The Hype Surrounding Type

               Typewriters are a thing of the past, or so we thought. The aesthetic that is "everything vintage" is making one of the largest comebacks of our generation’s time. A part of this could be that social media and the rapid creations of new technology tend to overstimulate the minds of society. It’s pleasant and calming to be able to return to items that have one purpose and one purpose only. For example, poetry books and small excerpt writings have grabbed the attention of today’s youth. Reading what one feels, but cannot say out loud, is comforting. Yet, many writers nowadays have chosen to use the typewriter in order to perfect their craft. There is a sense of accomplishment that comes from hitting the last letter on a typewriter that a simple pen and paper, or computer keyboard, could never create. (Roth)

(Gades, Samantha. Black Typewriter.)

               Now, let’s slow things down a bit and cover the basics of the typewriter’s history. The first typewriter ever invented was all thanks to Christopher Latham Sholes. Of course, like any invention of the early times, the idea was taken from the British and different tweaks and models had to be made, in order for a final product to enter the workforces and homes of the American society. In fact, The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica explain in their article “Typewriter,” explain that Sholes “signed a contract with E. Remington and Sons, gunsmiths, of Ilion, New York, for manufacture,” and soon named the typewriter “Remington.” When it came to writing with the typewriter, the writing MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE THIS, since one could only type in capital letters. This was until the double keyboard became a popular choice, due to the fact that it “contained twice the number of keys–one for every character, whether capital or small letter” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica). Soon after came the type wheels, which most are familiar with, because of its large and pronounced presence on the typewriter. The type wheel was a highly influential part of the machine, because it directed the writer exactly where they should begin typing. Within the evolution of the typewriter there have been the makings of silent, electric, and portable typewriters. Each creation led to a more convenient lifestyle for the writer and worker. (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica)

(Rebuilt typewriters. Women in the employ of the Typewriter Emporium, reconditioning machines for the secondary market. 1918.)

               A group of writers, or workers, that depended on the typewriter were women. Back in the 1900’s women weren’t meant to be in the workplace; they were meant to be at home with their children. Yet, when the typewriter came into play, so did women! Though the jobs that women were available for weren’t any of substantial power, it was still a monumental movement for women’s rights. This gave women the chance to choose work over the lifestyle that was forced upon them for so many years. Nathalie O’Neill depicts the image in her article “Working Women, Thank the Typewriter,” that due to this shift within the social hierarchy “men were actually pretty miffed about this change, since they saw these women as a new source of competition.” Even though men still had the ultimate power in the office, this didn't stop men from hating the idea of giving any sort of recognition to anyone but themselves, especially women. Over time, not too much has changed. Yes, women have the ability to have jobs of higher power now, but women are also still the face of the jobs they were first given over one hundred years ago. (O’Neill)

               As the years have passed, society has seen the changes and need for typewriters. Whether it is for the woman’s ability to work, the desire for a precise typing mechanism, or a sense of nostalgia, the typewriter has made its mark on the people’s hearts. The sound of each letter being punched onto the paper, will forever leave a mark in history. Typewriters are a thing of the past, or so we thought. In actuality, typewriters are a thing of the past, present, and future.

 

Works Cited

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Typewriter." Britannica, www.britannica.com/technology/typewriter. Accessed 29 Sept. 2020.

Gades, Samantha. Black Typewriter.

O'Neill, Nathalie. "Working Women, Thank the Typewriter." Bustle, 26 July 2013, www.bustle.com/articles/2641-how-the-typewriter-brought-women-into-the-office.

Rebuilt typewriters. Women in the employ of the Typewriter Emporium, reconditioning machines for the secondary market. 1918.

Roth, Katherine. "Clickety Clack: Are typewriters making a comeback?" The Seattle Times, 18 July 2019, www.seattletimes.com/explore/shop-northwest/clickety-clack-are-typewriters-making-a-comeback/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2020.