| dc.description.abstract | This thesis explores how works of speculative fiction engage in narrating environmental futures. The Anthropocene details how human intervention in nature has led to the current climate crisis, which makes speculating about environmental futures essential. In Dune, Frank Herbert closely linked the protagonist’s character development to his experiences of the indigenous perspective on nature. They have adapted to work with nature and respect the interconnectedness of the ecosystem. Paul’s newfound understanding of nature saves Arrakis from being transformed into a green landscape, which would destroy a creature that creates a substance upon which the universe is dependent on. Dune also narrates the story of a messiah, leading the indigenous population to freedom. The use of this messiah narrative turns the novel into a work of messianic and apocalyptic anti-imperialism. Unlike Dune, the Broken Earth trilogy by N. K. Jemisin narrates an apocalyptic future from the perspective of the oppressed. This oppression is related to the protagonist’s powers over nature and caused by an ancient society’s obsession with technological advancement, which led to environmental destruction. Jemisin also links racial and ecological injustice, and depicts how one can negatively affect the other. Alastair Iles claims that we cannot transition into a sustainable future without also acknowledging this connection, making Jemisin’s imagined future one to avoid rather than one to pursue. | |
