I. Introduction
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th 2001 (9/11 hereafter), much has been said and written about the spectacular, almost incredible crime, which could be witnessed by large parts of the world’s population live on television. In order to be able to cope with the events and understand what happened on that day in September 2001, many works of fiction and non-fiction, that deal with the events of the attacks, have been created. (...) Now that almost nine years have passed since the day when the planes hit the World Trade Center and the buildings collapsed, the incidents and the aftermath can be viewed from a certain distance and much of the work, that was written and created in order to be able to cope with the events, offers itself for an analysis. The novel Surveillance (2006) by Jonathan Raban is part of the literature that deals with the aftermath of 9/11. However, unlike most of the literature that is focused on this situation and this period of time, the actual attacks do not play much of a role and (apart from one exception on page 136) remain almost unmentioned throughout the novel. Surveillance rather focuses on the years after the attacks and the prevailing anxious atmosphere in the American society of that time. The novel depicts the life of a fictional character named Lucy Bengstrom and her daughter in Seattle in the years after 9/11. The society which Lucy lives in, is coined by an atmosphere of menace, uncertainty and surveillance, much of which is based on the political decisions that followed 9/11. In its first part, this seminar paper discusses the topic of surveillance itself. It will try to answer how surveillance became such a present topic in today’s media and briefly debate the controversy by which it is surrounded. Secondly, this seminar paper analyses the writing style of Jonathan Raban’s Surveillance and the conclusions that can be drawn from it concerning the topic of surveillance. The third part focuses on the content of Jonathan Raban’s novel Surveillance. It analyses Jonathan Raban’s more direct statements and conclusions concerning the topic of surveillance.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. The author
III. The topic of surveillance
III.a. What does surveillance conceptually mean?
III.b. Surveillance and the Bush-administration: The USA PATRIOT Act
III.c. Reasons apart from 9/11 for increased surveillance in our time
III.c.1. The World Wide Web
III.c.2. Globalisation and the “clash of cultures”
III.d. Surveillance – pro and contra
IV. The criticism of surveillance in connection with the novel’s writing style
IV.a. The setting
IV.b. The narrator’s point of view
IV.c. The structure of the plot
V. The critcism of surveillance in connection with the novel’s content
V.a. Lucy and surveillance
V.b. Tad and surveillance
V.c. August and surveillance
V.d. Charles O. and surveillance
V.e. Alida and surveillance
V.f. Finn and surveillance
VI. Summary
Objectives and Topics
This academic paper examines how Jonathan Raban’s novel Surveillance (2006) reflects and criticizes the atmosphere of anxiety, suspicion, and state-sanctioned surveillance that emerged in American society following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The research explores the intersection of political climate, literary style, and character development to reveal how the novel addresses the erosion of civil liberties and the impact of the "War on Terror" on individual privacy.
- The conceptual definitions and sociopolitical drivers of contemporary surveillance.
- The critique of the USA PATRIOT Act and government-led intelligence gathering.
- Analysis of literary techniques, including vagueness and narrator perspective, used to create an atmosphere of dread.
- The role of individual characters as representatives of different political viewpoints and their participation in mutual surveillance.
- The impact of the World Wide Web and digitalization on the erosion of personal privacy.
Excerpt from the Book
IV.a. The setting
As far as the setting of Surveillance is concerned, Dan Coxon points out: “The real star of Surveillance is the world that Raban has created. (...) In fact, the world Raban presents is so similar to ours that you’d be mistaken for thinking that it was set in the present day” (Coxon). In a book review for the British newspaper The Guardian, Toby Litt wrote: “If someone were to come along, dig a moderately deep hole in my garden, give me a metal box and tell me I had half an hour to put together a 2006 time-capsule, Jonathan Raban's new novel is the first thing I'd grab” (Litt 2006).
The novel was written in 2006 and, as mentioned before, it has many references to contemporary topics and pieces of art of that time. For example Alida uses her Apple iPod to listen to Green Day’s American Idiot CD (121), which appeared in September 2004, Lucy works for the GQ magazine (13) and the film companies DreamWorks/Paramount and Miramax compete for the movie rights on Vanag’s book Boy 381 (9). It is also quite clear that Surveillance is set in and around the American city of Seattle, since it has many references to places that exist in that area (e.g. Useless Bay (27), Elliott Bay, U Dub (i.e. the University of Washington State) (12) and the radio stations NPR and King FM (16)). However, as it is typical for Raban’s style of writing, the line between fiction and nonfiction is supposed to be invisible (Marx 2007). Although there are so many familiar references, it is not so clear at what exact time Surveillance is set. Throughout the novel it remains unmentioned what exact year it is.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the novel within the literary response to 9/11 and outlines the paper's tripartite structure focusing on surveillance, writing style, and character analysis.
II. The author: A brief biographical overview of Jonathan Raban, emphasizing how his personal background as an English writer living in America informs his narrative approach and his blend of travelogue, autobiography, and fiction.
III. The topic of surveillance: Provides a conceptual definition of surveillance, discusses the legal implications of the USA PATRIOT Act, and analyzes broader catalysts for surveillance such as globalization and the digital revolution.
IV. The criticism of surveillance in connection with the novel’s writing style: Investigates how Raban uses narrative ambiguity, setting, and plot structure to indirectly critique the political climate of the post-9/11 era.
V. The critcism of surveillance in connection with the novel’s content: Analyzes the behaviors of major characters like Lucy, Tad, August, Charles O., and Alida, demonstrating how they both act as agents and victims of the prevailing culture of surveillance.
VI. Summary: Recaps the central argument that Raban’s novel successfully critiques the pervasive culture of fear and state control through its multi-faceted portrayal of characters living under the shadow of the "War on Terror".
Keywords
Surveillance, 9/11, Jonathan Raban, USA PATRIOT Act, War on Terror, American Society, Privacy, Digitalisation, Internet, Literary Criticism, Political Climate, Seattle, Social Control, Surveillance State.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper explores how Jonathan Raban's novel Surveillance criticizes the sociopolitical atmosphere in the United States following the 9/11 attacks, specifically focusing on how state security measures and digital culture have impacted civil liberties.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The core themes include the expansion of government surveillance powers, the role of the internet in erasing privacy, the political climate of the "War on Terror," and the psychological impact of living in a society where everyone is potentially being monitored.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate that Raban’s novel functions as a critique of post-9/11 anxieties by analyzing how the author employs specific writing techniques and diverse character perspectives to mirror the real-world tensions of the era.
Which scientific methods are applied in the analysis?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, examining the narrative structure, setting, and character motivations, while grounding these observations in cultural and political studies regarding the "War on Terror" and the surveillance state.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body is divided into three parts: a contextual discussion on the concept of surveillance, an analysis of the novel’s stylistic techniques, and an evaluation of character behavior regarding spying and being spied upon.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Surveillance, 9/11, USA PATRIOT Act, War on Terror, Privacy, Digitalization, and the literary critique of the contemporary political climate.
How does the author characterize the role of Alida?
Alida is presented as a secondary character who nonetheless highlights the normalization of surveillance, as she begins spying on her own mother for her "Human Algebra Project," illustrating that the drive to collect information has permeated even the youngest generation.
What is the significance of the "War on Terror" in Raban’s work?
The "War on Terror" is portrayed as an over-exaggerated political threat that justifies the expansion of surveillance powers and fosters a culture of paranoia, ultimately distracting from other critical societal issues like environmental concerns.
- Citation du texte
- B.A: Uwe Mehlbaum (Auteur), 2010, Jonathan Raban's Novel "Surveillance" and Its Criticism of Surveillance in the American Society After 9/11, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/163941
