Question:  I want to look into this piece of literature at a different angle that considers the underlying narrative that situates Lauren as an exemplary and influential person in society. The, Parable of the Sower, shows Lauren’s character development as an encapsulation of a morally benevolent person which can be understood through Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic studies; what does it say about the Climate fiction literature motif paradigm to move people towards a direction of action?

Holt, Robert R. “Freud’s Impact on Modern Morality.” The Hastings Center Report, vol. 10, no. 2, 1980, pp. 38–45. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3561279

Robert R. Holt argues that Freud’s impact on modern morality is profoundly revolutionary, influencing not only psychology but also how one thinks about ethical behavior, responsibility, and the formation of moral values. This is a lifeline to how my essay unpacks much of Lauren’s psyche and the Freudian evaluation of her actions and reactions in a climate fiction sense of literature.

Nilges, Mathias. “‘We Need the Stars’: Change, Community, and the Absent Father in Octavia Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower’ and ‘Parable of the Talents.’” Callaloo, vol. 32, no. 4, 2009, pp. 1332–52. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27743152. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

Mathias Nilges examines the themes of change, community, and the figure of the absent father in Octavia Butler’s two novels. The father figure is certainly related to Freud’s father complex which shows up as a theme for Lauren highlighting the necessity of abandoning outdated patriarchal systems to build a new and more inclusive society grounded in cooperation and adaptability. Her weaknesses and strengths build for a complex character that showcases a set of morals that aren’t any less labyrinth, nevertheless, that may be exemplary for times of crises.

Leavenworth, Maria  Lindgren. “Climate Fiction and Young Learners’ Thoughts—A Dialogue …” Researchgate | Find and Share Research, www.researchgate.net/publication/347401335_Climate_fiction_and_young_learners’_thoughts-a_dialogue_between_literature_and_education.

Maria Lindgren Leavenworth’s study focuses on the ways in which cli-fi, a genre of literature that imagines future scenarios shaped by climate change, can spark dialogue and reflection among young people. The article highlights the veracious educational value of utilizing cli-fi to help young learners develop a more effective understanding of the weight of climate-related issues, in terms of scientific knowledge and moral considerations. Leavenworth mentions the vitality of the genre in invoking empathy and encouraging engagement, showing how fiction can move beyond just educational use to beseech emotional and intellectual responses that can motivate future action.

Ghosh, Amitav. The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable. The University of Chicago Press, 2017.

Amitav Ghosh addresses the existential vicissitude in relation to the climate crisis. He unpacks the inadequacies of contemporary thought, inviting one to consider thinking beyond the reachable scope of problem solving, a collective approach. Through this lens, Asha Ummat symbolizes the vehement necessity for a new global consciousness that is capable of dealing with the magnitude of climate disruption. It may seem hippie to attempt an integrational relation to the world, but it may be exactly how Lauren was able to guide others in her religion to a place of survival and revival.

Haraway, Donna. “Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene, Chthulucene: Making Kin.” Researchgate | Find and Share Research, www.researchgate.net/publication/304074136_Anthropocene_Capitalocene_Plantationocene_Chthulucene_Making_Kin.

Donna Haraway puts forth the cultivation of what she coins “kinship” as a way to go beyond human boundaries, advocating for a recognition of interdependence among all beings, human and non-human, in the face of ecological crises. The essay emphasizes the vitality of storytelling as an imaginative ground for solidarity in order to navigate and reimagine life in the future. This touches base with my take on cli-fi speaking for more than environmental issues, tackling the catalyzing phenomena that are creating the climate crisis in the first place. In order to achieve such revelation, a certain moral standing ground must be present in order to incorporate kinship in one’s life which Lauren does.

I used Google Scholar and Hunter Libraries to conduct my research. I found these resources beneficial to my overall observation and query on morality as depicted in Climate Fiction.

Holt, Robert R. “Freud’s Impact on Modern Morality.” The Hastings Center Report, vol. 10, no. 2, 1980, pp. 38–45. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3561279.

Ravven, Heidi M., et al. “Spinoza to Freud: The Unraveling of a Psycho-Analytical Perspective on Moral Responsibility and Law.” International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, Pergamon, 10 Aug. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016025271630142X.

Lippmann, Walter. “A Preface to Morals.” Google Books, Transaction Publishers, books.google.com/books/about/A_Preface_To_Morals.html?id=-E4WFG-G30sC.

Weik, Alexa. “The Home, the Tide, and the World: Eco-Cosmopolitan Encounters in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide.” Researchgate | Find and Share Research, www.researchgate.net/publication/269520259_The_Home_the_Tide_and_the_World_Eco-Cosmopolitan_Encounters_in_Amitav_Ghoshs_The_Hungry_Tide.

