On the Popularity of Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

An article from the Guardian's blog has been making the rounds recently, being shared by message boards and The Paris Review alike.  The article is titled Has US literature awoken from the American dream? and discusses the modern popularity of post-apocalyptic novels. First, let me point out that even within the context of the article, this title makes no sense.  The article points out that American literature has always been critical of the American dream, pointing out examples as far back as Huckleberry Finn.  But my main complaint is when the article comes to the conclusion that 

"Perhaps an exhaustion with national myths explains the recent advent of post-apocalyptic literature: from Cormac McCarthy’s The Road to Colson Whitehead’s Zone One. When the dream has been blown to bits for more than a century, all that’s left is to tell bleak stories of human survival set in the wreckage of a junkyard."

I'm going to do two things here.  First, I'm going to refute the claim that the advent of post-apocalyptic literature is 'recent,' and provide an alternate hypothesis as to the cause behind what is actually recent: it's surge in popularity.  Secondly, I want to examine why people like post-apocalyptic literature.   

First, let's acknowledge that there is a long history of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic literature.  Mary Shelley's The Last Man (1826), Jack London's The Scarlet Plague (1912)  Aldous Huxley's Ape & Essence (1948), Richard Matheson's I Am Legend (1954), Shirley Jackson's The Sundial (1958), Harlan Ellison's A Boy and His Dog (1969).   This is, of course, only a tiny piece of the a much longer tradition.  What you may notice about all these titles, is that they fall into a genre.  Most are Science Fiction or Horror and were marketed as such.  

Until the last few decades (and even now to a lesser extent), Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and genre fiction in general have been considered marginal literature.  They were looked down on by the literary establishment and the reading populace at large.  And apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic literature was a trope of these genres.  If World War Z had been published in the 1960s, it would never have been nearly as popular as it became, because it would have been relegated to the horror rack in the back of the store, and no self-respecting reader would be caught dead back there.  With growing acceptance of these genres came a growing acceptance of their constituent parts.  By the late 1990s, even John Updike was writing post-apocalyptic fiction.  

So one simple explanation is that we're seeing more apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction because Science Fiction and Horror, the genres into which most post-apocalyptic works fall,  have become popular genres.  And authors who don't normally write in these genres are no longer worried about being pigeon-holed or discredited for doing so. Despite what the Guardian writer claims, we've been telling these stories for over a century.  People just haven't been listening.

As to my second subject, why people enjoy this type of narrative, it's first necessary to make some distinctions. To my way of thinking, there are two primary forms of apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic literature: issue-driven and societal.  Let's talk about issue-driven first.  

Despite the Guardian's bizarre attempt to portray post-apocalyptic fiction as a product of the US, the fact is it is an international genre.  While it dates back to the early 19th century, it started reaching critical mass in the 1950s.  This was a) the 'Golden Age' of Science Fiction and b) soon after the advent of the atomic bomb.  Huxley's Ape & Essence, Nevil Shute's On the Beach (1957), and Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle (1963) are all post-apocalyptic novels dealing with the results of atomic warfare (although Vonnegut handles Mutually Assured Destruction with the fictitious Ice-9, the message is still the same).  I keep making reference to apocalyptic literature as opposed to post-apocalyptic, so I should give an example of what I mean.  Dr. Strangelove is a good example, as it deals with the end of the world, rather than life after the end of the world.  The 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still is also, I feel, largely apocalyptic.  An alien species comes to Earth to deliver a message: If you don't get your crap together, you're going to kill us all.  So get your crap together or we'll kill you first.

More recently, issue-driven works have been focused on the environment. In film, we can find The Day After Tomorrow (2004) or The Happening (2008). (I didn't say they were good films.)  The appeal of these is simple.  It's our way of saying, to steal a quote, "You maniacs!  You blew it up!  Ah, damn you!  Goddamn you all to Hell!"

