupling—boy and his hand" is clinically detached, almost robotic.
Isolation & Emotional Stuntedness
- Matthew’s avoidance of relationships ("none of them ever proved worth the time or effort") suggests a fear of vulnerability. His fixation on hands (Laurence’s, Greta’s) symbolizes his fetishization of control—hands are tools, extensions of will.
- The shift to past tense ("Were") at the end implies loss or regret, hinting that Greta’s absence has left a void his efficiency can’t fill.
Technology as a False God
- The detailed description of his computer ("Joey")—with its "add-on options" like a "color monitor" and "laser printer"—mirrors Matthew’s obsession with upgrades and optimization. The machine is more reliable than people (unlike Peter, who may quit, or Laurence, who distracts him).
- The computer’s startup time creates a pause where his unconscious desires surface, underscoring how technology fails to suppress his humanity.
The Body as Betrayer
- His erection during urination is a physical rebellion against his mental discipline. The act of masturbation, usually private, is described with clinical precision, emphasizing his disconnection from pleasure.
- The memory of Laurence’s hand intrudes despite his efforts to stay "focused," showing how desire disrupts his systems.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

Stream of Consciousness
- The passage mimics Matthew’s fragmented thoughts, jumping from work anxiety ("William’s not going to be pleased") to bodily functions to memories of women. This mirrors his unable to compartmentalize as neatly as he believes.
Irony & Dark Humor
- The contradiction between his self-importance and his actions is comic:
  - He excuses himself to check email but really goes to masturbate.
  - He credits masturbation for his success, as if it’s a business strategy.
- The line "It was important to his career, and if he was going to do it, then why not with a woman whose hands were more alluring than his own?" reduces marriage to a career move, undercutting romance with cynicism.
Symbolism
- Hands: Represent agency, control, and desire. Laurence’s hand holding a folder is eroticized as a professional act; Greta’s hands are the only thing that made him consider marriage.
- The Mouse (computer peripheral): A Freudian slip—seeing the mouse triggers memories of Laurence, linking technology and desire.
- The Toilet: A place of release (both literal and psychological), where his repressed self emerges.
Tense Shift ("Were")
- The abrupt switch to past tense at the end ("Were") is jarring. It suggests:
  - Greta is no longer in his life (divorce? death?).
  - His past self (who thought marriage was "important to his career") is gone.
  - A moment of uncharacteristic vulnerability, undercutting his earlier detachment.
Minimalist, Detached Prose
- Hutsko’s unadorned style mirrors Matthew’s emotional flatness. Even his masturbation is described like a business report:
  "At the age of ten, Matthew Locke had had the good fortune of discovering masturbation. It had altered the course of his life forever." The lack of embarrassment or shame makes it more unsettling.

Significance of the Passage

Characterization of Matthew
- This scene defines Matthew as a man who weaponizes detachment. His career is his identity, and relationships are calculated risks.
- His masturbation habit isn’t just about sex—it’s about avoiding messiness. The fact that he only considered marriage for career reasons (and even then, based on hands) shows his extreme rationalization of emotion.
Foreshadowing
- The past tense "Were" hints at a coming unraveling. If Greta was the one woman who made him consider connection, her absence suggests his systems are failing.
- His inability to urinate (a loss of control) foreshadows greater losses of control later in the novel.
Critique of Corporate Culture
- Matthew is a satirical extreme of the "company man", where even biological needs are scheduled. His dehumanization is a product of his environment—a world where people are interchangeable (Peter might quit, Laurence is a distraction) and success is measured in output, not fulfillment.
Existential Undercurrents
- The passage asks: What happens when a man who has optimized his life for efficiency confronts desire, loss, or mortality?
- His masturbation as a "life hack" is a tragicomic coping mechanism—a way to avoid the chaos of real intimacy.