Leavenworth, Maria  Lindgren. “Climate Fiction and Young Learners’ Thoughts—A Dialogue …” Researchgate | Find and Share Research, www.researchgate.net/publication/347401335_Climate_fiction_and_young_learners’_thoughts-a_dialogue_between_literature_and_education.

In Weathers by Offill, there are small fragments of experience being told in a mosaic manner. The novel is told through a thought-process agency and with a tone of insecurity. A dispense of desire and plot in order to give anecdotal glimpses of how climate issues, mentioned here and there in a sprinkled manner, is simultaneously acknowledged and ignored. The passive juxtaposition to the growing sense of unease in contemporary life, largely told through the narrator, Lizzie, who works as a librarian in a public university, who tries to navigate a world filled with existential worries. This storyline sets up the reader to capture themes of uncertainty and interplay between internal and external crises.

The first theme is uncertainty which is exacerbated by Lizzie’s role at a “Department of Extreme Events,” where she answers questions from people who share their existential concerns about the future. Sylivia, her former mentor, tells Lizzie of her mail filled with expressions of Christian values about the Rapture and global warming. Lizzie recognizes that Sylvia looks fatigue and she as aid replies with, “I say yes, okay, why not, sure” (27). Lizzie’s short and taciturn responses show the absurdity of her unsatisfying responses when suggesting that one prepare for the worst without steps to follow. A blind and naïve way to provide advise that causes a certain anxiety towards the uncertainty of the world. Lizzie also has a line of thinking and a pensive reflection that leaves one with an eerie sensation towards the preposterousness of her job. People tend to seek answers to the labyrinthine mysteries, even though deep down, they know no one has any definitive answers to such grand queries. She concludes that, “Our mother was definitely saved, but were we really? What if we came home and the house was empty? (35-36). This is a thought that highlights the futility of attempting to reassure herself and others when in reality there is a lack of clarity, stability, and control in the world. One trying to make the unknown a comfortable thought causes turmoil for others who simply cannot wrap their head around such beliefs and mindsets. Attempting to make the intangible tangible is an anxiety and fear driven way to cope.

The second theme is an interplay between the internal and external crises. Offill explores the burden of global change due to fast moving and repressive societies which are mirrored through Lizzie’s relationship with her husband and her brother Henry. There are moments when Lizzie feels disconnected from her husband because he is so focused on his work that he loses sight of her internal concerns with the external world around them, making her feel more alone. Lizzie expresses her frustration with her husband as he reads the Stoics saying that she pleaded with him not to, “…look down upon the person you love while he or she is sleeping and remind yourself: Tomorrow you will die” (94). A dismaying moment that illuminates the tension between Lizzie’s personal fret towards the world around her and the inability to get that across to someone she is close to. Lizzie feels both responsible for her brother and powerless to help him, conveying the broader sense of helplessness she feels about the world’s future. Henry struggles with addiction and admits to Lizzie that he misses drugs because they quieted the sounds of the world around him. At the supermarket, Lizzie says, “All around us things tried to announce their true nature. But their radiance was faint and fainter still beneath the terrible music” (5). This observation implies that reality, whether it’s personal, social, or environmental, is always trying to show itself bluntly, but that this truth is often obscured or overlooked by other forces. The “radiance” of the world’s true nature is “faint” because it is being drowned out by the louder and more vehement forces at play in our lives; whether that’s the chaos of contemporary events in one’s daily life, or our own personal fears and distractions.

Embarking an unravel of internal emotional turmoil, nail-biting climate change, and societal instability, Offill presents a narrative that feels fragmented, similar to the way modern life can feel unpredictable and overwhelming. The tone is dark humored, underscoring the absurdity of trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in the face of these crises. I felt that this lingering message was very resonate in my life as a New Yorker where there is a pressing but often neglected awareness of climate change, societal unsteadiness, or personal crises that are manifesting in the world. These realities aren’t fully acknowledged or understood by most people, which is why this novel can be beneficial for dragging that out to the surface.

How does Parable of the Sower show Lauren’s character development as an encapsulation of a morally benevolent person in terms of Freud psychoanalytic studies and challenge that construct simultaneously; what does it say about the Climate fiction literature genre motif to move people towards a direction of action?

