In the Station Eleven, an exceptional science-fiction novel which is written by Emily St. John Mandel, the author never saves her ink on praising the value of human arts even after the apocalypse. In the first section of the book, a series of mysterious incidents begin with the sudden death of a vain actor, Arthur, who is playing as King Lear in Shakespeare’s famous drama on the stage. However, none of the colleagues of the dead can figure out a way to contact his family or friends. The abrupt death of Arthur seems have no meaning. Kristen, the main character in this book, is around seven or eight years old when she is performing as a child actor on that stage. Jeevan, another actor who witnesses the death of his co-worker, is the one who first
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One thing I found is interesting from Mandel’s story are the survivors. In most other post-apocalypse literatures, the harsh environment always brings endless horror to poor survivors. Lack of fresh food resources; lack of clean water reservoirs; full of dangerous raiders, bandits and mutated creatures who want to set people on fire or eat people alive are all common reasons in a post-apocalypse world that would drive survivors desperate. Most survivors in other post-apocalypse literatures are always highly-alerted to defend themselves. Obviously they laid no hope for tomorrow. However, in Station Eleven, survivors around Kristen are hopeful. They drive their colorful caravans to different towns every day. They bring concerts and stage plays to other people. They abandoned their real names but call themselves with Symphony orchestra appellations such as “conductor” or “the first cello” (63). They have a motto which is printed on the bodies of their caravans, “Survival is insufficient”. From Mandel’s design, she boldly reveals her ambition towards the art. She uses the theme of apocalypse, when the most survivors lose everything but their lives, to foil the value of the art of human civilization. Either King Lear, or Beethoven Symphony No. 5, is not only treasure, but also solid evidence of the
One thing I found is interesting from Mandel’s story are the survivors. In most other post-apocalypse literatures, the harsh environment always brings endless horror to poor survivors. Lack of fresh food resources; lack of clean water reservoirs; full of dangerous raiders, bandits and mutated creatures who want to set people on fire or eat people alive are all common reasons in a post-apocalypse world that would drive survivors desperate. Most survivors in other post-apocalypse literatures are always highly-alerted to defend themselves. Obviously they laid no hope for tomorrow. However, in Station Eleven, survivors around Kristen are hopeful. They drive their colorful caravans to different towns every day. They bring concerts and stage plays to other people. They abandoned their real names but call themselves with Symphony orchestra appellations such as “conductor” or “the first cello” (63). They have a motto which is printed on the bodies of their caravans, “Survival is insufficient”. From Mandel’s design, she boldly reveals her ambition towards the art. She uses the theme of apocalypse, when the most survivors lose everything but their lives, to foil the value of the art of human civilization. Either King Lear, or Beethoven Symphony No. 5, is not only treasure, but also solid evidence of the