PHYS 1130 Chapter : Nikolski defense.docx
5 Dec 2014
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Document Summary
I believe that nicolas dickner"s nikolski is the best canadian environmental novel. The work is an entertaining narrative that encourages a deep-ecological re-visioning of the world. Unlike the other contenders, dickner"s novel does not rely on pessimism to generate an affective response to the ecological crises, but instead demonstrates real and achievable ways to help combat this issue while existing within a capitalist society. The ecology advocated here occurs on the personal level that simultaneously highlights the larger connection that exists between species and their environment. Character such as joyce and the unnamed narrator do not reject capitalism, but exists on its fringes like counter-cultural pirates who plunder its products for personal gain. Joyce"s computer parts, and the three-headed book are never destroyed despite their potential designation as garbage, but circulate between characters, thus, empathizing the value attached to capital waste. Nikolski"s frame-narrative structure works to show the how the character"s seemingly individualistic actions serve a larger environmental agenda.
