ENGL 1005 Literature: A Global Perspective - Week 7 Review

Upcoming Tutorials

• Tutorials scheduled for Wednesday.
  • Preparation: Read “Genre Crossing in Jamaica Kincaid’s ‘Girl’: From Short Fiction to Poetry” by Reem Ahmad Rabea and Nusaiba Adel Almahameed (available on Brightspace in Week 7 folder).
  • Focus Areas: Read closely, look up unfamiliar words, identify key arguments and main points.
  • Actions: Tutorial Activity #3: Annotations; return of Tutorial Activity 2.

Understanding Dystopian Literature

• Dystopian Literature Characteristics:
  • Examines oppressive societal control.
  • Often set in a repressed society where the ruling body controls the populace.
  • Utilizes themes of surveillance, loss of individuality, and the erosion of free will.

Exploring Power

• Definition of Power (Oxford English Dictionary):
  1. Ability to act or affect strongly; physical or mental strength; vigor; energy; effectiveness.
  2. Capacity to direct or influence the behavior of others; social influence.

Power in The Memory Police

• Agents of Control:
  • The Memory Police operate without emotion, executing control in a systematic manner.
  • They affect how island inhabitants think and behave through memory manipulation.

Michel Foucault: Influence and Theories

• Overview:
  • Foucault (1926-1984) was a prominent French philosopher.
  • Major works include The History of Madness, History of Sexuality, and Discipline and Punishment.
  • Advocated for insights into human experience and societal interactions with a focus on effecting change.

Foucault on Power Dynamics

• Concepts of Punishment and Discipline:
  • Punishment: Retribution; includes executions, imprisonment, and other penalties for offenses.
  • Discipline: A method for controlling behavior through education, training, and indoctrination.
  • Both concepts fundamentally shape the operations of the Memory Police.

Punishment in The Memory Police

• Examples of punitive actions in the narrative:
  • People in hiding are forcibly taken by the Memory Police.
  • Observations of changed tastes and sensations that evoke fear and suspicion.

Discipline in The Memory Police

• Control of behavior through the systematic erasure of memories and knowledge:
  • The Memory Police aim to eliminate any trace of previously existing entities (like birds).
  • The narrative reflects psychological manipulation and distrust among individuals.

Symbolism of Books and Birds

• Descriptions of the burning library signify the destruction of knowledge:
  • The library fire represents an erasure of culture and history.
  • Memories tied to books are linked to experiences of loss and nostalgia.

Bodily Control in The Memory Police

• As bodily features disappear, characters adapt to a new way of being, demonstrating a psychological shift:
  • Describing characters floating freely, hinting at a loss of individuality but also a bizarre form of liberation.

The Connection between Body and Soul

• The protagonist describes a growing disconnect between body and soul, emphasizing loss of agency:
  • This separation showcases the impact of authoritarian control over personal identity and expression.

The Role of the Typing Teacher in the Frame Narrative

• Symbol of Authority:
  • Represents traditional structures of education that wield knowledge as power.
  • Cautions against the restrictive spread of knowledge in totalitarian societies.

Forms of Resistance in The Memory Police

1. Retaining Memory:
   • R. is labeled a rebel for remembering the past.
2. Protecting Memory Holders:
   • The Old Man and the Narrator provide safety to R., preserving collective memory.
3. Hiding Disappeared Objects:
   • The use of sculptures to preserve lost entities.
4. Writing as Preservation:
   • Writing serves as a vital tool for safeguarding history and truth against erasure.

Conclusion and Future Considerations

• Next Week's Topics:
  • Environmental Writing.
  • Assigned readings from Leung, Harjo, and Mason Pierre.