The Intersection of Environmental Concerns, Realism and Infrastructure 

     Ben Lerner’s 10:04 novel is not just about melodrama. There are so many things that add such vivid imagery to the novel like the major catastrophes that happened with the two storms, the narrator’s heart condition, or even the sperm donation situation to help his friend’s insemination. The novel “is not a book of poems, though it is filled with poetry. It is not nonfiction, though biographical details overlap tantalizingly with Lerner’s actual life. There is no clear plot, though there are numerous intersecting plotlines” (a review by Shan Wang, a Harvard committee). Going back to the major catastrophes that happened throughout the novel, the novel explores the sides of realism in the face of climate change. Ben De Bruyn’s article, “Realism 4°. Objects, weather, and infrastructure in Ben Lerner’s 10:04,” discusses environmental concerns, realism, and infrastructure in Lerner’s novel and how this intersection tackles the issue of climate change and its effects on daily life, highlighting the significance of a broader cultural memory that encompasses capitalism, weather, and energy. 

     In Lerner’s novel, the theme of climate change and its impact on everyday life is explored through the protagonist’s personal experiences and broader environmental concerns. The novel delves into the environmental trauma of climate change, focusing on the portrayal of hurricanes Irene and Sandy in New York in 2011 and 2012 though they are not named directly in the novel. The story’s narrative is expanded to include timeframes from paleontology and astronomy, which disrupts the protagonist’s understanding of space and time on a cosmic and geological scale. The novel also serves as a powerful medium for memorializing specific traumas from the communal past, such as the 9/11 attacks and reflecting on the anticipated trauma of climate change. 

     Additionally, the novel presents infrastructure in a mixed way, showing both its idealistic and dystopian aspects. For example, the novel highlights the positive aspects of infrastructure, especially public structures like the Brooklyn Bridge, portraying it as a beautiful and idealistic symbol. However, it also implies that infrastructure can act as a form of “material entrapment” (De Bruyn),  imposing specific ways of life and contributing to environmental issues. Lerner suggests that to address climate change, it is important for readers to reconsider the way infrastructure is designed. 

     So how do environmental concerns, realism, and infrastructure intersect? De Bruyn emphasizes the growing significance of cultural memory about capitalism, weather, and energy underscoring how modified versions of realism play a crucial role in how culture responds to climate change, particularly using Lerner’s novel as an example. His analysis looks at how the novel depicts bad weather, memory issues, and how society’s structures affect the movement of things and people. It emphasizes how these depictions showcase the building of communities and the use of resources in our modern era heavily reliant on petroleum. De Bruyn also looks at how climate change affects human memory and the way things like objects, weather, and infrastructure are described in novels. It provides a more detailed understanding of how literature responds to climate change by considering both the environment and realistic aspects. He discusses the issues related to infrastructure, emphasizing its physical hazards and its connection to significant environmental problems. One example, as he explains, is the relationship between cars and oil, which contributes to slow violence. Additionally, the novel also touches upon extinct transportation methods.

     In conclusion, Ben Lerner’s novel 10:04 intricately weaves together environmental concerns, realism, and infrastructure to create a challenging and provocative narrative that delves into the impact of climate change on daily life. Through the exploration of major catastrophes, the novel portrays the environmental trauma of climate change and reflects on the broader cultural memory encompassing capitalism, weather, and energy. Additionally, the novel presents infrastructure in a mixed light, highlighting both its positive and dystopian aspects, and emphasizing the need to reconsider the design of infrastructure in addressing climate change. De Bruyn’s analysis underscores the growing significance of cultural memory and the role of modified versions of realism in shaping cultural responses to climate change. Overall, the novel serves as a powerful medium for examining the intersection of these themes and provides a nuanced understanding of how literature responds to environmental challenges in the modern era.

                                        Analysis of Pramod K. Nayar’s Article 

     In the article “The Postcolonial Uncanny; The Politics of Dispossession in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide,” Pramod K. Nayar examines how Ghosh’s work provides a unique perspective on the complex issues within postcolonial societies, particularly the lasting effects of historical colonialism. Nayar also explores the narrative’s portrayal of development and dispossession, offering insights into the broader socio-political landscape of postcolonial societies. Through this analysis, Nayar contributes to our understanding of postcolonial literature by highlighting its engagement with significant societal and political concerns, emphasizing its ongoing relevance in contemporary times.

     In his article, Nayar thoroughly evaluates Ghosh’s novel The Hungry Tide, highlighting its exploration of power dynamics related to the displacement of people in societies affected by colonialism. This is exemplified through the character of Fokir, who represents traditional livelihoods and symbolizes the challenges faced by many in postcolonial societies as they confront the impact of globalization and modernization on their way of life. The novel serves as a tool to delve into these broader issues and bring attention to the political and economic hardships experienced by indigenous communities.

