"A complex and delicate web" : a comparative study of selected speculative novels by Margaret Atwood, Ursula K. Le Guin, Doris Lessing and Marge Piercy
- Authors: Glover, Jayne Ashleigh
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Atwood, Margaret Eleanor, 1939- -- Criticism and interpretation Le Guin, Ursula K., 1929- -- Criticism and interpretation Lessing, Doris May, 1919- -- Criticism and interpretation Piercy, Marge Piercy, Marge -- Criticism and interpretation Utopias in literature Dystopias in literature Science fiction, English -- History and criticism Fantasy fiction -- History and criticism Fantasy literature -- History and criticism Women authors -- 20th Century Women authors -- 21st Century English fiction -- 20th Century English fiction -- 21st Century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2199 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002241
- Description: This thesis examines selected speculative novels by Margaret Atwood, Ursula K. Le Guin, Doris Lessing and Marge Piercy. It argues that a specifiable ecological ethic can be traced in their work – an ethic which is explored by them through the tensions between utopian and dystopian discourses. The first part of the thesis begins by theorising the concept of an ecological ethic of respect for the Other through current ecological philosophies, such as those developed by Val Plumwood. Thereafter, it contextualises the novels within the broader field of science fiction, and speculative fiction in particular, arguing that the shift from a critical utopian to a critical dystopian style evinces their changing treatment of this ecological ethic within their work. The remainder of the thesis is divided into two parts, each providing close readings of chosen novels in the light of this argument. Part Two provides a reading of Le Guin’s early Hainish novels, The Left Hand of Darkness, The Word for World is Forest and The Dispossessed, followed by an examination of Piercy’s Woman on the Edge of Time, Lessing’s The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five, and Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The third, and final, part of the thesis consists of individual chapters analysing the later speculative novels of each author. Piercy’s He, She and It, Le Guin’s The Telling, and Atwood’s Oryx and Crake are all scrutinised, as are Lessing’s two recent ‘Ifrik’ novels. This thesis shows, then, that speculative fiction is able to realise through fiction many of the ideals of ecological thinkers. Furthermore, the increasing dystopianism of these novels reflects the greater urgency with which the problem of Othering needs to be addressed in the light of the present global ecological crisis.
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- Date Issued: 2008
The Harry Potter phenomenon literary production, generic traditions, and the question of values
- Authors: Glover, Jayne Ashleigh
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Rowling, J. K. Criticism and interpretation , Potter, Harry (Fictitious character) , Children's literature -- History and criticism , Fantasy fiction, English -- History and criticism , Wizards in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2201 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002243 , Rowling, J. K. Criticism and interpretation , Potter, Harry (Fictitious character) , Children's literature -- History and criticism , Fantasy fiction, English -- History and criticism , Wizards in literature
- Description: This thesis is a study of the first four books of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. It accounts for the widespread success of the novels by examining their publication and marketing histories, and their literary achievement as narratives including a sophisticated mix of generic traditions. Chapter One looks at the popularity of the novels, comparing their material production and marketing by Rowling’s English language publishers: Bloomsbury in Britain and Scholastic in the United States of America. The publisher’s influence on the public perception of each book is demonstrated by comparative study of its mode of illustration and layout. Further, the design of the books is linked to their strategic marketing and branding within the literary world. The second chapter considers Rowling’s debt to the school story. It concentrates first on the history of this relatively short-lived genre, briefly discussing its stereotypical features and values. Traditional elements of setting and characterisation are then examined to show how the Harry Potter novels present a value system which, though apparently old-fashioned, still has an ethical standpoint designed to appeal to the modern reader. Chapter Three focuses on the characterisation of Harry as a hero-figure, especially on how the influence of classical and medieval texts infuses Rowling’s portrayal of Harry as a hero in the chivalric mode. The episodes of “quest” and “test” in each book illustrate specifically how he learns the values of selflessness, loyalty, mercy and fairness. Chapter Four surveys the contribution of modern fantasy writing to the series. It shows how Rowling creates a secondary world that allows us to perceive magic as a metaphorical representation of power. This focus on the relationship between magic and power in turn has a bearing on our assessment of the author’s moral stance. The thesis concludes by suggesting that Rowling’s unusual mix of genres is justified by the values they share, and which are inscribed in her work: the generic combination forms a workable, new and exciting mode of writing that helps to account for the phenomenal popularity of the series.
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- Date Issued: 2004