"Lives of the Monster Dogs (Monster Dogs)" by Kirsten Bakis tells the tale of a unique breed of dogs created by a reclusive and deranged scientist, Augustus Rank, under the employ of power-hungry German royalty. Through surgical alterations, the dogs are endowed with superhuman intelligence, provided with prosthetic limbs, and equipped with mechanical vocal apparatuses. Although conceived in the late nineteenth century, their realization is delayed until the late 1960s. Originally designed to serve as a merciless and devoted military force for their human masters, the dogs instead rebel against their creators, leading to the slaughter of their handlers. Subsequently, they find refuge in modern-day New York City, where they become objects of fascination for the general public and lead lives akin to those of celebrities. Despite their newfound fame, their extraordinary existence is marred by a devastating ailment that gradually reverts them to the status of ordinary dogs, a transformation they find intolerable. As the narrative unfolds, the majority of the dogs meet their demise, leaving behind an enigmatic legacy. Only one dog survives to the conclusion of the novel, and much of their remarkable story remains veiled in uncertainty.
The eponymous characters in the novel appear to blur the boundaries between the human and the non-human, thus reflecting and questioning posthumanist ideas. In my study, I propose that the monstrous characters in the novel embody the liminal spaces of the posthuman condition, challenging conventional definitions of humanity, embodiment, and identity. These characters, through their hybrid nature and the way they navigate and negotiate their existence in relation to technology and society, highlight the evolving dynamics of posthumanism in the digital age. This study will employ concepts central to methods grounded in cultural studies to demonstrate how these posthumanist monsters invite readers to reconsider the boundaries of humanity and explore the implications of posthumanism in our contemporary media landscape. By focusing on a postmodern novel that blurs genre boundaries and creates eerily familiar but nonetheless distinctly different characters, this research seeks to shed light on the potential transformations and challenges that posthumanism presents to our understanding of monstrosity and humanity in the digital era.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Critical Cultural Studies
- 3. Redefining Boundaries: Posthumanist Monsters
- 4. Implications of Posthumanism
- 5. Conclusion
- List of References
Objective & Themes
This study aims to explore how the monstrous characters in Kirsten Bakis' novel, "Lives of the Monster Dogs," embody the liminal spaces of the posthuman condition, thereby challenging conventional definitions of humanity, embodiment, and identity. It seeks to analyze the evolving dynamics of posthumanism in the digital age through a cultural studies lens.
- Challenging conventional definitions of humanity and identity.
- Exploring the liminal spaces of the posthuman condition.
- Analyzing the hybrid nature of characters as posthumanist monsters.
- Examining the implications of posthumanism in contemporary media and society.
- Critiquing anthropocentric views through the human-animal-machine relationship.
- Applying concepts from cultural studies to analyze the novel.
Excerpt from the Book
Redefining Boundaries: Posthumanist Monsters
Rank's choice of species for experimentation is underpinned by historical and biological ties. They opt for a species that has already been closely associated with humans, finding it to be the most adaptable and fruitful starting point for the creation of a new being. These innovative creatures, meticulously crafted, programmed, and overseen by human scientists, are imbued with high intelligence. They possess a keen awareness of their status as animals, particularly as dogs, and most distinctly as cyborg dogs. From the human perspective, these beings are forever relegated to the roles of tools, commodities, and obedient servants. The novel delves into the poignant injustices inherent in this hierarchical structure but avoids advocating for a complete severance of the bonds that connect these unequal species. It refrains from suggesting that liberation can be achieved through the detachment from these connections. In the context of the intricate bonds between humans and dogs, Carla Freccero astutely observes, "In the evolution of this social, albeit not entirely human, species-being, new perspectives on agency, subjectivity, and social collectivity must be forged" (Freccero, 191). Monster Dogs actively engages in this complex endeavor. The intricate interplay of forces and desires that shape the agency of these dogs eludes categorization, blurring the distinctions between the purely animal and entirely human, instinct and intelligence, external programming and internal self-determination, as well as mechanization and organic essence. Nevertheless, the pursuit of a more harmonious world does not hinge on the disentanglement of these categorical divisions. For "agency" to hold relevance within this intricately interconnected tapestry of companion species, it must assume a collective, dynamic, even contradictory form. Dogs and humans are bound together by a shared yoke, and to make the most of this shared existence, humans must find a way to conceive of agency that accommodates both empowerment and vulnerability. They must recognize personhood and objecthood as modes that transcend the boundaries of species.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Kirsten Bakis' novel "Lives of the Monster Dogs," outlining the creation and tragic fate of the superhumanly intelligent canine characters, and presents the study's thesis on how these monstrous figures challenge posthumanist boundaries.