Close Reading of Key Lines

"He had achieved autonomous coupling—a boy and his hand."
- "Autonomous coupling" sounds mechanical, almost sci-fi. It’s a perverse achievement, framing self-pleasure as a technological breakthrough.
- The phrase "a boy and his hand" is infantilizing, suggesting he’s emotionally stunted—still operating at the level of a 10-year-old’s discovery.
"Though this was the price he paid in order to come so far so fast, he had never seemed to fully grasp its relevance until the day he'd met Greta."
- The "price" is emotional isolation. He only realizes what he’s sacrificed when he meets Greta, implying she represented something he couldn’t optimize.
- The past tense ("had met") suggests this realization is now in the past—he’s regressed or lost her.
"It was important to his career, and if he was going to do it, then why not with a woman who's hands were more alluring than his own?"
- Marriage is a career tool. The cynicism is brutal—he’s not even attracted to her, just her hands (symbols of competence? beauty? control?).
- The comparison to his own hands suggests he sees people as extensions of himself—even in love, he’s narcissistic.
"Were."
- A single-word paragraph is devastating. It implies:
  - Greta is gone (divorce, death, abandonment).
  - His past self (who thought he could control love) is dead.
  - The illusion of his "system" is collapsing.

Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters

This excerpt is a masterclass in character study through mundane detail. Hutsko uses Matthew’s bathroom break to expose his entire worldview:

He is a man who has replaced human connection with systems (career, masturbation, technology).
His body and memories betray him, proving his control is an illusion.
The past tense "Were" is the first crack in his armor, hinting at the existential crisis to come.

The passage is funny, tragic, and deeply unsettling because it mirrors the absurdity of modern professional life—where we optimize ourselves into emptiness, only to be undone by desire, loss, or the simple failure of our bodies to obey.

In the broader novel, this scene sets up Matthew’s downfall: a man who thought he could "undo" human messiness is about to learn that some things can’t be controlled.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s description of Matthew’s masturbation habit as an "autonomous coupling—a boy and his hand" serves primarily to:

A. underscore his childlike innocence in contrast to his professional demeanor.
B. highlight the physical pleasure he derives from self-sufficiency.
C. critique the societal taboo against discussing male sexuality openly.
D. reveal his reduction of human intimacy to a mechanized, efficiency-driven process.
E. foreshadow his eventual rejection of technological dependence in favor of emotional connection.

Question 2

The abrupt shift to the past tense in the final word, "Were," is most effectively interpreted as:

A. a linguistic marker of irreversible loss, suggesting Greta’s absence has disrupted his carefully constructed narrative of control.
B. a grammatical error intended to mirror Matthew’s distracted, fragmented state of mind.
C. an indication that Matthew’s memories of Greta are now idealized and no longer grounded in reality.
D. a stylistic device to emphasize the passage of time and Matthew’s maturation since meeting Greta.
E. a subtle hint that Greta’s hands were never as alluring as he initially believed, undermining his earlier justification for marriage.

Question 3

Matthew’s inability to urinate, followed by his erection, is best understood as:

A. a physiological response to stress, emphasizing his body’s rebellion against his professional anxieties.
B. a symbolic failure of his self-imposed discipline, exposing the fragility of his control over both body and mind.
C. an indication of repressed homosexual desires, given his fixation on Peter’s potential departure.
D. a comedic interruption meant to underscore the absurdity of his hyper-rationalized existence.
E. a metaphor for his creative block, linking sexual frustration to his inability to "produce" in his career.

Question 4

The passage’s tone is most accurately described as:

A. clinically detached with undercurrents of existential dread, using irony to expose the absurdity of Matthew’s self-optimization.
B. overtly satirical, employing exaggerated humor to mock corporate culture and male insecurity.
C. melancholic and nostalgic, focusing on Matthew’s regret over lost opportunities for genuine connection.
D. psychologically intense, prioritizing the stream-of-consciousness style to immerse the reader in Matthew’s paranoia.
E. ambivalent, oscillating between admiration for Matthew’s discipline and pity for his emotional emptiness.

Question 5

The computer "Joey" and its add-ons function in the passage as:

A. a status symbol, reinforcing Matthew’s material success and technological prowess.
B. a distraction from his bodily needs, illustrating his prioritization of work over physical comfort.
C. a false idol of control, its startup delay creating the space for his unconscious desires to surface.
D. a metaphor for his own fragmented identity, with each "add-on" representing a compartmentalized aspect of his personality.
E. an ironic contrast to his low-tech masturbation habit, highlighting his inconsistent relationship with modernity.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The phrase "autonomous coupling—a boy and his hand" is framed in mechanical, almost industrial terms, stripping intimacy of warmth or emotion. The passage explicitly ties this habit to his productivity and focus ("it had altered the course of his life forever"), positioning it as a tool for efficiency rather than pleasure or innocence. The clinical detachment in the description aligns with Matthew’s reduction of human experiences to transactional processes, making D the most defensible choice.