The other category, which I've vaguely titled "Societal," uses the breakdown of civilization to explore the individual or society.  This can be done in a largely literary way (e.g. McCarthy's The Road (2006), Shelley's The Last Man (1826)) or as fun/exciting SF/Horror (e.g. Brooks' World War Z (2006) or Mad Max (1979)) or anything inbetween (e.g. Matheson's I Am Legend).  Jackson's The Sundial is a good example of societal apocalyptic (as opposed to post-apocalyptic) fiction, as the end of the world is at the end of the novel.  

The appeal of reading The Road is different from the appeal of reading World War Z.   In cases like The Road, the appeal is a desire to understand human nature, and the complete destruction of society, of civilized behavior, of everything but the will and need to survive, allows an individual's humanity (or inhumanity) unfettered control of his/her situation.  While there is certainly some such exploration in novels like World War Z, novels and films like this also have an escapist function.  That job you hate?  Gone.  Those people you can't stand?  Gone.  You can do anything you want, whenever you want.  No responsibility, no constraints.

But both of these types of narratives have corollaries outside of the (Post-)Apocalyptic narrative.  Something like William Golding's The Lord of the Flies (1954) provides many of the same possibilities as The Road.   It is a study of human society, a dissection via disintegration.  On the other hand, something like Zane Grey's The Man of the Forest (1919), or any of the countless novels about pirates or lone rogues or charming crooks who live by their own rules and don't take no guff from no one, these fulfill much of the same need that books like World War Z fulfills.  Post-apocalyptic fiction is a very easy way to do this, because you don't need to write a society that your protagonist is at odds with.

Long story short, post-apocalyptic fiction is not a recent genre, but has a long history as a subgenre in SF and Horror, which have only recently gained mainstream acceptance.  It doesn't address any new psychological need, but rather addresses many existing needs in a very direct way.

An Interview with Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a difficult man to understand. He created Sherlock Holmes, one of the most enduring characters in popular fiction, and redefined an entire genre in a way that's still felt over a century later.  The mystery genre became a matter of rational inquiry and deductive reasoning.  Which is why people are often surprised to discover Doyle's later obsession with the supernatural.  Doyle was friends with Houdini, who spent many years debunking fraudulent mediums and mystics.  Doyle and Houdini had a falling out when Doyle refused to concede that Houdini did not have supernatural powers, and was merely an illusionist, despite Houdini's explanations.  

While the rational Holmes and the mystic Doyle may seem irreconcilable to us, Doyle didn't see it that way.  Embedded here is a 1927 film interview with Doyle, where he explains the origins of Holmes and his own interests in spiritualism.

1930: Cimarron by Edna Ferber

Who?
            Edna Ferber (1885-1968) appears twice on my bestsellers reading list, the first time for 1924’s Pulitzer Prize winning So Big.  Ferber was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and had a brief stint in journalism before moving on to fiction-writing, penning classics like Giant and Show Boat. 

            Ferber never married nor had children and her personal life and professional life were largely overlapped.  Along with critics, writers, and entertainers like Harpo Marx and Dorothy Parker, Ferber was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, an informal group that met daily at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City. 

So what's this book about?

            Cimarron takes place over a span of nearly three decades, from the opening of the Oklahoma Territory to homesteaders to the late 1910’s.  Its focus is on the Cravat family, especially the matriarch, Sabra Cravat.  Her husband, Yancey, convinced Sabra to leave “civilization” for the new frontier.  Yancey is a larger than life figure, a quick-draw sharpshooter with a mysterious past and wild ambitions.  He sets up a newspaper in the town of Osage, which Sabra ends up running, as well as raising her family and becoming a powerful figure in the town. 

            There are two main stories in Cimarron: Sabra and Osage.  Sabra goes into Oklahoma as a naïve girl, but grows self-sufficient.  While the characters in Cimarron are layered and fascinating, there is a lack of character development.  Sabra does become confident and, I’d argue, bitter.  However, for the most part, her opinions and beliefs don’t change as a result of any personal growth, but rather adapt to the circumstances around her. Seeing the novel as a story about the growth and development of Osage is at least as interesting as a story about the characters, as it goes from a lawless tent city to a new metropolis.

Why was it so popular?