     The article examines the characters in a novel who navigate their identities and connections to the land and sea, a prevalent theme in postcolonial literature. Piya, a marine biologist of Indian descent raised in the U.S., is deeply connected to the sea and uses her expertise to understand the region’s social and cultural dynamics. Kanai, a wealthy businessman from Kolkata, is drawn to the Tide country’s history and seeks to comprehend its past and future potential.

     Nayar offers a human-centered assessment of the impact of colonialism on land and resources, which is a crucial perspective in modern postcolonial literature. The article delves into how the novel compassionately portrays the effects of colonial rule on land and resources through the experiences and viewpoints of its characters. It argues that the novel sensitively depicts the human costs of development and dispossession, emphasizing the significance of this viewpoint in contemporary postcolonial literature. By highlighting the characters’ connections with the land and sea, the article demonstrates how Ghosh’s novel provides a people-centered evaluation of the loss of land and resources following colonial rule.

     Postcolonial literature remains significant in today’s society because it continues to tackle issues related to power dynamics, cultural identity, and the blending of cultures that are still pertinent. It provides a critical viewpoint on the lasting impacts of colonialism and the ongoing struggles of previously colonized societies to establish their own identities and principles. By delving into the experiences of individuals and communities in the aftermath of colonial rule, postcolonial literature illuminates the enduring challenges posed by globalization, migration, and cultural interchange. Therefore, postcolonial literature serves as a crucial tool for comprehending the intricacies of contemporary society and envisioning more fair and just futures.

     The article explores how power dynamics and dispossession impact postcolonial societies. It highlights how development projects such as dams and industrialization have forcibly displaced people from their homes and cultural heritage. This issue remains pertinent today, with many communities globally still facing displacement due to development projects and struggling to assert their land and resource rights. The article also delves into the power dynamics at play, where government actions often result in the displacement of marginalized communities. This analysis underscores the ongoing struggles for fairness and equality in societies affected by colonization, emphasizing the need to understand the complexities of power and displacement in current socio-political issues.

     Overall, the article mainly focuses on Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide, but its ideas can also be applied to other postcolonial works like Butler’s Parable of the Sower novel. The novel delves into themes such as displacement, power dynamics, and cultural hybridity within a post-apocalyptic society. By analyzing the novel using postcolonial theory, we can understand how power and dispossession function in this context. Additionally, the novel explores the formation of new beliefs and cultural blending after societal collapse, reflecting the ongoing struggle for identity and agency in postcolonial societies.

DeGraw, Sharon. “‘The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same’: Gender and Sexuality in Octavia Butler’s Oeuvre.” Femspec (Cleveland, Ohio), vol. 4, no. 2, 2004, pp. 219-.
– This article discusses Butler’s reputation for challenging traditional power structures in her fiction, particularly in terms of gender, race, and class. While Butler is recognized for creating alternate speculative societies where men and women are considered equal, feminist critics have raised concerns about her female characters embodying traditional gender roles and compromising themselves by aligning with strong males in patriarchal settings.

PICKENS, THERÍ A. “Octavia Butler and the Aesthetics of the Novel.” Hypatia, vol. 30, no. 1, 2015, pp. 167–80. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24542065. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
– The article is about how race, gender and disability intersect and inform each other in the novel. The article talks about how Lauren’s ability to pass as a man is an indication of the fact that identity categories are fluid and coextensive. Butler doesn’t ascribe stable characteristics to either ability or gender because gender is performative.

Blazan, Sladja. “‘Something Beyond Pain’: Race, Gender, and Hyperempathy in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower.” Gender Forum, no. 82, 2022, pp. 34–34.
– The article talks about how Butler intertwined gendered identities with race in order to foreground the intersecting nature of oppressive social structures. It explores the fact that Lauren has to pass as male as a means of survival, and the fact that she has to travel as Zahra’s heterosexual partner and both pretend to be traveling with “their white friend” in order to avoid the attention and persecution of fellow travelers. In addition, Butler uses Lauren’s Earthseeh group as a means to redefine racial and gendered difference as an asset rather than a liability.

Basu, S. (2020). Exploring the Bond between Man and Nature in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide. International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences (IJELS), 5(5). Retrieved from https://journal-repository.theshillonga.com/index.php/ijels/article/view/2463

Basu defines eco-critical theory as the significance of including the human and non-human in literature in order to provide proper environmental context. Basu argues that The Hungry Tide captures this co-existence in setting the story in The Sundarbans where humans and animals are both striving to survive. They acknowledge Piya and Fokir’s closeness to nature but with slightly different views in terms of conservation. As this is a direct analysis of The Hungry Tide, there are a lot of connections I can make, like the ones I briefly discussed above, to support my research. 

