In the excerpt “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” Margaret Atwood uses genre conventions in order to spark rhetorical effects throughout the whole piece.At first glance reading the title automatically made me feel the piece was going to be about a post-apocalyptic world which no longer was.The fact she doesn’t directly name the planet was very astute as I believe she decided to let us determine it.Some people would think she’s writing about a dead earth and this can convey a sense of guilt in the reader because humanity today is detrimental to the planet we inhabit.In the body of the text Atwood speaks of this “dead planet” using the structure from the book of genesis in the Holy Bible.I think the use of this structure is very ironic and shows the juxtaposition between the original book of genesis and her story.The book of genesis tells the story of the birth of the world and key aspects that helped create it while Atwood uses the structure to show what aspects of that world destroyed it.Money and religion go hand in hand in “Time capsule found on the dead planet” and eventually become the same thing.The creator of the time Capsule found in the story explains that humanity’s hunger to acquire money led to catastrophe and eventually blinded people from things that actually mattered.Living in a capitalist society where money drives everything made this very eerie to read and it did not seem too far fetched.I certainly believe the author tried to spark these emotions intentionally to promote ideas like a better tomorrow and positive change into the audience.The planet we live in today isn’t far from a dystopian one and this is something that might be inevitable.Humankind has truly reached a state of unconsciousness in very important issues that are shaping our lives and bringing uncertainty into the future. “Time capsule found on the dead planet” may be a fictional story but It tells the story of a world that we can make our own mirror.
Tag: Blog Post #3
The comet
In “The Comet” by W. E. B. Du Bois, we learn about a story of a messenger going underneath wall street to uncover some missing records and during his time underneath the city, a comet tail hits and kills everyone in the city. This alternative futurist world is made clear to us because of the author’s use of speculative fiction and foreshadowing.
In the first page, the messenger is sent underneath wall street to find lost records and then the city is hit by the comic tail which changes the setting of the story to a post-apocalyptic setting after a disastrous event. Additionally, when the messenger finally tries to do someone ordinary in the new reality he is living, the author describes something normal like going to a restaurant as “seizing a tray from dead hands, hurried into the street and ate ravenously” which provides imagery in my mind of the narrator taking the food tray from dead bodies exploded from the comet and then eating “ravenously” to show his excessive hunger.
Furthermore, W. E. B. Du Bois uses a lot of foreshadowing in the story that gives the readers hope for the messenger. At the beginning, the messenger was chosen to go looking for those files because his life was viewed as invaluable compared to the other men. However, while he was down there, he found treasure, gold. Hoping the narrator would find more, he continues to look but instead he finds the lifeless body of a clerk. In the modern world, people aren’t chosen to search for records underneath wall street, neither would the body of someone who attempted robbery be found in a vault. Later on in the text, the messenger calls out for someone to take the dead body up but no one answers. He quickly goes back up to the bank and this foreshadows something’s wrong. Then, the author narrates, “In the great stone doorway a hundred men and women and children lay crushed and twisted and jammed, forced into that great, gaping doorway like refuse in a can”.
A comet hitting NYC and killing all humans yet not destroying the whole city symbolizes a greater meaning of human greed and a futuristic catastrophe we might face if we continue selfishness with money. The messenger now struck gold but the world was over and there was no use to it. Through W. E. B. Du Bois’ use of speculative fiction and foreshadowing allows the reader to uncover this alternative afrofuturist world with a deeper message.
Genre Conventions in “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet”
In “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet,” Margaret Atwood effectively employs genre conventions to instigate a thoughtful response from readers. The poem adopts the science fiction genre, commonly used to explore humanity’s future through technology and environmental themes. Through an extraterrestrial perspective and the concept of a “time capsule,” Atwood engages readers to consider the real consequences of environmental neglect.
Atwood further utilizes post-apocalyptic and dystopian elements, typical of science fiction, to underscore the urgency of environmental concerns. She presents a lifeless, desolate planet as a relic from the past, evoking readers’ fears of ecological collapse and the repercussions for future generations. This genre-driven approach prompts readers to reflect on preserving the planet for the future, effectively blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
Margaret Atwood’s skillful use of genre conventions in “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” elicits a powerful response from readers by drawing on the speculative and cautionary traditions of science fiction. The poem emphasizes our responsibility for the planet’s well-being and transcends the boundaries of fiction, leaving readers with a heightened awareness of environmental challenges and a sense of urgency for change.
Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet
After going on with close reading and analyzing “Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet”, this story was done in 2009 and the description online of her story was to warn other about the dangers of climate change and the influence of greed on society, which is basically explaining the concern and feelings and something that’s important for people to know because climate change is a big problem in America and around the world now. For the subject of the influence of greed on society is that this is explaining the amount of greed there is and now going on in the world, especially I would say with politics too. When it comes to greed, I would say it’s a big problem in society, as well as money involved with greed, or anything else, effects to everyone. Greed, I would say, causes people to act selfish and make immoral decisions in life. Both topics are partly harmful in life.
What Margaret Atwood is describing here, as well as how she is using genre conventions to strategically effect change in readers is that she specifically describes different points of life and the environment. She describes the different points written in a poem, starting with this being written, according to “Time capsule found on the dead planet by Margaret Atwood” on theguardian.com “In the third age, money became a god. It was all-powerful, and out of control. It began to talk. It began to create on its own. It created feasts and famines, songs of joy, lamentations. It created greed and hunger, which were its two faces.” I would say this one quote is basically explaining the big effect of what money does in people’s lives. Some points that show the impact of money, good or bad in that, the way it can help and destroy things. Her use of genre conventions helps influence readers to look and watch out for the dangers in society.
