"Shoes are the first adult machines we are given to master"

In this quote, author Nicholson Baker suggests that shoes are more than just a simple piece of clothing. He compares them to devices, indicating that they have a purpose and function beyond just covering our feet. Moreover, he highlights the significance of shoes in our advancement as grownups. As kids, we are offered toys and tools to play with and learn how to utilize, but shoes are the very first "adult" devices we are offered to master. This might be analyzed as a metaphor for the obligations and obstacles that featured the adult years. Shoes symbolize the initial step towards self-reliance and self-sufficiency.