            Cimarron, like So Big, is a story of the growth of the American Midwest.  On one hand, it’s a story about the history of Oklahoma specifically, and America in general, on the other it’s an escapist Western with Indians and gun fights and bank robberies.  Although published in 1929, Cimarron became the bestseller of 1930.  The Great Depression began in the U.S. in late 1929, leaving a large percentage of the population out of work, and financially ruining many more.  In 1930, a severe drought began in Oklahoma, harming farming industry in the area (and paving the way for the Dust Bowl).  At a time when people were at their lowest, a novel that could provide escape while reminding them of the harsh trials overcome in their nation’s past would be popular.   

Why haven't I heard of it?

            Much of the action in Cimarron (bank robberies, shoot outs, etc.) are don’t occur on the page, but are told by one character to another.  The classic western hero is deeply flawed, as are all the characters (by which I mean they have human flaws, not that the characters are constructed poorly).  The parts of the novel concerning Native Americans are interesting: it’s not the politically incorrect murderous savage Natives of Zane Grey, but it’s not the dignified wise men of more modern popular culture.  None of the above are negative things, but they make Cimarron less of a fun and easy read than the likes of Zane Grey’s novels.  I don’t have a lot of experience with Westerns, so I can’t say with any certainty whether Cimarron maintains any sort of popularity within that community. 

            Film buffs may recognize the name.  The 1931 film version starring Irene Dunne and Richard Dix won Best Picture at the Fourth Academy Awards.  The 1960 version was nominated for two Oscars and starred Glenn Ford as Yancey Cravat.  (Glenn Ford, incidentally, played the lead in the 1962 version of 1919’s bestselling TheFour Horsemen of the Apocalypse.) 

Should I read it?

            If you’re a fan of Westerns, definitely.  If not, I’d say there’s a fifty/fifty chance of you liking it.

Also published in 1930:
The 42nd Parallel (first book of U.S.A. Trilogy) - John Dos Passos
As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner
The Maltese Falcon - Dashiell Hammett
Not Without Laughter - Langston Hughes

Sources:
Ferber, Edna. Cimarron. 1929. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Crest. 1971. Print.
Gilbert, Julie Goldsmith. Ferber, a biography. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. 1978. Print.

1920: The Man of the Forest by Zane Grey

Who?
This is my second time reviewing a book by Pearl Zane Grey, the first being The U. P. Trail.  I’d rather not repeat myself too much in the bio section, so maybe some factoids?  Zane Grey went to college on a baseball scholarship, and played some minor league baseball.  He played one major league game in 1903, for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Three of his books were about baseball.  Grey was also heavily involved in fishing and wrote fourteen books on the subject.

So what's this book about?
Milt Dale is lives in the woods with his half-tame cougar.  A stoic hero, he overhears a plan to kidnap the nieces (and only heir) to a local ranch owner as part of a larger plot to get the rancher’s land.  Being the hero, Milt sets out to save the girls, Helen and Bo, and to stop the villains. 

As I said in my review of The U. P. Trail, the story is written with strong emotion, but very predictable.  The characters are archetypes and caricatures, the stoic hero, the greedy businessman, the heartless bandit, etc.  Looking at this story from the perspective of its part in creating the Western genre is far more interesting than the story itself.  

While this is only the second Grey novel I’ve read, this seems to be fairly representative of the rest of his works.  It’s easy to read escapism. 

Why was it so popular?
It’s easy to read escapism.   But that’s not all.  Grey’s novels have a fair mix of action and romance, which broadens his readership demographics.  Additionally, the genre was still being developed at that point.  What he was doing was setting the groundwork, which meant that much of his work may have been original and exciting to audiences of the time.  And like I’ve mentioned before, people trust authors they’re familiar with, boosting future book sales. Also, Zane Grey's books were quickly and frequently adapted to film.

Why haven't I heard about it?
There’s nothing particularly special about this book.  Over the years, as the Western genre grew, books like Man of the Forest became cliché.  I feel like I’m repeating myself, but let me reiterate that Zane Grey’s oeuvre is more notable and long lasting than any of his individual books.

Should I read it?
If you like easy to read escapism and the western genre, then sure.  Otherwise, you’ll either be bored and/or disappointed.

