The aim of my paper is to explore the strongly suggestive environmental degradation shown in the speculative fiction by Gautam Bhatia's "The Wall". The book is set in a fictive, walled location called Sumer. It brings forth a strange, plastic and artificial world with extremely limited natural and social environment by the river named Rasa with its few tributaries; a speaking Garuda bird; Woad Garden; bamboo groove; few foods like rahi, bamboo soup and peanuts; absence of animals; a diminishing democracy, a disgruntled labour force, etc for its very limited citizens slotted as ‘Shoortans,’ ‘Elders,’ ‘Tarafians,’ ‘Golden Youth,’ ‘Select,’ and others who live within the ‘blank wall.’ It is clearly noted that the book has no stark evidence of any technological cause behind the creation of such a Walled place. However, the author’s systematic opening of the book and strong acceptance about man’s over-ambitions with technology, in his various discussions about this speculative book clearly indicates the alarm of an upcoming such world caused by AI, which bolsters the objective of my paper. My paper will enlist and explain the materials behind the physical models which are obtained at the cost of adding carbon footprints to create and keep going this latest technology. The objective of the paper will employ a post-humanist approach which will best befit speculative narrative of the book where my paper will show how the futuristic nature of this fiction intersects with post-humanist’s intention of converting humans into something different than humans and such humans are to solve any problem, all problems. But no such perfection could be achieved yet in human history despite human being’s obsession towards technology from long-drawn times. Rather, newer technologies have also been bringing numerous whims along with their benefits and even go to the extent of the most serious negative impacts like environmental degradation.
- Citation du texte
- Dr. Mumtaz Mazumdar (Auteur), 2025, Mapping the Implications of Technology-Induced Environmental Degradation in Gautam Bhatia's "The Wall", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1566960
