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Chapter 12 - Humans

from Part II - Anthropocene Themes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2021

John Parham
Affiliation:
University of Worcester
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Summary

Humans are the first species to be conscious of their own transforming of the Earth system. This has entailed a paradoxical doubling of the human into anthropos (humanity as a blind geological force) and homo (humans as self-conscious, rational actors). Anthropocene stories pivot on anagnorisis – moments of self-recognition in which homo and anthropos become identified with each other. In most Anthropocene stories, humans attempt to resolve this paradox either by wielding geological power consciously or by renouncing mastery and receding into earthly forces. This chapter examines how Jeff Vandermeer’s Southern Reach trilogy seeks to keep the underlying paradox in suspension. Humans are confronted with an alien entity which embodies the geological force of anthropos, but they seek, nonetheless, to make sense of their fate. The novels thus reflect on a central task of literary writing in the Anthropocene: how to (re-)compose the human.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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  • Humans
  • Edited by John Parham, University of Worcester
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to Literature and the Anthropocene
  • Online publication: 28 July 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108683111.014
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  • Humans
  • Edited by John Parham, University of Worcester
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to Literature and the Anthropocene
  • Online publication: 28 July 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108683111.014
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Humans
  • Edited by John Parham, University of Worcester
  • Book: The Cambridge Companion to Literature and the Anthropocene
  • Online publication: 28 July 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108683111.014
Available formats
×