2. Critical Cultural Studies: This section explores René Descartes' anthropocentric philosophy distinguishing humans from animals and machines based on a rational soul, setting the historical and philosophical context for challenging these distinctions through a critical cultural studies approach.
3. Redefining Boundaries: Posthumanist Monsters: This chapter examines how Bakis' "monster dogs" exemplify bio-technological hybrids that challenge Cartesian views, highlighting the ethical concerns around animal commodification and agency in an anthropocentric world.
4. Implications of Posthumanism: This section delves into the broader implications of posthumanism, discussing how technology and language intertwine with human existence, challenging anthropocentric narratives and advocating for a more inclusive understanding of interspecies relationships.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes how Bakis' posthumanist monsters compel readers to re-evaluate what it means to be human in a technologically advanced world, emphasizing the need for new ethical responsibilities towards non-human entities and a more diverse worldview.
Keywords
Posthumanism, monstrosity, human-animal studies, cyborgs, anthropocentrism, Kirsten Bakis, Lives of the Monster Dogs, René Descartes, cultural studies, agency, identity, technology, ethics, hybridity, non-human entities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this paper generally about?
This paper explores the novel "Lives of the Monster Dogs" by Kirsten Bakis through a posthumanist lens, analyzing how its characters challenge traditional notions of humanity and identity, particularly in relation to technology and non-human life.
What are the central thematic fields?
The central thematic fields include posthumanism, human-animal studies, the concept of monstrosity, anthropocentrism, the impact of technology on identity, and the blurring of boundaries between humans, animals, and machines.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to demonstrate that the monstrous characters in the novel embody the liminal spaces of the posthuman condition, prompting a re-evaluation of humanity, embodiment, and identity within contemporary society.
Which scientific method is used?
The study employs concepts central to methods grounded in critical cultural studies to analyze the interplay between the characters' hybrid nature and societal structures.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part of the paper covers a critique of Cartesian philosophy's anthropocentric views, an examination of how the "monster dogs" redefine boundaries as posthumanist beings, and a discussion of the broader implications of posthumanism for understanding humanity and its relationship with technology.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Keywords characterizing the work include posthumanism, monstrosity, human-animal studies, anthropocentrism, cyborgs, agency, identity, and ethics.
How does the novel "Lives of the Monster Dogs" challenge Cartesian philosophy?
The novel challenges Cartesian philosophy by envisioning animals that are partly mechanized and possess high intelligence and speech, implicitly refuting Descartes' strict demarcation between humans and animals based on the absence of a rational soul in the latter.
What role does anthropocentrism play in the discussion of posthumanism?
Anthropocentrism is presented as a dominant historical viewpoint that the paper critiques, arguing that it justifies the exploitation of non-human entities and that posthumanism offers alternative, more inclusive perspectives on multi-species coexistence.
How does the concept of "agency" evolve in the context of companion species as discussed in the paper?
The paper argues that agency, in the context of companion species like the monster dogs, must be conceived as collective, dynamic, and even contradictory, accommodating both empowerment and vulnerability and transcending species boundaries.
What transformations do posthumanist monsters symbolize in the digital era?
Posthumanist monsters in Bakis' work serve as a metaphor for the intricate relationship between humans and machines in the digital era, highlighting the ethical, political, and philosophical consequences of evolving definitions of humanity.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonymous (Autor), 2023, Beyond Humanity. Posthuman Reflections in "Lives of the Monster Dogs" by Kirsten Bakis, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1668265
