Writing the Apocalypse: Pedagogy at the End of the World A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Talitha May May 2018 © 2018 Talitha May. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled Writing the Apocalypse: Pedagogy at the End of the World by TALITHA MAY has been approved for the Department of English and the College of Arts and Sciences by Sherrie L. Gradin Professor of English Robert Frank Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 ABSTRACT MAY, TALITHA, Ph.D., May 2018, English Writing the Apocalypse: Pedagogy at the End of the World Director of Dissertation: Sherrie L. Gradin Beset with political, social, economic, cultural, and environmental degradation, along with the imminent threat of nuclear war, the world might be at its end. Building upon Richard Miller’s inquiry from Writing at the End of the World, this dissertation investigates if it is “possible to produce [and teach] writing that generates a greater connection to the world and its inhabitants.” I take up Paul Lynch’s notion of the apocalyptic turn and suggest that when writers Kurt Spellmeyer, Richard Miller, Derek Owens, Robert Yagelski, Lynn Worsham, and Ann Cvetkovich confront disaster, they reach an impasse whereby they begin to question disciplinary assumptions such as critique and pose inventive ways to think about writing and writing pedagogy that emphasize the notion and practice of connecting to the everyday. Questioning the familiar and cultivating what Jane Bennett terms “sensuous enchantment with everyday” are ethical responses to the apocalypse; nonetheless, I argue that disasters and death master narratives will continually resurface if we think that an apocalyptic mindset can fully account for the complexity and irreducibility of lived experience. Drawing upon Zen, new materialism, and Yagelski’s theory of writing as a way of being, I call attention to the affective dimensions of capitalism, anti-apocalyptic thinking, and environmental writing pedagogies that run contrary to capitalist-driven environmental disaster. 4 DEDICATION To Greyrock trail and forest floors. 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dr. Sherrie Gradin always encouraged me to explore my ideas and experience the joy of creating new connections for myself. She fostered my curiosity and introduced me to the important work of Richard Miller, Rita Felski, and Ann Cvetkovich among others. Dr. Gradin helped with rhetorical aspects of writing that I never new existed. Furthermore, her comments on my draft were insightful and constructive. Ever encouraging and professional, Dr. Gradin modeled what it means to be an exemplar academic and teacher. I owe special thanks to my committee members Robert Miklitsch, Talinn Phillips, and Wolfgang Sützl for providing useful advice during my prospectus and dissertation defenses. Robert commented on my manuscript in depth and Talinn’s comments were insightful. Wolfgang was generous with his time and shared useful resources. Aside from my committee, many mentors, friends, and students helped me with my project. I want to thank Ohio University Professor Emeritus Ray McKerrow whose help always came at the right time like trail magic. Dr. Andrew S. Mathews’ permission to use his image of an ancient chestnut tree stump gave Chapter 5, “Disconnected: A Polemic” far more clarity than my words alone could. Designer L.S. Boldsmith illustrated how the magic of interdisciplinary collaboration opens new possibilities for writing instruction. I am also grateful to the students of my writing about sustainability classes for their insights and statement position papers that gave me a sense of what Miller calls “critical optimism.” 6 I am thankful for the advice, friendship, cheerfulness, and strong sense of community from my colleagues: Don Dudding, Amanda Hayes, Paul Christian Jones, Matthew Nunes, Lana Oweidat, Carrie Ann Verge, and Matthew Vetter. Don’s advice regarding dissertation writing helped me numerous times and I often thought of his story of the wizard and the monkey. The Ohio University English department provided generous funding over the years, which gave me the opportunity to meet Robert Yagelski at several conferences. His work has had a profound influence in my scholarship and pedagogy—it all started with a book review I wrote for Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy. I also had the opportunity to meet Kurt Spellmeyer and Richard Miller whose scholarship has likewise influenced my dissertation. Furthermore, I am grateful for Ken Matwiczak, Angela Evans, and Donna LeCourt for their mentorship in my early academic career. Finally, I would like to thank Cactus May for his unyielding support and encouragement to help me pursue my life-long goals and studies. Our conversations, walks, bike rides, and lost city explorations made all the difference. Last, but not least, Coco deserves gratitude for curling up next to me. 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................... 5 List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... 9 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 1: The Only Rational Response ........................................................................... 22 Welcome to Hell: How Capitalism Feels ..................................................................... 26 Zen ................................................................................................................................ 29 Being-With: A Singularly Plural Existence .................................................................. 33 Writing and Apocalypse Entanglement ........................................................................ 40 Chapter 2: Writing (with) the Apocalypse ........................................................................ 43 Under Some Evil Spell: From Global to Everyday Terror ........................................... 46 Normalized Terror ........................................................................................................ 48 Everyday Trauma .......................................................................................................... 51 From Apocalypse to Revaluation: An Impasse ............................................................ 55 Isolation From Everyday .............................................................................................. 59 Cartesian Thinking and Ontology ................................................................................. 62 Dis-Astrum: Losing One’s Star ..................................................................................... 65 Counterargument .......................................................................................................... 69 Revolutionary Change .................................................................................................. 72 Chapter 3: Writing the Everyday ...................................................................................... 76 Affective Dimensions of Capitalism ............................................................................. 76 Training in the World’s End ......................................................................................... 81 Textual Production ........................................................................................................ 85 Writing as Expression of Self Being ............................................................................. 88 Arts of Living ................................................................................................................ 90 Experiential Writing ..................................................................................................... 92 The Sensate Being: Sensational Stories ........................................................................ 97 8 Chapter 4: Teaching the World’s End ............................................................................ 106 Confronting the Apocalypse ....................................................................................... 111 Sustainability Readers and Buoys ............................................................................... 114 Reading Green ............................................................................................................ 116 Good Taste .................................................................................................................. 120 Dragonflies, Mosquitoes, Potatoes ............................................................................. 122 On Critique and Pedagogical Violence ....................................................................... 128 The Trap of Narrative Fetishism ................................................................................. 132 Panoramic View of Pedagogical Hybridity ................................................................ 136 Chapter 5: Disconnected: A Polemic .............................................................................