Since we had our last book club meeting, I have been reflecting on what I have learnt from the SELCS Summer Book Club. As I have not just learnt skills for discussions, I have learnt skills for life. A lifelong passion for literature and reading has been further instilled within me.

Communication: The SELCS Summer Book Club has undoubtedly strengthened my communication skills. Initially, the prospect of raising points in front of a wide-ranging virtual audience was quite a challenge to grasp. Yet, with determination and the sheer camaraderie of the book club members, coupled with its more informal atmosphere, I reignited my thrill for literature. It was amazing to embark on a journey alongside fellow readers who too, shared my same yearning for literature and communication. Communication with the book club members helped me to find and present my voice and listen to a broad spectrum of notions and opinions.

Listening: Through this book club experience, my listening skills have also been enhanced. Each book club discussion featured a range of themes and ideas, some of which I was new to. I learnt about new terminology and also about different cultural contexts. Therefore, in the discussions, the ability to listen was strengthened since I became conscious of new ideas and literary references, which I could then apply to my own readings. Possessing strong listening skills enabled me to confidently express my ideas whilst also evaluating other interpretations.

Analysis: Furthermore, my analysis skills have improved as a result of constant collaboration with team members and I had the opportunity to gain insights into world literature on a temporal, cultural and textual level. I encountered the tropes of different genres of literature and synthesised my thoughts effectively to analyse not just one layer of meaning, but several layers of meaning that arose from authorial intentions and political and social contexts. I relished the opportunity to delve into a variety of genres including contemporary literature, dystopian literature, political literature, and the rewarding classical literature.

Awareness of Cultures: One final key skill that this book club has fostered within me is to have an awareness of different cultures. As my chosen language for my comparative literature study is German, I was naturally inclined towards the German texts and references discussed. However, as the discussions progressed, to my delight, I became more enthused with the desire to be open to a range of cultures and to reflect on French, Russian, Indian, Bengali, Chinese and African literature too, that helped to change my perceptions, especially during lockdown!

This week’s session was lead by Dr Florian Mussgnug

The summary of the discussion is written by Sara Karim

‘Station Eleven’ – Emily St. John Mandel

Dystopian novels that are deemed as apocalyptic fiction are not the usual books I prefer to read. My outlook on apocalyptic fiction and dystopian fiction transformed after reading and discussing Emily Mandel’s ‘Station Eleven’. The unfamiliarity of this fast paced and anxiety ridden novel launched me into being out of my reading comfort zone. During my reading journey of this novel I felt enlightened especially by the comical tone to the novel. These moments of spontaneous euphoria included August’s ability to seek out Poetry and TV Guides in abandoned, dilapidated houses. As well as the collective solidarity of the Symphony who had the conviction to perform Shakespeare even when times were bleak and uncertain. Indeed, during our discussion, there were parallels drawn between current times during the pandemic and the serious tone of the novel.

The most striking aspect of our discussion was when we thought about what may happen when there is a global demise of the Internet. One of the points raised which was thought-provoking was when it came to the realisation that it would only take a few shops to close down, a few street lamps to stutter and planes to no longer take passengers to classify this as an apparent world-ending point. But perhaps, as the author of the novel may suggest, there is more to humanity than global connectivity, even more so there is a strong desire to encourage solidarity and to reach out to those family, friends and dear ones whom we once thought we had lost, but now we have found again. The globalisation that features in this novel from ‘hearing no news from Beijing, then Moscow’ and then the isolated South Korean ships on the Malaysian Coast, struck a chord with our group. Here, the world is depicted as being so dependent on technology for business, travel, adoration, love, and memories of friendship and laughter that resonate in the protagonist, Jeevan. Surely, if the technology no longer prevails then perhaps, we can choose what we would want to rejuvenate into the next ‘new normal’ future?

The polyphonic nature of the novel including magazine captions and the interview scripts that explore Kirsten’s experiences show the powerful effects of Emily Mandel’s writing style. Not only does she deploy this to show the connectivity between the characters from all walks of life, she also may do this to exhibit that the ‘mourning‘ of Arthur has encouraged the characters to reflect on their own lives. This sense of reflection is even perhaps encouraged in ourselves as readers, as self-reflection can be especially powerful and humbling during a pandemic. As is the case with Arthur’s first wife, Miranda, she composed herself to ‘repent nothing’, in reality she also reflects on the sorrows and joys of her past. Furthermore, as a group we discussed that despite the Symphony’s initial grudges and petty dislikes against one another, they all poured their energies into performing a ‘Midsummer Night‘s Dream’ and they sought to value each member as one of their own. This novel made me realise that dystopian fiction novels are not just full of sadness and catastrophe, dystopian novels can also be remnants of hope that seek to provide an opportunity to self-reflect and empower us.

By Sara Karim