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"everything everywhere...": the bagel and the googly eye
By Bianca Lat
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Since its release on March 11, 2022, critics have described Everything Everywhere All At Once as one of the most unique and exhilarating movies. "Everything Everywhere All At Once" illustrates the lives and experiences of family, relationships, existence, and the multiverse through the main characters: Evelyn Wang, Waymond Wang, and Joy Wang/Jobu Tupaki. In this article, we’ll talk about the commonly discussed concept of the film known as “the bagel” and the “googly eye.” We’ll cover exactly what it is, how it affected the characters, and why it might also reflect or affect us.
what about the bagel and the googly eye?
In the film, the plot centers around the two symbols or objects known as “the bagel” and the “googly eye” which are actually each other's polar opposites. They are both complementary symbols: a dark circle surrounding a deep white light and a white circle encompassing a smaller black circle. In a way, you might even symbolize it as sort of a yin and yang, with the bagel as yin and the googly eye as yang.
The bagel is shown to be a more negative and pessimistic side. It was created by Jobu Tupaki or Joy, who had been experiencing life in every universe and in every moment. Throughout every moment, all possibilities and realities were made true; whether it might be the universe where you are the most successful or the universe in which you are the most unfortunate. But despite all the unique possibilities, experiencing all things all at once doesn’t enlighten Joy at all. It instead brings her to the realization that if anything is possible, then everything is essentially meaningless, and “nothing matters.”
This is the idea of the bagel and why she made it. Because when you put everything possible in it—all the experiences, memories, thoughts, even the miscellaneous things like a report card, or every dog breed—there will be nothing else but that bagel, which isn’t so great. The bagel represents the meaninglessness of trying to put everything together. It recognizes the chaos in the need to control everything in our lives.
But what about the googly eye? It’s the opposite of the bagel, making it the more optimistic and brighter side that balances out the daunting presence of the bagel. We can constantly see Waymond sticking googly eyes on surfaces around the laundromat, showing that he created/possesses the symbol of a googly eye. Waymond is known to be a silly, kind, and optimistic person. He’s always really considerate towards others and tends to have a positive outlook. This reflects the googly eye, representing the ability to enjoy life and simply just being in the present moment. It means knowing that although there is chaos in the vastness of the universe, there is still a possibility to find meaning.
Therefore, the concept that “nothing matters” in life doesn’t have to be upsetting. As stated by The Take, “the idea that nothing we do really matters (or our lives could be entirely different if we made other choices) doesn’t have to be depressing but can also offer a liberating freedom.” The idea could give a sense of comfort and freedom. It is the ability to find joy and to keep positivity while the world is in havoc.
How did this affect the characters?
The bagel and the googly eye play a big role in the lives of the main characters. They are expressed through every action, thought, and experience that they have. They are the influence of each character’s development.
We know that Joy or Jobu Tupaki is the main possessor and creator of the bagel. Eventually, she’d be called out to by the bright void in the center of the bagel, which was meant to free her from the hardships and sufferings of the world. But before that, she ventured off to find Evelyn.
But why would she need to do this? Instead of immediately accepting her fate at the hands of an endless bright void, Jobu first wanted her mother to understand her and hoped that she’d relieve her of her intentions. This plan had almost succeeded, after finding a version of her mother that managed to consider her (the main character Evelyn). With the bagel’s abilities, Joy had been able to convince Evelyn that “nothing matters” in life. On Evelyn’s part, she has been experiencing difficulties and struggles with her husband, Waymond; her daughter, Joy; managing her laundromat; and keeping up with her taxes. All these problems have been weighing on her for the longest time and she starts to even doubt her relationships with her husband and daughter. This causes her to accept the meaningless of life before the bagel and Jobu Tupaki.
But then comes Waymond.
Waymond has always had that googly-eye perspective. He’s always been optimistic throughout the entire movie from beginning to end. While Evelyn is experiencing different versions of herself in different realities, at the same time, different versions of Waymond offer encouragement and empathy to her. Evelyn also recognizes the pain, high expectations, and pressure that she’s put Joy to. All these things bring her to the realization that after all, there really is something worth fighting for, which is her daughter.
Sticking a googly eye on her forehead, “Evelyn is now able to replicate Waymond’s belief in kindness” (Disengo Journal). She goes on to share this perspective with Joy, saving her at the near edge of the void of the bagel.
Through Waymond’s powerful, optimistic mindset of a googly eye Evelyn and Joy were able to put on a new and greater perspective. His empathy taught them that there truly is meaning whilst being present in the vastness of the universe, and that there’s nothing better than enjoying the moment together as a family.
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