The Tapes

In Nothing Special, Warhol’s tapes symbolize, for Mae, the elusive possibility of a rich, authentic, and deeply meaningful life. Much of the novel revolves around Mae and Shelley’s transcription work; they diligently record every sound and piece of dialogue on Warhol’s cassettes. Eventually, these transcriptions will become a book. As Mae transcribes the tapes, she comes to believe that Warhol and his fellow artists live in an almost impossibly full and honest manner. Mae’s own life, in comparison, begins to appear gray and shallow. While her perception of the tapes gradually changes over the course of the narrative, Mae’s obsession with the recordings arises from their apparent representation of bold authenticity.

Escalators

Early in the novel, escalators act as a symbol of adulthood. As a high schooler, Mae feels relatively estranged from her peers. She craves a sense of seriousness...