Literary Analysis Essay on Annihilation

Introduction

A good story is created by brilliantly and harmoniously joining various elements such as themes, literary devices, among others. Each of these distinct elements plays a critical role in the final product. By conveying the message or perceptive intended by the author, themes serve as the primary focus or subject of the narrative. The themes also connect the other elements of the story, such as plot, character, conflict, and others. The theme, therefore, can be defined as the soul of the story. To enable the reader to connect with the story more, writers employ various literary devices. A literary device can be described as any technique or tool that the author uses to convey their message and add depth to the narrative. They include imagery, metaphor, illusion, allegory, among others. Characters are also essential to a story. These are the people, animals, or figures represented in a story. Their words, actions, choices, thoughts, consequences, as well as the dynamics of their relationships, help develop the themes and the plot in general. For a story to be compelling, the author must be brilliant at characterization. The integrity of these elements is crucial in works of fiction such as Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer. Other than being well-written and original, the book has compelling themes and characters. This paper seeks to explore the themes presented in the novel, and the primary literary devices used, as well as the role of characters and characterization in conveying the author's intended message.

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Themes Present in the Novel

Rationality versus reality is a central theme in the novel. The world in which the novel is set is made up of several layers of lies. The Psychologist, who leads the expedition, also offers half-truths at best. The instructions, equipment and the information given by the Southern Reach cannot be trusted too. For instance, the Biologist learns that the black boxes they were given to warn them of danger were simply placebos.

Moreover, the terrain in Area X is also difficult to believe. All the members of the expedition were also hypnotized before entering Area X. To isolate the members of the expedition from reality further, they were not allowed to use their real names. The Biologist records, "We were always strongly discouraged from using names. Names belonged to where we had come from, not to who we were while we were embedded in Area X" (Vandermeer, 2014). The reality in Area X is so radically altered that the characters barely comprehend it. To provide answers to the many questions that arise, the characters are forced to use logic and rationality. By being rational, the Biologist survives even as the other women get consumed by the unreal.

Borders, both geographical and personal, are also extensively explored in the novel. The security and order that borders promise, the functions of the divisions created, as well as the consequences of breaching these borders, are also discussed. The border separating Area X from the rest of the world is the most prominent of all the borders discussed. To protect themselves from the foreign ecosystems, the members of the expedition are required to establish another border through acts such as using breathing masks. Through these borders, the author emphasizes that all bodies, living or non-living, exist as a bounded entity and any contact with the outside renders it diseased and dangerous. However, as the story progresses, borders are depicted as temporary and ultimately irrelevant human ideas. Instead of making her diseased, the contamination that the Biologist suffers enhances her perception and quickens her healing capacity. Therefore, breaching borders can end up becoming beneficial.

Literary Devices Used in the Novel

Symbolism is extensively used in the novel. The lighthouse, where all the previous expeditions met, is a representation of safety. However, the evidence of violence that the Biologist encounters there points to the contrary. The lighthouse can also be taken to represent the old civilization that has been colonized by the new life. While the other members see it as a tunnel, the Biologist calls a tower. By going up the tower, she can probably unravel the mystery of Area X. The author also employs metaphors to pass different themes. There is a subtle pro-environmental message in the novel. To convey this, the author uses Area X as a metaphor for environmental degradation and the associated consequences. Through brilliant use of imagery, the author creates a fascinating landscape and a mysterious world. The vivid descriptions enable the reader to imagine the setting and roam the mysterious world with the characters. To explain some of the strange happenings in the book and offer explanations to the actions of the characters, the author uses flashback. Suspense is maintained throughout the novel keeping the reader engaged and eager to know what discovery will be made next.

Characters and Characterization

The story primarily focusses on four women, who have been sent on the latest expedition to Area X. The story is conveyed in first person and one of the women, the Biologist, is the narrator. The other characters are the Anthropologist, Psychologist, and Surveyor. Though the author reveals little about the characters at the start of the novel, various surprises and revelations are made as the story progresses. Through the use of flashbacks, the author offers more background information into the Biologist. The author presents her as a well-drawn out and complex character. She is an only child who was brought up by inattentive parents. She makes no friends, both in her childhood and adulthood, and her introversion concerns her parents. The readers also learn that she is a loner and has struggled in her previous relationships as well as in various social situations as seen when she records, "Our relationship had been thready for a while, in part because he was gregarious and I preferred solitude. This had once been a source of strength in our relationship, but no longer" (Vandermeer, 2014).

Her thoughts and actions help propagate the theme of introversion. Owing to her introversion, her journal is the most unambiguous and complete. This gives the reader an unhindered view into the real and the unreal. Her introversion also helps her survive Area X, and hence brings the story into maturity. To confirm this, the Biologist says, "My sole gift or talent, I believe now, was that places could impress themselves upon me, and I could become part of them with ease" (Vandermeer, 2014). Since the novel describes a kind of ecological apocalypse, the writer strategically made the Biologist the protagonist. Through her eyes and ecological knowledge, the mysteries and horrors of Area X are adequately captured.

Conclusion

Annihilation is set in a place that is difficult for readers to comprehend fully. However, through the use of various literary devices, the author helps the reader create mental pictures that show the mystery of Area X. The literary devices also help advance various themes in the book. The conflict between reality and rationality, as well as the place of borders in human lives, are the most prominent themes in the book. Through the use of appropriate characters, the author manages to pass his message exhaustively. By maintaining harmony between the different elements, the author transcends different genres to create a brilliant book.

References

Vandermeer, J. (2014). Annihilation. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Retrieved from https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374104092