Writing Against Apocalypse
The objective of this course is to explore the relationship between historical developments at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st and narrative fiction. This relationship will serve as a foil to explore our culture’s fascination with the end of the world, whether perceived as being supernatural, natural, or human in origin. We will delve into the historical views about the perceived end of the world as seen in various cultures, and what the fiction of our own times shows about our eschatological concerns.
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction is not merely a literary trend. It is also a locus point where rhetorical action meets literary representation. Authors depict the end of the world as part of a larger strategy, often against major issues at stake in modernity. Despite this, authors like Naomi Klein argue that the prevalence of apocalyptic narratives creates a sense of inevitability about future catastrophe that produces apathy rather than activism. We will explore the extent to which authors write against the end of the world.
The core of this class will be composed from a group of three novels. Through the lens of post-colonialism and environmentalism, we will examine the novels Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood and The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan. We will explore Cormac McCarthy’s post-modern masterpiece The Road. We will also explore iterations in the genre from music, film, television, and games.
This course, like all WI courses, will involve the composition of analytic and expositional essays. There will be three essays combining analysis and exposition, for a cumulative of about 20 pages of essay writing. Additionally, there will be discussion posts on Laulima and a final project.
Objectives:
–Exposure and exploration of media: short story, novel, film, and game.
–Increased awareness of the continuities and changes in literary styles and cultures, particularly in the 20th century, but also in the context of a tradition that has spanned two millenia.
–Improved analytical and critical thinking skills.
Required Texts:
Atwood, Margaret. Oryx and Crake. New York: First Anchor Books, 2003. ISBN: 0-385-72167-6
Aslan, Austin. The Islands at the End of the World. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-0-385-74403-4
McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. New York: Vintage Book, 2006. ISBN: 978-0-307-27792-3