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Abstract

This dissertation investigates the portrayal of the anthropocene in eco-apocalyptic literature to argue that humans are presented as a cause and catalyst for environmental damage and ecological disaster in this genre of speculative fiction. It will do so by examining the evidence presented in John Christopher’s The Death of Grass (2009, originally published in 1956), Margaret Atwood’s Oryx & Crake (2003), and John Lanchester’s The Wall (2019). The three texts range from the mid-twentieth century to the early twenty-first century and show environmental fears specific to each date of publication. Chapter one asserts that capitalism and consumerism are key themes in The Wall and Oryx & Crake. Atwood touches upon themes of wastefulness whilst Lanchester suggests that capitalism is exploitative which precedes the next chapters ideas about environmental inequality. Chapter two discusses Western Superiority and British exceptionalism from the perspective of The Death of Grass and The Wall in order to highlight that global suffering caused by ecological changes does not concern the West as much as it should. Edward’s Said’s ideas of othering as well as Rob Nixon’s concerns about slow violence are utilized to show that the lives of people living in less economically developed countries are devalued in order for the West to continue their capitalist pursuits, causing further ecological destruction and environmental inequality. The final chapter explores how borders are represented in Oryx & Crake and The Wall and interlinks this with the themes of the previous two chapters to highlight how borders both support xenophobic rhetoric surrounding Western superiority and British exceptionalism and reinforce capitalist ideologies. In turn borders also facilitate the abuse of the environmental and the global working class.

Course: English Literature - BA (Hons) - C0995

Date Deposited: 2022-02-17

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13801.html