The Swans of Fifth Avenue

The world of the swans turns people into commodities, where each person has a value attached to their name. Truman participates in this commodification in a more direct way; he claims he “used” the swans for “material.” The swans, in turn, treat Truman as a commodity—for a time, at least, he performed a specific purpose. “Truman leapt into their midst,” they reflect, “and suddenly the gossip was more delicious, the amusements more diverse” (384). Other men, too, become commodities. Slim frequently brings up Ernest Hemingway because he has value for her. Pamela takes Slim’s husband because Leland has value for her. Typically, women are the objects, yet the story subverts gender norms and turns almost everyone into commodities.

Babe stands apart. She doesn’t want to be a commodity, complaining to Truman, “I’ll only be remembered for the way I look, the way I dress” (409). Babe thinks it’s bad to be an object—it signals superficiality. Truman counters her logic. Beauty is as meaningful as an artwork or poem. Babe is an “artist,” and the “product is herself” (490). To become a product, an object, or a commodity isn’t automatically inimical. A person can symbolize a commodity and have the depth of a painting or piece of literature.