Memory, Dystopias, and Writers: Attempting to Subvert Dystopia for the Future

Year 2022, Issue: 3, 61 - 74, 31.10.2022

Jennifer Kelso Farrell

Abstract

Looking at three contemporary dystopian novels, Omar El Akkad’s American War, Jeff Noon’s Falling Out of Cars, and Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police, this paper will analyze the way in which writing is used as an attempt to disrupt dystopia. While the protagonists fail in their attempts at subversion, the paper will explore how dystopia challenges memory, identity, and relationships. Additionally, the paper will examine how the protagonists’ subversive writings affect those around them, including future trauma. A brief discussion of the connection between writing and memory from a psychological perspective will ensue, including how writing excites important parts of the brain. Part of this exploration will look at memory and how writing ties to the past and how identity is negotiated through the act of writing in the course of literary analysis of the novels. The three novels reiterate that while erasing the past is impossible, it is possible to erase or modify memories to the point that the past no longer matters.

Keywords

Dystopia , memory , identity , science fiction , Jeff Noon , Omar El Akkad , Yoko Ogawa

Bellek, Distopyalar ve Yazarlar: Gelecek İçin Distopyayı Altüst Etmeyi Denemek

Abstract

Bu çalışmada Omar El Akkad'ın American War, Jeff Noon'un Falling Out of Cars ve Yoko Ogawa'nın The Memory Police adlı çağdaş distopik romanlarına bakarak yazmanın distopyayı bozma girişimi olarak nasıl kullanıldığı analiz edilecektir. Protagonistler distopyayı yıkma girişimlerinde başarısız olurken distopyanın hafıza, kimlik ve ilişkilere nasıl meydan okuduğu incelenecektir. Ayrıca protagonistlerin yıkıcı yazılarının gelecekteki travmalar dahil olmak üzere çevrelerindekileri nasıl etkilediği de ele alınacaktır. Yazmanın beynin önemli kısımlarını nasıl uyardığı da dahil olmak üzere, psikoloji perspektifinden yazma ve hafıza arasındaki bağlantı üzerine kısa bir tartışma yapılacaktır. Bu incelemenin bir kısmı hafızaya, yazmanın geçmişle nasıl bir bağ kurduğuna ve romanların edebi analizi sırasında yazma eylemi aracılığıyla kimliğin nasıl müzakere edildiğine bakacaktır. Bu üç roman, geçmişi silmek imkânsız olsa da geçmişin artık önemli olmayacağı bir yere kadar anıları silmenin veya değiştirmenin mümkün olduğunu tekrarlamaktadır.

Keywords

Distopya , hafıza , kimlik , bilim kurgu Jeff Noon , Omar El Akkad , Yoko Ogawa

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