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
6. Conclusion: Comparing Environments: Commonalities and Differences of Protagonist Perspectives between Hollow Kingdom, The Testaments, and Year of the Orphan
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the depiction and perception of environments in 21st-century dystopian literature, specifically through the analytical lenses of animal and female protagonists. It explores how these narratives reflect real-world environmental crises, societal decay, and technological dependence, while analyzing the use of stylistic elements to mirror contemporary anxieties and potential futures.
- The influence of post-apocalyptic settings on protagonist behavior and survival strategies.
- The role of technology, connectivity, and social media addiction in fostering Dystopian realities.
- Feminist solidarity and the resistance against patriarchal and totalitarian total-control regimes.
- Ecological critique and the prioritization of non-human life in the face of human-driven devastation.
- The intersection of stylistic innovation, such as invented dialects, and reader empathy in dystopian fiction.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3 Man’s Creation of Technology: An Intangible Seductress and Currency at the Same Time
Typical scenarios in apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic novels are mostly inspired by eschatological tales or some kind of natural disaster (e.g., supernova, earthquake). However, the virus in Hollow Kingdom, which affects the whole world (Buxton 66), is caused by man’s creation: the internet and connectivity (Buxton 205). A gorilla named Ghubari explains to S.T. and Dennis that everything started with the addiction to technology (Buxton 205). The virus spread through the systems, networks, chips, watches, phones, and tablets. Furthermore, it spread through the eyes, skin, and synapses of humans (Buxton 205). Ghubari also informs the animals about women with swollen bellies who headed for safety underground and about planes that fell from the sky. The virus has made the “MoFos” voracious since they are continually hunting for the internet, electricity, power, and screens (Buxton 205). Another remarkable scene is when the animals notice a newly hatched human, not yet a day in the world, and already hunting for technology (Buxton 204). This scene can be considered ‘uncanny’ as the situation seems to be strangely familiar and negative at the same time if we look at 21st century adolescents, commonly addicted to electronic devices with an internet connection. All protagonist perceptions indicate severe problems humanity has been having since the beginning of the intelligent technology era.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Approaching Environments in Dystopian Novels: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework by discussing the concept of 'tabula rasa' in literature and exploring the origins of apocalyptic narratives in biblical and religious texts.
2. Theoretical Backgrounds: This section provides a historical overview of post-apocalyptic fiction and discusses ecocritical approaches to literature, emphasizing how physical surroundings reflect societal conditions.
3. The Sense of Loss: Post-Apocalyptic Animal Perceptions in Kira Jane Buxton’s Hollow Kingdom: An analysis of how non-human protagonists navigate a vandalized Seattle, addressing themes of technological addiction, FOMO, and species solidarity.
4. The Rhyme of History: Female Perception of the New World in The Testaments by Margaret Atwood: This chapter examines the totalitarian regime of Gilead through female perspectives, focusing on themes of gender oppression, lack of connectivity, and feminist resistance.
5. Preferring Good or Evil? Protagonist Perceptions in Year of the Orphan by Daniel Findlay: A study of the orphan's struggle in a resource-scarce wasteland, analyzing the impact of an invented dialect and the representation of death and slavery.
6. Conclusion: Comparing Environments: Commonalities and Differences of Protagonist Perspectives between Hollow Kingdom, The Testaments, and Year of the Orphan: This concluding chapter synthesizes the findings to evaluate how these novels use dystopian environments as allegories for contemporary environmental and societal challenges.
Keywords
Dystopian Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Ecocriticism, Hollow Kingdom, The Testaments, Year of the Orphan, Technology Addiction, FOMO, Gilead, Environmentalism, Feminist Solidarity, Totalitarianism, Climate Fiction, Literary Analysis, Protagonist Perception.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
The work focuses on analyzing how 21st-century dystopian novels depict the relationship between characters and their environments, specifically looking at how these physical and social settings reflect contemporary real-world anxieties.
Which novels are discussed in this thesis?
The thesis provides a comparative analysis of three specific books: Kira Jane Buxton’s "Hollow Kingdom," Margaret Atwood’s "The Testaments," and Daniel Findlay’s "Year of the Orphan."
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to explore how different protagonists—human and animal—perceive and interact with their dystopian surroundings and what these perceptions reveal about current societal, ecological, and political issues.
What scientific methodology is utilized?
The author utilizes an ecocritical approach and literary analysis, integrating historical context, linguistic analysis of narrative style, and sociological theories regarding solidarity, addiction, and totalitarian control.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body examines the history of apocalypse narratives, the impact of technological expansion, resource scarcity, the gender-based oppression in Gilead, and how language styles (like the dialect in Year of the Orphan) create meaning.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian Literature, Ecocriticism, Technology Addiction, and Feminist Solidarity.
How does Kira Jane Buxton’s novel reflect technological issues?
In "Hollow Kingdom," technological connectivity is depicted as a virus-like addiction that consumes the population, leading to the decay of the physical environment, which the animal survivors recognize as a fundamental failure of humanity.
In what way does the "Year of the Orphan" challenge the reader linguistically?
Daniel Findlay uses an invented dialect based on modified ellipses and vowel changes to reflect the characters' simplistic lives and to force the reader to actively engage with the text's unique perception of reality.
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- Ilayda Can (Autor:in), 2020, Perceiving Environments. Protagonist Perspectives in Post-Apocalyptic Novels, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1383246
