ENGL 2328 Honors American Literature II: American Apocalypse

"In the 1940’s, nuclear technology represented the pinnacle of Enlightenment science, the kind of science that Mary Shelley critiqued in Frankenstein (1818): Victor Frankenstein is so obsessed with discovering Nature’s “secrets” in a bid to control Her that he ignores the consequences of his actions. Numerous 20th century apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic works also feature critiques of this kind. Other themes include loss and grief, of course, but there is also frequently a focus on the absurdity of wiping ourselves out deliberately. (Surely only the insane would employ such devastating weaponry?) Then there is the question of the survivors; are they completely wiped out, as in Bradbury’s story (do we deserve to be wiped out?), or do they survive and even mutate, as in Dick’s novel? And what kind of mutations develop as a result? (Posthumans? “Freaks”?) Finally, some works during this period indulge in what SF author Brian Aldiss has coined the “cozy catastrophe,” or a scenario in which much of the world’s population has been killed off, but the survivors manage to thrive in the aftermath despite the obstacles. Do Willis’ story and Dick’s novel fit this description? Why or why not? What happens when—in order to survive—people are forced into a dependency on others with whom they are odds?" - Dr. Thomas

Questions to ask when narrowing your keywords:

What is my main idea or topic?

What background information do I need?

Check out the following three examples of keywords that could work for Paper #1: