The Alienated American Individual in Robert Heinlein's Strange
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UNIVERSITY OF ALGIERS II The American Counterculture under the Light of Science Fiction: The Alienated American Individual in Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land Dissertation submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Master Degree in: Langue et Littérature Anglaise. Submitted by: Supervised by: Wafaa BOUROUBI Mr. Mohamed ROUABHIA Academic Year: 2018-2019 Board of Examiners: Ms. Leila DAHMAN ............................................................................................... Chair Mr. Ahmed Ihcene GACEMI ............................................................................ Examiner Mr. Mohamed ROUABHIA ............................................................................ Supervisor i Declaration I hereby declare that the substance of this dissertation is entirely the result of my investigation and that reference or acknowledgment is made, whenever necessary, to the work of other researchers. I am duly informed that any person practicing will be subject to disciplinary sanctions issued by university authorities under the rules and regulations in force. Date: ............................... Name: ............................. Signed: ............................ ii Acknowledgments First, I would like to proclaim that this work would not have been accomplished without the professional assistance of my supervisor, Mr. Mohamed Rouabhia, who provided his helping hand whenever I was in need for it. He thoroughly guided me throughout the entire research-making process, as he was generous for sharing his knowledge, as well as providing numerous sources that I could not reach. So, I declare my sincere gratitude for that matter. Also, I would like to declare special thanks to some teachers who managed to leave a very unique and positive influence in me; Miss Amina Bezzazi, Mrs. Nawel Azoui, and Professor Foued Djemai (may God bless his soul as he rests in peace). I dearly appreciate the efforts made by such amazing teachers. In fact, the list is yet long, and it saddens me that I cannot mention all the teachers whom I was their student in the past five years, as I am deeply grateful for their teachings. Lastly, I must also thank my dear family members and friends; my family members for their mental and financial support, and for tolerating me and the noise I made trying to read my work out loud, and my friends for encouraging me and elevating my self-esteem, as well as believing in me in times when I felt worthless. I am truthfully glad and thankful for them being a part of my life. iii Dedication To the eggs who want to grok and grow. iv Abstract This research paper aims at analyzing the treatment of the theme of alienation in Robert Anson Heinlein’s science fictional masterpiece Stranger in a Strange Land (1961). It is an illustration of the close link between science fiction as a genre and the moral and existential controversies in the American society, and in particular, in the era of the fifties and the sixties, during which, the United States of America witnessed the emergence of some influential countercultural movements. This paper relies upon Existentialism, a theory which believes that man is the center of the universe, and on Liberal Humanism, an approach which argues that the human is a free individual. Based on that theory and approach, and in the light of the study of the protagonist, Mike, and the outcome of the clash between his Martian upbringing and the conservative ideology of his fellow humans after he returns Earth, the paper investigates in how the non-conformist American individual feels alienated and strange in their own society. This demonstrates that science fiction is a literary vehicle which portrays the contemporary reality and concerns of the society in which the writer lived. Ultimately, the research comes with an assumption that science fiction, with its fantasy world, can parallel reality in a very accurate way. Keywords: Stranger in a Strange Land, alienation, American individual, Science Fiction, Existentialism, Liberal Humanism. v Table of Contents Board of Examiners ......................................................................................................... i Declaration ...................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................... iii Dedication ...................................................................................................................... iv Abstract ........................................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ........................................................................................................... vi Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Backgound and Theoretical Framework: Counterculture, Existentialism and Science Fiction 1.1. Counterculture in the 50’s and the 60’s: 1.1.1. The Beat Generation ................................................................................... 6 1.1.2. The Rise of the Hippie Movement .............................................................. 8 1.2. The Theme of Alienation as a Main Aspect: 1.2.1. Human Nature in Relation to Alienation .................................................. 10 1.2.2. Rebellion Against Conformity and the Sense of Alienation ..................... 13 1.2.2.1 The Sense of Alienation................................................................... 14 1.3. Existentialism and Liberal Humanist Criticism: 1.3.1. Existentialism ............................................................................................ 15 1.3.2. Liberal Humanist Approach ...................................................................... 18 1.4. The Emergence of Science Fiction: vi 1.4.1. The Beginning of Science Fiction Literature ............................................ 19 1.4.2. The Flowering of the American Science Fiction ...................................... 21 Chapter 2: Stranger: A Reality Portraying Novel 2.1. Science Fiction and the American Culture: 2.1.1. The American Style Used in Writing Science Fiction ................................ 26 2.2. Heinlein’s Speculative Fiction Portraying the Present: 2.2.1. Robert Heinlein’s Style in Writing Stranger ............................................ 31 Chapter 3: Mike: The Alien-Like Human in a Conventonal Society 3.1. Michael’s Human and Martian Features: 3.1.1. The Prevalent Themes of Dissimilarity .................................................... 41 3.2. Michael’s Cult VS. The Conservative Religious Discourse: 3.2.1 The Church of All Worlds and the Fosterites ........................................... 47 3.1.2.1. Michael’s Messiah Figure ............................................................... 50 3.3 The Reaction to Michael’s Disruption: 3.3.1 The Death of Michael ................................................................................ 54 3.3.2 Michael in the Afterlife ............................................................................. 57 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 60 Bibliography ................................................................................................................ 62 vii Introduction Because of its speculative characteristics, science fiction is often known for its unattainable fantasy which is impossible to happen in reality. Indeed, as any literary genre, science fiction is based on imagination. However, science fiction is, somehow, overlooked as a genre when it comes to the extent of the depiction of reality. It is thought to be a sort of fiction that is only meant for entertainment because of its strange nature that is mostly based on celestial stories, as its setting and plot are usually far different from physical world. However, science fiction can often be a tool to mirror reality, even though it keeps its eccentric features. This is why I have chosen to discuss about the issue in one of Robert Anson Heinlein’s the most prominent science fiction novels ever written, Stranger in a Strange Land (1961). The novel tells the story of a Human-Martian individual who lives in an environment that seems alien to him. We are introduced to Valentine Michael Smith, the half Human and half Martian, who is brought to planet Earth (specifically to the United States of America) knowing absolutely nothing about the place he is in. He is stranger who shows up in the novel to be as a Messiah, bringing his own strange philosophies to people whom he is not familiar with, and by whom he is accepted and rejected. Therefore, this study is going to concentrate on analyzing the individual in terms of alienation, yet on the basis of Science Fiction. The present research entitled “The American Culture under the Light of Science Fiction: The Alienated American Individual in Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land” illuminates the treatment of one of the issues that humans, as individuals, face through time due to various reasons which is alienation. The key themes and concepts that are going to be investigated in this research paper are alienation and individualism which are based upon a study case of the United States in the fifties and the sixties.