I am a big fan of futuristic or post-apocalyptic science fiction novels. A really good futuristic novel is not only intriguing and engrossing because of the fictional future world it depicts, but it is also rather frightening because the reader can see parallels to our own present-day societies. Books like 1984 or The Giver are prime examples of this. These novels would not be nearly so powerful if we didn't see Big Brothers or vestiges of the community in our own lives.
Two such novels look at some very important questions: do some members of society have more value than others? Should some members of society be used to improve the lives of others? Are some people dispensable for the greater good? This isn't a new issue. We see it everyday in abortion clinics and in the debates about euthanasia. This blog isn't intended as a platform for either of those issues but it is hard to dispute that the futures described in The Unit and Never Let Me Go are very frightening possibilities.
In Ninni Holmqvist's The Unit, there is a special place reserved for those who don't contribute meaningfully to society. The unit is full of unmarried and childless men and women, past middle age who do not work in important industries. They are given fine food and entertainment, art, recreation and the company of others. While the unit is a pleasant place, it has a much more sinister purpose: the residents of the unit are kept healthy for as long as possible while their bodies are slowly harvested for the desirables. The men and women of the unit are fully aware of their role in society. They are even accepting of their imminent deaths- but what happens when two people on the unit fall in love? Holmqvist keeps the reader emotionally invested in the novel, right up until the surprising- but perfect- ending.
Kazuo Ishiguro explores similar themes in Never Let Me Go. Kathy narrates her experiences growing up in an unusual English boarding school. As Kathy transitions from childhood to adulthood, she dares to deam about a future with the boy she loves. More than anything, Kathy just wants to be a normal girl- will she be given the chance? As you put the pieces together, you will be captivated by Ishiguro's commentary on humanity and value. This is a complex, multi-layered and intelligent novel.
I hope that you will enjoy these novels and, more importantly, I hope they will make you see the frightening possibilities.
Showing posts with label Chilling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chilling. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Oh big brother, where art thou?
Geroge Orwell's 1984 is one of my favourite novels of all time, and (of course), the inspiration for the name of this blog. I worry that my discussion of the novel can't do it justice, but I'll do my best.
Orwell's masterpiece takes place in a future totalitarian society. The leader of this society is Big Brother- a face plastered on every wall with the slogan "Big Brother is Always Watching." Through his thought police, Big Brother monitors everything- actions, relationships, work, even language.
Enter Winston Smith- a young man who, discontent with the current situation, decides to enter into a relationship with a young woman. Of course, amorous relationships are banned too. The tension mounts as the thought police learns of Winston and Julia's illicit relationship and try to re-educate the young couple.
What makes the story even more chilling is the resonance it still has today. Orwell wrote the novel in 1948 as a critique of the Soviet Union, yet we can still see parallels to today's governments, even in democratic societies.
As you read it, look for the Big Brothers in our own societies.
And to end my entry, a powerful quote from the novel:
"There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live—did live, from habit that became instinct—in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized."
Orwell's masterpiece takes place in a future totalitarian society. The leader of this society is Big Brother- a face plastered on every wall with the slogan "Big Brother is Always Watching." Through his thought police, Big Brother monitors everything- actions, relationships, work, even language.
Enter Winston Smith- a young man who, discontent with the current situation, decides to enter into a relationship with a young woman. Of course, amorous relationships are banned too. The tension mounts as the thought police learns of Winston and Julia's illicit relationship and try to re-educate the young couple.
What makes the story even more chilling is the resonance it still has today. Orwell wrote the novel in 1948 as a critique of the Soviet Union, yet we can still see parallels to today's governments, even in democratic societies.
As you read it, look for the Big Brothers in our own societies.
And to end my entry, a powerful quote from the novel:
"There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live—did live, from habit that became instinct—in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized."
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