The allure of dystopian novels lies in how they scrutinize the relationships between humans and the environment in a post-apocalyptic world. This introduction discusses mankind's fascination with the end of the world and how authors utilize the opportunity to create innovative ideas on a 'tabula rasa' to shape the social fabric and environment of a post-apocalyptic world.
The analysis begins with the origins of the apocalypse concept in eschatological narratives, compares Biblical and Qur'anic depictions, and investigates how contemporary authors utilize and adapt these elements to address current and forthcoming environmental issues in their works.
Table of Contents
- 1 Introduction: Approaching Environments in Dystopian Novels
- 1.1 Roots of the Idea of the Apocalypse in Eschatological Tales: The Destruction of God's Eden
- 1.2 The Usage of the Term Environment in this Thesis
- 2 Theoretical Backgrounds
- 2.1 A Brief History of Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic Scenarios in the World of Fiction
- 2.2 Depiction of Environments in Post-Apocalyptic Novels
- 2.3 Communicating Climate Change in Fiction: The Ecocritical Approach
- 3 The Sense of Loss: Post-Apocalyptic Animal Perceptions in Kira Jane Buxton's Hollow Kingdom
- 3.1 Temporal and Spatial Setting: Journey through the Vandalized Environment without a Government and "MoFos"
- 3.2 Through the Crow's Eyes: What Do I Owe to the New World?
- 3.3 Man's Creation of Technology: An Intangible Seductress and Currency at the Same Time
- 3.4 "MoFos" experiencing FOMO
- 3.5 Prioritizing all Creatures of Nature Including Humans
- 3.6 Animal Navigated Vandalism
- 3.7 Solidarity in Fauna
- 3.8 Describing Animal's Ways of Perception: Buxton's Use of Stylistic Devices
- 4 The Rhyme of History: Female Perception of the New World in The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
- 4.1 Temporal and Spatial Setting: Journey through Gilead and its Strictly Regulated System
- 4.2 Protagonist Perspectives: The World Aunt Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy Live In
- 4.3 Absence of Connectivity in Totalitarian Gilead
- 4.4 Protagonists' Fears
- 4.5 Prioritizing Humans vs. Neglecting Animals and Nature
- 4.6 Absence of Vandalism but Presence of Women's Oppression
- 4.7 Feminist Solidarity in Action
- 4.8 Atwood's Use of Gilead as an Allegory of Today's Society
- 5 Preferring Good or Evil? Protagonist Perceptions in Year of the Orphan by Daniel Findlay
- 5.1 Temporal and Spatial Setting: Journey through Garbage and Dust
- 5.2 The World through the Orphan's Eyes
- 5.3 Power of Endurance: Patience before Communication
- 5.4 Protagonist's Death Anxiety
- 5.5 Death Takes Precedence
- 5.6 Human Trafficking and the System's Violence against their Slaves
- 5.7 Solidarity among the People in the System and the Ghosts in the Glows
- 5.8 Describing Environments Based on an Invented Dialect: Findlay's Use of Modified Ellipses
Objectives and Key Themes
This thesis examines how different dystopian novels portray post-apocalyptic environments and how these environments shape the perceptions and experiences of their protagonists. The study analyzes the authors' use of narrative techniques and stylistic devices to convey the impact of environmental destruction on human and animal life. The comparison across different novels aims to identify commonalities and differences in the representation of post-apocalyptic worlds and their inhabitants.
- The portrayal of post-apocalyptic environments in fiction.
- The impact of environmental destruction on human and animal life.
- The use of narrative techniques and stylistic devices to convey environmental themes.
- Comparison of protagonist perceptions across different dystopian novels.
- Exploration of themes of loss, survival, and solidarity in post-apocalyptic settings.
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: Approaching Environments in Dystopian Novels: This introductory chapter explores the concept of the apocalypse in literature, tracing its roots in eschatological tales and examining the use of the "tabula rasa" metaphor in post-apocalyptic fiction. It highlights how authors manipulate environmental settings to create suspense and explore various societal structures and consequences following a catastrophic event. The chapter sets the stage for the subsequent analysis of environmental depictions in three chosen novels, emphasizing the importance of understanding the origins and evolution of apocalyptic narratives in fiction.
3 The Sense of Loss: Post-Apocalyptic Animal Perceptions in Kira Jane Buxton's Hollow Kingdom: This chapter analyzes Kira Jane Buxton's Hollow Kingdom, focusing on the animal perspectives within the novel's post-apocalyptic world. It explores the novel's depiction of a damaged environment, the absence of government, and the intriguing relationship between humans and animals. The summary will delve into the crow's-eye view of the new world, the role of technology, the themes of loss and adaptation, and Buxton's use of stylistic devices to convey the animals' unique perceptions. The analysis will demonstrate how the interplay between human and animal characters within this damaged environment creates a complex narrative.
