This essay explores the novel Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway and its uses of genre, form and characterisation to express concerns and meanings behind death and the modern mind.
The genre as steampunk fills the novel full of wondrous inventions from a battle train called the Lovelace, to a gigantic submarine. By referencing articles and works focusing on the construction of the novel and the meanings modern fiction generates, I will argue towards Nick Harkaway’s use of narration and time to develop a story which adapts reality. His use of characters is intriguing as they have a close relationship with the plot, inviting the reader to explore a universe where everything is a cog in a machine.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Genre, Form and Characterisation
- Steampunk and Modern Fiction
- The Apprehension Device
- Characters as Cogs in a Machine
- The Ruskinites
- The Opium Khan
- The Recording Man
- Time and Structure
- Layered Narration
- Unity of Effect
- Character Development
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay explores Nick Harkaway's novel Angelmaker and its use of genre, form, and characterisation to express concerns about death and the modern mind. The essay examines how Harkaway employs steampunk conventions and character development to create a world where individuals are perceived as cogs in a larger machine.
- Steampunk and Modern Fiction
- The role of technology in shaping morality and life
- The individual versus the collective
- The nature of death and the human mind
- Character development and subject positions
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The essay begins by examining how Harkaway utilizes steampunk tropes, particularly the Apprehension device, to explore the anxieties surrounding technological advancements and their impact on morality and human existence. It then delves into the novel's exploration of individuality and its relationship to the collective, examining how characters are depicted as parts of a larger system, where everyone is interconnected and plays a specific role. The essay concludes by discussing the role of time and structure in the narrative, showcasing how Harkaway's use of a layered narrative and character development contribute to the overarching themes of the novel.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The essay focuses on the interplay of genre, form, and characterisation in Nick Harkaway's Angelmaker. Key themes include steampunk, technology, morality, individuality, the collective, death, the human mind, character development, and subject positions.
- Quote paper
- English and Creative Writing Michael Amos (Author), 2016, "Angelmaker" by Nick Harkaway. A Critical Essay, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/345276
