http://projects.pomona.edu/english67f07/2007/11/28/indecision/ Theory, Terror, Dystopia Sun, 16 Dec 2007 07:09:03 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://projects.pomona.edu/english67f07/2007/11/28/indecision/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Samantha Sun, 02 Dec 2007 06:05:39 +0000 http://projects.pomona.edu/english67f07/2007/11/28/indecision/#comment-187 I agree that it's important to delineate between dystopia and the existence of terrorism. One does not necessarily imply the other. However, I was wondering what makes this book dystopian. Is it just a dystopian life for Dwight in the beginning? Or is Kunkel commenting on the society as a whole? I'm actually not sure that I consider this novel dystopian at all, and I was wondering, like Sean said at the end of class on Friday, what everyone else thought. Just one of my thoughts: is it possible to live a dystopian existence in a non-dystopian society? I agree that it’s important to delineate between dystopia and the existence of terrorism. One does not necessarily imply the other. However, I was wondering what makes this book dystopian. Is it just a dystopian life for Dwight in the beginning? Or is Kunkel commenting on the society as a whole? I’m actually not sure that I consider this novel dystopian at all, and I was wondering, like Sean said at the end of class on Friday, what everyone else thought. Just one of my thoughts: is it possible to live a dystopian existence in a non-dystopian society?

]]> http://projects.pomona.edu/english67f07/2007/11/28/indecision/comment-page-1/#comment-183 Holler Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:11:05 +0000 http://projects.pomona.edu/english67f07/2007/11/28/indecision/#comment-183 This perhaps is a red herring comment, but although terrorism plays a minor role in exposing the Dwight's often drug-induced otherworldly ramblings (and existence), Indecision does not really incorporate terrorism explicitly as a theme. The (non)response to 9/11 albeit partially due to ecstasy shows the type of hallucinogenic dystopia Dwight lives in. His world blurs reality with narcosis, placebo with medicine, natural and artificial. Dwight's "democratic socialist" rants uniquely relate his chronic indecision and new-found decisiveness if it can be called such. His dystopia generally does not correlate to the terror -ism driven dystopias of past texts. We should clearly delineate that dystopia does not presuppose terrorism, although often it does include terror. Dwight's certain incorporates terror, understated terror, maybe only mild, repressed fear, but regardless some anxiety (and a willingness to contemplate suicide) that results from his dystopic wanderings. This perhaps is a red herring comment, but although terrorism plays a minor role in exposing the Dwight’s often drug-induced otherworldly ramblings (and existence), Indecision does not really incorporate terrorism explicitly as a theme. The (non)response to 9/11 albeit partially due to ecstasy shows the type of hallucinogenic dystopia Dwight lives in. His world blurs reality with narcosis, placebo with medicine, natural and artificial. Dwight’s “democratic socialist” rants uniquely relate his chronic indecision and new-found decisiveness if it can be called such. His dystopia generally does not correlate to the terror -ism driven dystopias of past texts. We should clearly delineate that dystopia does not presuppose terrorism, although often it does include terror. Dwight’s certain incorporates terror, understated terror, maybe only mild, repressed fear, but regardless some anxiety (and a willingness to contemplate suicide) that results from his dystopic wanderings.

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