4 The Rhyme of History: Female Perception of the New World in The Testaments by Margaret Atwood: This chapter examines Margaret Atwood's The Testaments, concentrating on the female protagonists' experiences within the oppressive Gilead regime. It explores the strict social order, the absence of connectivity, and the protagonists' fears and resilience. The summary will delve into Atwood's use of Gilead as an allegory for contemporary societal issues and discuss the themes of women's oppression, solidarity, and the impact of the totalitarian system on the environment, contrasting it with the vandalized environment of Hollow Kingdom. The analysis will highlight the contrasting ways in which different societal structures and environmental contexts shape the female experience in post-apocalyptic settings.
5 Preferring Good or Evil? Protagonist Perceptions in Year of the Orphan by Daniel Findlay: This chapter focuses on Daniel Findlay's Year of the Orphan, analyzing the protagonist's perceptions of a world ravaged by unspecified catastrophe. The summary will explore the environmental setting, the protagonist's struggle for survival, the presence of human trafficking, and the themes of death, endurance, and the search for connection in a harsh and unforgiving world. The chapter analyzes Findlay's use of a modified dialect to depict the environment and shape the reader's understanding of the protagonist's experience, comparing and contrasting it with the stylistic approaches of Buxton and Atwood.
Keywords
Dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic literature, environmental destruction, animal perspectives, female perspectives, protagonist perceptions, narrative techniques, stylistic devices, social structures, survival, solidarity, loss, technology, allegory, moral decay, human trafficking.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Dystopian Novels
What is the focus of this language preview?
This preview provides a comprehensive overview of a thesis examining the portrayal of post-apocalyptic environments in dystopian novels and how these environments shape the perceptions and experiences of their protagonists. It includes the table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What novels are analyzed in this thesis?
The thesis analyzes three dystopian novels: Kira Jane Buxton's Hollow Kingdom, Margaret Atwood's The Testaments, and Daniel Findlay's Year of the Orphan.
What are the key themes explored in the thesis?
Key themes include the portrayal of post-apocalyptic environments, the impact of environmental destruction on human and animal life, the use of narrative techniques and stylistic devices to convey environmental themes, a comparison of protagonist perceptions across different novels, and an exploration of themes of loss, survival, and solidarity in post-apocalyptic settings.
How does the thesis approach the analysis of the novels?
The thesis analyzes how each novel depicts its post-apocalyptic environment, focusing on the perspectives of the protagonists (human and animal in Hollow Kingdom). It examines the authors' use of narrative techniques and stylistic devices to convey the impact of environmental destruction and explores commonalities and differences in the representation of these worlds.
What are the chapter summaries?
Chapter 1 introduces the concept of the apocalypse in literature and sets the stage for the analysis. Chapter 3 focuses on Hollow Kingdom, examining animal perspectives and the damaged environment. Chapter 4 analyzes The Testaments, concentrating on female protagonists' experiences in Gilead. Chapter 5 explores Year of the Orphan, analyzing the protagonist's perceptions of a ravaged world.
What are some of the specific aspects analyzed within each novel?
The analysis includes examinations of temporal and spatial settings, protagonist perspectives, the role of technology, themes of loss and adaptation, societal structures, women's oppression, human trafficking, the authors' use of stylistic devices, and the exploration of solidarity among different groups.
What are the key words associated with this thesis?
Keywords include: Dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic literature, environmental destruction, animal perspectives, female perspectives, protagonist perceptions, narrative techniques, stylistic devices, social structures, survival, solidarity, loss, technology, allegory, moral decay, and human trafficking.
What is the overall objective of the thesis?
The thesis aims to examine how different dystopian novels portray post-apocalyptic environments and how these environments shape the perceptions and experiences of their protagonists, analyzing the authors' use of narrative techniques and stylistic devices to convey the impact of environmental destruction on human and animal life.
What is the significance of comparing these three different novels?
Comparing these novels allows for the identification of commonalities and differences in the representation of post-apocalyptic worlds and their inhabitants, providing a broader understanding of how authors utilize environmental settings to explore themes of survival, loss, and societal collapse.
- Quote paper
- Ilayda Can (Author), 2020, Perceiving Environments. Protagonist Perspectives in Post-Apocalyptic Novels, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1383246
