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Examining the Tribal "Other " in American Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Pavelecky, Alicia M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1368117144

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Arts in English, Cleveland State University, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
Most post-apocalyptic novels feature situations in which protagonists and antagonists are extremely polarized. In this relationship, many antagonists are treated as the “other, ” this practice, according to Edward Said, is used by one group to establish dominance over another. This thesis strives to examine the relationship between the protagonist and its tribal “other ” in two works of American post-apocalyptic fiction, and suggests that this dichotomous relationship corresponds to key concerns in American political culture at the time of each work’s publication. David Brin’s 1985 novel The Postman uses the “other ” as a way to reinforce core American values, such as integrity and hard work; the protagonist, who takes on the role of a mail carrier and becomes a symbol for hope, helps to defeat the “other ” and resurrects the post-apocalyptic United States. The “other ” in The Postman is a group of barbaric anarchists who perpetuate anti-American sentiments. These sentiments, as it will be argued, were a major political concern in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. By defeating this group of “others ”, the American ideals that were valued (at the time of the novel’s publication) are reinforced and are perpetuated as necessary ideals that can save the United States from any danger that it may face. Carol Emshwiller’s 2006 short story “Killers ” uses the “other ” as well, although to a different effect. Instead of promoting beliefs of the time period, the treatment of the “other ” undermines this practice, as the protagonist, rather than the antagonist, is the tribal “other ” Because of this inversion, this text seems to undermine the culture that promotes the ideals; the protagonist perpetuates the dichotomy through culturally ignorant slurs against the character that she believes to be the “other ”, and when she is revealed as the other, her beliefs are challenged and undermined. This practice of creating and perpetuating an “other ” seems to be challenged in “Killers ” through the inversion of the “other ” onto the Western character, especially when considering that “Killers ” was written as a response to the American conflict in Iraq.
Frederick Karem, PhD (Committee Chair)
James Marino, PhD (Committee Member)
Adam Sonstegard, PhD (Committee Member)
61 p.
Literature
Said, Edward; Other; American; Tribal; Post-Apocalyptic; Apocalyptic; Apocalypse

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Pavelecky, A. M. (2013). Examining the Tribal "Other " in American Post-Apocalyptic Fiction [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1368117144

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Pavelecky, Alicia. Examining the Tribal "Other " in American Post-Apocalyptic Fiction. 2013. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1368117144.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Pavelecky, Alicia. "Examining the Tribal "Other " in American Post-Apocalyptic Fiction." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1368117144

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1368117144
587
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This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.