An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ Bewilderment
Our home, the earth is on fire; nature continues to be assailed by pollution and despoliation; the 21st century’s most serious hazard, COVID-19 has been threatening global health. Richard Powers, in Bewilderment portrays the near dystopian future that is teetering on the brink of various social and...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Bucharest University Press
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | University of Bucharest Review. Literary and Cultural Studies Series |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ubr.rev.unibuc.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Asaadi.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797642017889583104 |
|---|---|
| author | Ali Salami Haniyeh Asaadi |
| author_facet | Ali Salami Haniyeh Asaadi |
| author_sort | Ali Salami |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Our home, the earth is on fire; nature continues to be assailed by pollution and despoliation; the 21st century’s most serious hazard, COVID-19 has been threatening global health. Richard Powers, in Bewilderment portrays the near dystopian future that is teetering on the brink of various social and environmental collapses. Theo Byron, a widowed astrobiologist narrates his life story with his son Robin, who has been diagnosed with multiple behavioural issues. Robin is experiencing eco-anxieties and his mental issues grant him an accomplished personality with a unique point of view. Through a bittersweet weaving of facts, fiction, philosophy and science, Powers displays the tragedy of our lives and its unavoidable connection to nature and the universe. Following the examination of Robin’s particular brain difference, this study attempts to display how Richard Powers uses the affective difference discourse proposed by Bergenmar and Jakob von Uexküll’s notion of “umwelt”, and takes a new look at the strengths and gifts of neurodiverse people, always misrecognized as deficient and abnormal. Moreover, through the related theories of Thomas Armstrong, who compares the human brain to the ecosystem, we shall analyse Bewilderment as a revisionist neuronovel, providing, through brain-related experiences, an opportunity for readers to view the world through a neurodivergent point of view. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:54:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-48fc39fa77dc4c1b91cbb6543b797942 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2069-8658 2734-5963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:54:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Bucharest University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | University of Bucharest Review. Literary and Cultural Studies Series |
| spelling | doaj.art-48fc39fa77dc4c1b91cbb6543b7979422023-11-02T07:17:52ZengBucharest University PressUniversity of Bucharest Review. Literary and Cultural Studies Series2069-86582734-59632022-10-01121120137An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ BewildermentAli Salami0Haniyeh Asaadi1University of Tehran; IranUniversity of Tehran; IranOur home, the earth is on fire; nature continues to be assailed by pollution and despoliation; the 21st century’s most serious hazard, COVID-19 has been threatening global health. Richard Powers, in Bewilderment portrays the near dystopian future that is teetering on the brink of various social and environmental collapses. Theo Byron, a widowed astrobiologist narrates his life story with his son Robin, who has been diagnosed with multiple behavioural issues. Robin is experiencing eco-anxieties and his mental issues grant him an accomplished personality with a unique point of view. Through a bittersweet weaving of facts, fiction, philosophy and science, Powers displays the tragedy of our lives and its unavoidable connection to nature and the universe. Following the examination of Robin’s particular brain difference, this study attempts to display how Richard Powers uses the affective difference discourse proposed by Bergenmar and Jakob von Uexküll’s notion of “umwelt”, and takes a new look at the strengths and gifts of neurodiverse people, always misrecognized as deficient and abnormal. Moreover, through the related theories of Thomas Armstrong, who compares the human brain to the ecosystem, we shall analyse Bewilderment as a revisionist neuronovel, providing, through brain-related experiences, an opportunity for readers to view the world through a neurodivergent point of view.https://ubr.rev.unibuc.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Asaadi.pdfrichard powersneuronoveleco-anxietyecocriticismneurodiversityaffective difference discourse |
| spellingShingle | Ali Salami Haniyeh Asaadi An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ Bewilderment University of Bucharest Review. Literary and Cultural Studies Series richard powers neuronovel eco-anxiety ecocriticism neurodiversity affective difference discourse |
| title | An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ Bewilderment |
| title_full | An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ Bewilderment |
| title_fullStr | An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ Bewilderment |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ Bewilderment |
| title_short | An Ecocritical Reading of Neurodiversity in Richard Powers’ Bewilderment |
| title_sort | ecocritical reading of neurodiversity in richard powers bewilderment |
| topic | richard powers neuronovel eco-anxiety ecocriticism neurodiversity affective difference discourse |
| url | https://ubr.rev.unibuc.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Asaadi.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alisalami anecocriticalreadingofneurodiversityinrichardpowersbewilderment AT haniyehasaadi anecocriticalreadingofneurodiversityinrichardpowersbewilderment AT alisalami ecocriticalreadingofneurodiversityinrichardpowersbewilderment AT haniyehasaadi ecocriticalreadingofneurodiversityinrichardpowersbewilderment |