In my research paper, I plan on showing how Shteyngart’s ideas of seclusion and isolation due to overuse of technology in Super Sad True Love Story are echoed in today’s society. In the introduction, I would briefly discuss how the characters in the novel, specifically Lenny and Eunice feel a sense of seclusion, and how this could be connected to the abundance of technology and social media. I would then introduce some of my sources, which consist of multiple studies that show how social media and technology can create lack of self-confidence and retract from face to face interactions among those who use it most. My thesis is built around Lenny’s privacy and his being harshly judged by the information available to others due to the technological advances, as well as Eunice’s lack of normal relationships and inability to connect to others without technology.

I think that it is important to first explain the real life evidence that technology is damaging the communication skills of the younger generations, as this will allow me to then show how Shteyngart highlights these occurrences in SSTLS. In order to do this, I will quote Margie Warrell’s article, ”Text or Talk: Is Technology Making You Lonely?”, which explains how people who are more active on social media have a harder time forming close relationships with others. I would also quote “The Social Media as Echo Chamber: The Digital Impact”, which talks about the effects that technology and social media use have on students in particular. Quoting these articles will give me a basis to build upon and explain how these effects of social media are seen in SSTLS.

After discussing some of the studies that show how technology can affect our intimate relationships in real life, I would then show how this is seen in the novel. I plan to focus on instances when Lenny is ostracized for being different through the use of social media. For example, when he is in the bar with Eunice and she is overall rated high based solely on what the information that others can see about her, while Lenny is rated extremely low. Also, I would reference the entries where Eunice and Lenny cannot connect with anyone because none of the apparats are working. These scenes in particular portray the damaging effects that reliance on technology for communication can have on personal relationships with people.