Peter Barry addresses structuralism which looks at the psychoanalytical nuances within literature to uncover deeper depths of storytelling and characters. Karl Marx touches upon historical materialism which dives into historical events and political contexts in order to understand social phenomena. Jones approached Gosh’s work in a postcolonial and ecocritical light through structuralist analysis in order to understand the uncanny. Nayar focused on historical materialism as he unpacks much of Western ideological aspects that fueled the uncanny. I would argue that both analyses complement each other, capturing the full picture of migration and colonization.

Jones addresses interconnectivity of postcolonialism and ecology by emphasizing the vitality of understanding the interrelations between postcolonial issues and ecological concerns, particularly in the context of climate change. Jones argues that Ghosh’s work offers a vision of a postcolonial utopia through Nirmal’s utopianism, where diverse cultures and ecological awareness coexist harmoniously, challenging traditional narratives of progress and development through, “longer temporal frame”(Jones 15). Jones conveys Gosh’s ability to examine how cultural memory and embrace shapes responses to displacement and adaptation in the face of climate challenges, highlighting resilience among marginalized communities. Jones situates Ghosh’s narrative within a global context by mentioning the emergence of Anthropocene-inspired films that reflect the broader implications of climate change and migration for contemporary society. Jones argues that viewing climate impacted refugees as solely victims of the environment erases the political aspect and exacerbates, ”…the victimization tendencies of apocalyptic narratives that rob refugees of agency and subjectivity” (Jones 12). Displaced populations should have a say on their relocation and will to do so, which could mean, “…measures should be taken to ensure that refugees can use their own knowledge practices to negotiate where, when, and how they are relocated” (Jones 13-14). The idea of indigenous canny is inclusive and allows for the reader to embrace a fantastical read that addresses societal vicissitudes and realities for people across the world. In, Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, by Peter Barry, there is discourse on structuralism as a means of understanding the abstract significance of linguistics. Gosh in his writing achieves the breakdown of, “The structures in question here are those imposed by our way of perceiving the world and organizing experience, rather than objective entities already existing in the external world” (Barry 40). Gosh goes past the imagination and uses a story line to embrace motifs and contrasts.

Nayar highlights the hybrid identities formed in this postcolonial setting, showing how characters are being utilized to embody various cultural influences. Piya becomes one with the environment and experiences a revolutionary realization of viewing the world around her as more than a mere perception. As reinforcement, Nayar states, “It is about the experience of the land rather than simply perceiving it as a scene” (34). Understanding the landscape more than as a facade and untouchable mere image, and instead as a breathing and living force which is accomplished by personifying the environment through the characters. Hearing the stories of the people and history of the environment humanizes the experiences of disasters rather than glorify them or make them fantastical imaginations of the Anthropocene. There is a non-linear storytelling in Gosh’s work that conveys the faulty in postcolonial experience that is so often presented. This emphasizes the negative residue of colonial forces and the ongoing vicissitudes for justice and recognition. Narration therefore is the focal power towards these disproportionate uncanny narratives that often overshadow factual history. Nayar states that, “The novel. I suggest moves from the postcolonial uncanny to an indigenous canny, where local knowledge and expertise finally triumph, and renders the place more like home” (31). Piya in, “Words” experiences a moment of inner turmoil towards her cultural food’s scent reminiscing how, “Her response was to fight back, with a quietly ferocious tenacity, against them and against her mother, shutting them away with closed doors, sealing them into the kitchen” (81). Unpacking the past addresses much of the oppressed negative afflictions caused by Westernization. Historical and material contexts provide introspectiveness that if otherwise ignored, would not uncover the human experiences that provide a canny and educational perspective. Raymund Williams in “Base and Superstructure in Marxist Cultural Theory” in, The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, describes this piece of work as contribution to the, “…capacity to embody and enact and perform certain meanings and values, or to create in single particular ways what would be otherwise merely general truths…” (1347). I would argue that this view of literature is an output, a Marxist influenced idea of base and superstructure. Socioeconomic realities being reflected in literature through a structural and strategic form of storytelling which is what makes Gosh’s work so effective and moving.

Intertwining historical context erases ignorance towards the humanity of the indigenous canny with structural components effectively uncovering the psychological effects of colonialism. Understanding that environment and home looks different for people globally, which is acknowledged through Nirmal, Piya and various other characters. Westernization views the uncanny in a rigid manner that excludes groups of people and their experiences. Gosh breaks this down through the structuralist and historical mix in his story telling, however, deconstruction would have glued his argument. Deconstruction would have addressed issues such as progression, human relations with non-humans and the environment, and identity crises. Any loopholes that can be reached should have been squashed, in other words, by integrating argumentative rebuttals. Other than that, reading The Hungry Tide was a moving and educational experience due to the usage of potent literary theories.