You can read The Man of the Forest on Project Gutenberg.

Also published in 1920:  

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Sources:
Grey, Zane. The Man of the Forest. Roslyn, New York: W. J. Black. 1948. Print.
Gruber, Frank. Zane Grey: A Biography. Roslyn, New York: W. J. Black. 1969. Print.

Oh, you're still here.  Ummm... yeah, today's update was a little shorter than usual.  Sorry about that. 

1918: The U. P. Trail by Zane Grey

Who?
            Pearl Zane Grey (1872-1939) was born in Zanesville, Ohio, a city named after his maternal great-grandfather.  As an adult, he dropped his first name, and is still better known as Zane Grey. Even someone like me (whose entire knowledge of the Western genre comes from The Wild Bunch, the Coen brother’s True Grit, and Back to the Future: Part Three), considers Zane Grey synonymous with Westerns.  Grey grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended the University of Pennsylvania on a baseball scholarship.  After graduation, he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a dentist, opening his practice in New York City.  With the help of his soon to be wife, Lina (better known as Dolly), Grey self-published his first novel, Betty Zane, in 1903.  He published eight more books before 1912, when he published his most famous and commercially successful book, Riders of the Purple Sage.  In all, he published over sixty books in his lifetime and more than thirty posthumously.

So what's this book about?
            The U. P. Trail takes place in the late 1860’s during the building of the Union Pacific Railroad, the first to connect the east coast to the west.  The story centers on Warren Neale, a railroad engineer, his gunslinger friend Larry King (who is fortunately referred to as “Red,” although the image of a bespectacled, suspendered fast-draw artist is entertaining), and the love interest, Allie Lee.  While laying out the course of the railroad, a trapper named Slingerland arrives looking for help.  Neale and Red come to the aid of a wagon caravan heading east that had been attacked by a Sioux Indian war party.  With the exception of Allie, who had been heading east with her mother to escape her gambler step-father, all the travelers had been killed.  Neale falls for Allie, who, when she comes out of shock, feels the same. 

            The characters are all archetypical Westerners.  The mysterious gunslinger; the plucky damsel in distress; the lone woodsman; the chivalrous hero; the heartless gambler, etc.  Within their roles as characters in a Western, they are consistent and have enough individuality to make them barely three dimensional (usually). 

            Grey’s description of the land is probably the best part of the book.  He writes with a lot of emotion, some of which invariably impresses itself on the reader.  Unfortunately, the events in the story seem contrived.  There are series of chance encounters and coincidences that stretch too far into the realm of implausibility.

            While I can’t speak from a background in Westerns, The U.P. Trail seems like pretty standard fare for the genre.

Why was it so popular?
            Zane Grey had appeared in the top ten on the bestsellers list twice before the publication of The U.P. Trail. Since the publication of Riders of the Purple Sage in 1912, his popularity had been increasing.  If one thing is certain, it’s that previous popularity is a strong force for getting to the top of the bestsellers list.  Likewise, a history in film helps.  His work has been adapted for the screen over 100 times, since 1911.  

It’s possible, too, that a purely escapist story set in a different time period would appeal to a populace engaged in one of the largest wars in history. 

Why haven't I heard of it?
           Zane Grey is more famous than any one of his novels individually.  With the exception of Riders of the Purple Sage, there doesn’t seem to be any specific Zane Grey novel that has become, and remained, remarkably notable.  Zane Grey’s work overall is still significant as a large part of the foundation for the Western genre. 

Should I read it? 
         The U.P. Trail is pure escapism with a little bit of history.  As someone who isn’t a fan of Westerns, I can’t say I enjoyed it much.  But if you enjoy Westerns and are looking for escapism, The U.P. Trail seems like a good choice.      

You can read The U. P. Trail on Project Gutenberg. 

Also published in 1918:  
The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington

Sources:  
Grey, Zane. The U. P. Trail. 1918. Roslyn, New York : W. J. Black. 1946. Print.
Gruber, Frank. Zane Grey: A Biography. Roslyn, New York: W. J. Black. Print.
Zane Grey on imdb.com