No Future: Consequences of the Past
“Time Capsule Found on the Dead Planet” written by Margaret Atwood explores the themes of human civilization, environmental degradation, and the potential consequences of humanity’s actions. Atwood uses genre conventions and rhetorical devices to strategically influence readers.
The use of genre conventions can be seen in Atwood’s writing, especially the genre convention Sci-Fi. Which is the genre that explores future relatives and alternative realities. The title itself shows this by setting the reader in a futuristic setting where the Earth is considered a “Dead Planet”. By using the words “Time Capsule” and “Dead Planet” it sets the reader to imagine a setting where humanity is dead or dying.
The use of rhetorical devices is another strategy that Margaret Atwood used to influence the readers. Atwood employs the use of vivid imagery and symbolism to evoke a sense of loss and death. The use of words in Atwood’s writing paints a dark yet beautiful picture suggesting the end of life and the history of past civilizations. The use of personification and repetition can also be seen in her writing. “Money became a god”, personification is used here to bring life to money and make it seem like a very important thing even though physically speaking it is just a piece of paper. And the use of repetition is to keep the reader engaged and to make the reader realize that what they are reading can be something that really happens in the future.
By using these genre conventions and rhetorical devices, Margaret Atwood guides the readers to contemplate the potential consequences that can occur in the future due to human nature.
Holding On To Tragedy
In the short story “The Comet” by W.E.B Du Bois, the author uses rhetorical strategies and literary devices to mend the story into an afrofuturist world. A couple examples of these are symbolism and pathos. The lesson of the story is built up mostly through symbolism. The story is written about a comet that hits NYC, taking out the full population of the city except for a black man, Jim, and a white woman, Julia. The two are able to put their differences aside, realize that all humanity is equal, and are willing to do whatever they need to to help each other survive. Towards the end of the story, when people from outside of the city express to them that it was only NYC affected by the tragedy, Julia is quick to return to her ways from before the comet. She joins with the other white people and act in a racist manner towards Jim. They call him derogatory names and there’s even a threat splurted out offering to lynch him.
Dissecting this story, there’s symbolism all over. To start, the comet itself is a perfect example of symbolism. Although the fictional story makes sense for the comet to simply be a hypothetical where New York City is struck and nearly wiped out, there’s a much deeper meaning to it. I believe that the comet is there to represent struggle and hardship that the whole world faces, as one. For example, the United States had never been closer than after the attacks of 9/11 or Pearl Harbor.
Once we realized that we are not invincible and were proven to be vulnerable, everyone joined together, put their differences aside and became united. Once the effects of the tragedy pass, like in the story when they realize there were more people alive or in the real world when people move back onto their normal routines, we lose that unity and connection and return to our regular, separated ways. The author uses pathos to go hand in hand with his use of symbolism. Throughout the story, the author grows a connection between the reader and the two characters. He creates a feeling of hope that the two can make everything alright, only to rip it apart once the tragedy passes. I think that W.E.B. Du Bois uses this strategy, writing a fictional story with real life implications, in order to have the reader come to a subconscious conclusion of the issue he’s attempting to bring to light. When reading this story, it had me questioning the history of the US, past and present. How did people really treat other human beings so poorly? Why did racism begin ? Why can’t we live in a society that everyone is unified ?
Money: The Cause of Death
After reading this article I noticed that it was published in 2009, which is about 14 years ago. Yet what was said still holds some truth today. Money is something that is constantly desired and wanted by others. A shiny piece of metal or a piece of green paper holds so much value and importance that it’s becoming a god to others. Unlike the “All-Knowing” and “Shining One” gods from the first age, money became a means of destruction.
In Atwood’s article, the four ages are discussed as well as the creations of each age. In the first era, it was the creation of gods that were greatly worshiped and seen as beings with all the power and answers. Then it was the creation of money. A small shining metal that had the faces of important figures often carried around closely. Having too much of it could make you fly but later in the third era, it became out of control. This only led to the destruction of everything in the fourth age when the deserts were created.
Money is first mentioned as a magical and mysterious creation but it escalates to too much power and destruction. Having too much money creates greed and jealousy. There’s no reason to have too much of something because it becomes a waste and misused.
It’s interesting how we created it and now it’s destroying us…
Can our creativity lead to destruction?
As we grow up we are told that creativity is awesome.That we should reach for the stars but is that benefiting or destroying the earth?
Margaret Atwood speaks of our capabilities as humans to create gods as well as money. If we have the power to create these things, then we also have the power to destroy them. Atwood speaks of the different stages as we went through as we developed our ideas over the years.
Our actions have slowly led to destroying the earth. We have seen this physically in the last few weeks where it feels like summer one day and then fall the next day because of climate change.
Creativity can be a great thing but if it leads to greed it will only lead to chaos.We have seen this in the past where we have destroyed forests in order to gain more land to industrialize and build cities.
Atwood ends with “Pray for us, who once, too thought we could fly “We always want more whether it’s money, power or attention or something to make our lives easier. The idea of “more” has led us to go after natural resources which can lead to losing some that we all need to survive.
We feel indestructible especially with all the innovations we have come out with recently. Advancements in technology like the latest iPhone 15 and A.I. only assure us that we are on the right path, but are we? While it’s nice to have new innovations it’s important to take a step forward to help preserve the earth that we live on.
