Agency in the Anthropocene : Media, Characters and Eco-Emotions in Australian Bushfire Fiction

Details

Supervisors

Ben De Bruyn

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en langues et lettres modernes, orientation générale, à finalité spécialisée: sciences et métiers du livre

Abstract

Australian bushfires are just one of the most visible manifestations of climate change, raising awareness of human insignificance in a context of increasing ecological upheaval and political stalemate. This thesis delves into the subtleties of human agency in the Anthropocene, exploring Richard Flanagan’s The Living Sea of Waking Dreams, Alice Bishop’s A Constant Hum, Alice Robinson’s Anchor Point and the mini-series Fires produced by Elisa Argenzio. By examining each case-study in turn, the thesis highlights the similarities and points of comparison between them. The first themes addressed are media-generated eco-terror, the alteration of nature, the ongoing extinction of animals and the ignorance of Indigenous communities. All these themes highlight the emotional responses of the characters, who are faced with a growing sense of powerlessness. The thesis subsequently examines the different narrative styles, focusing on the representation of the online reading experience and the detailed description of physical sensory perceptions to illustrate the traumatic nature of the bushfire encounter and its virtual observation. The analysis concludes with a discussion of the activism shown by some of the young adult characters and the intergenerational cooperation that takes place at critical moments. Via these steps, the thesis illustrates the extent of the characters’ sense of lack of agency in the face of the vast forces at play in the natural world but also shows that the power to change things lies in the collective and intergenerational ability to work together.