Posts

Thing-Power and Agency in Different Dystopian Environments

Image
In this final blog post of my series on delving into many dystopian environments, I am using a peer’s blog post focusing on “thing-power” to expand my previous argument. I will be reviewing Hope Wason’s blog post titled “An Egg-citing Hunt.”  (Please check out her blog post by clicking this link .)  In her post, Hope begins by explaining the new materialist idea of “thing-power,” where she notes that the “more direct connections an object has, the more power and influence it carries over others.”  To illustrate her argument that objects shape environments, Hope analyzes the dystopian novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, specifically the three keys and an Easter egg.  She also mentions how these objects obtain their power though the Oasis, a virtual reality that harnesses control over people who are looking to escape the real world.  And, as a result of the death of the Oasis creator, James Halliday, a “hunt” was developed and marketed for all people within the virtual reality,
Post a Comment
Read more

Why I Find Dystopias Interesting?

Image
The two concepts that interest me the most about dystopias are the idea of thing-power and assemblages in these environments.  I also enjoy looking at dystopian environments where the host, or dominant, group controls all of life.  The human response, or reaction, to these dystopian environments intrigues me so much!  As I read and watch about dystopian environments, I constantly find myself wondering how I, personally, would react if I were the main character in the same situations.  Here’s a quick recap on what thing-power and assemblages are: Thing-power is when objects hold some sort of power and, therefore, have the ability to change society.  It is important to understand that anything can have power, including both organic (living) and inorganic (non-living) beings or objects. An assemblage is when beings or objects with thing-power come together and hold enough power to change reality.  The implication of an assemblage is, therefore, that our own human reality can be
Post a Comment
Read more

New Materialism and Dystopian Environments

Image
What is New Materialism? Thinking about our reality through the lens of a new materialist allows us (as readers) to see humans as equal to everything else in nature.  Hence, the new materialist sees humans as not superior animals.  This concept is important to understand because it assumes that both organic (living) and inorganic (nonliving) beings or objects hold some sort of power within our society (Bennett, 2010).  And, this idea of giving all objects power is called thing-power.  According to Deleuzean theory, thing-power is when objects have the power to change outcomes as a result of their being and place in society (DeLanda, 2006).  And, all of these objects that have thing-power combine into an assemblage together that hold enough power to modify reality (DeLanda, 2006; Bennett, 2010).  These aspects of new materialism allow for dystopian environments to form.  New Materialism in Dystopian Environments Many dystopian environments present the new materialist idea o
Post a Comment
Read more

"The Mockingjay"

Image
Dystopian environments often have an element of time associated to them.   Many of these environments are set in a “post-apocalyptic” environment where the consequences of social order or technological innovations are illustrated (see my first blog post of this series for more information on the relationship between dystopian environments and “post-apocalyptic” ones). It takes time for a society to become a dystopian one, but the use and/or abuse of one organization over others overtime is relative to the setting of most books.   For example, in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, time was shown to further intensify the need for rebellion of the Districts against the hierarchical power of the Panem government in the Capitol.   And, in Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, the setting is 2045 America where technological advancements have resulted in a virtual society via an Internet-like, networking-focused video game called OASIS is controlled by Innovative Online
Post a Comment
Read more