Bora, Zélia M., and Murali Sivaramakrishnan. “Nature, Religion, and Ecological Sustainability in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide.” Narratives of Environmental Challenges in Brazil and India: Losing Nature, Lexington Books, Lanham.

Chapter 8 focuses on religion as a means to dealing with climate change and how, since it is at the root of most cultures, it affects human interaction with nature. Ghosh has mentioned in one of his previous works the Christian belief and view of nature which views nature as subservient to humans. Through Thoreau, nature is seen as pristine, uninhabitable, and a source of spirituality which became the contemporary view that can be seen in Kanai’s disbelief that people are living in the Sundarbans. The Hindu views climate and nature as duality in unity which can be seen more so through Piya and Fokir.

Clark, Timothy. Ecocriticism on the Edge : The Anthropocene as a Threshold Concept. Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2015.

There are multiple chapters of this book that seem relevant to my topic. Chapter 1 is on defining the Anthropocene beginning with the original definition and how it has evolved in scale to include climate change issues. It then begins to branch out into different definitions and views of the Anthropocene. Chapter 6 discusses the need to dehumanize literature, meaning critiquing the way text, in its limited scale, frames human actions. Chapter 9 relates to Ghosh’s The Great Derangement in the sense that there is the idea that climate change is not interesting enough to turn into literature. I could use this text and its relevant chapters in support and connection with my other sources.

Ghosh, Amitav. The Great Derangement : Climate Change and the Unthinkable. The University of Chicago Press, 2016.

Another one of Ghosh’s works, The Great Derangement, discusses how humans have become complicit in concealing the realities of climate change. Human interaction with nature, especially when the experiences are with the unpredictable and extraordinary side of nature, is what inspires literature.

Head, Lesley. “More than Human, More than Nature.” Hope and Grief in the Anthropocene: Re-Conceptualising Human-Nature Relations, Routledge, Imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, London, 2018.

In this chapter, Head begins with a conversation on how, in regards to climate change, humans separate themselves from nature. Environmental thinking is formed around human absence. But Head acknowledges that humans are made of nature and human involvement with nature is what led to climate change issues. Their critique of The Anthropocene is that it ignores human involvement in nature and focuses on human dominion over nature. This leads me to thinking about when Kanai, Piya, and Fokir encountered that village that killed the tiger. Was that an example of humans feeling the need to dominate over nature? At what point do humans become the aggressor or the victim?

Research question

• How does Octavia Butler create different perspective for woman suffrages from an African American woman through Lauren in Parable of the Sower? 

Annotated Bibliography 

Source 1: 

In this source Clara is able to talk about the exploitation that Lauren as a black woman faces in the Parable of the Sower. She talks about how she was able to counteract the system and she re writes her own utopian world. With the use of many articles from African- American writers she is able to build a strong piece and allow their to be support from other perspectives. The way she talks about Lauren helped me to put into words how I felt as i read Parable of the Sower. The focus on her ability to change peoples perspectives and become a leader. To break tradition and did not listen to her family and just easily marry off and have kids. She also talks about Laurens journey as she uses a mask of being a man to survive all show how Lauren rewrites the standards. 

Agusti, Clara Escoda. “The Relationship between Community and Subjectivity in Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower.” Extrapolation, vol. 46, no. 3, 2005, pp. 351–59, https://doi.org/10.3828/extr.2005.46.3.7.

Source 2: 

Melzer, Patricia. “”All that you touch you change”: Utopian Desire and the Concept of Change in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents.” Femspec, vol. 3, no. 2, 2002, pp. 31. ProQuest, http://proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/all-that-you-touch-change-utopian-desire-concept/docview/200082635/se-2.

This article focuses on two stories. Focusing more on the part of feminist of Butler, she talks about the ability to redefine fate. Talking about the change in Parable of the Sower and earth seed. The reader can understand the shift from small to large as a critique of feminist alliances with groups in power that compromise feminist political integrity

Source 3:

In this article Yarish breaks down Parable of the sower and each chapter as we know as Lauren’s diary entries she connects to the real world. With each chapter she will connect to African Americans who are part of our history books. She talks about Harriet Tubamn, Fedrick Douglas, the case of Treyvon Martin, the Black Lives Matter movement. She connected Laurens rebuilding of her world earth seed to how we must work towards building a world with out oppression and that it will not reappear. 

Yarish, Jasmine Noelle. “Seeding a Black Feminist Future on the Horizon of a Third Reconstruction: The Abolitionist Politics of Self-Care in Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower.” Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, vol. 42, no. 1, 2021, pp. 58–72, https://doi.org/10.1080/1554477X.2021.1870089.