The novel Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel, takes place in a post apocalyptic world where community means survival. Throughout the bone chilling stories of multiple characters, the author expresses the theme of comradery and community that gives the characters safety, survival, guidance and companionship in hard times. In the novel Station Eleven, there is one main character and three minor characters whose destinies have been tied together, when a global pandemic hits called the Georgia flu. The Georgia flu claims its victims in just under 48 hours, with symptoms like a regular flu, but intensified. This book can be quite confusing becuase it jumps around to the past (2020 where the Georgia flu hits) and 20 years later to the present (2040 life after the pandemic hit). The main character is a young girl named Kristen Raymonde who was eight years old when the pandemic happened. In her pre-pandemic life she was a Shakespearean actress. The story entails her struggles of growing up in the pandemic, and who helped her survive it. The minor characters, who either helped her upbringing or somehow contributed to who she is twenty years after the pandemic happened are: Miranda, Authur, and Jeevan. Arthur Leander was a pre apocalyptic famous moviestar and Shakespearean actor (he also had lots of past failed relationships), who was like the father Kirsten never had in the pre pandemic life. He died on stage doing a live performance of King Lear with Kirsten, on the night the flu broke out. Miranda (Arthur's first ex-wife) was a graphic designer who wrote a graphic novel called Station 11. Miranda gave the graphic novel to Kristen on the night that Arthur died.The graphic novel Station 11 helped Kirsten through the struggles of living in a lawless society, where it was every person for themselves. Jeevan was a paramedic who happened to be watching the performance of King Lear the night Arthur died. After Jeevan failed to save Arthur, he helped Kirsten mourn the death of the only stable adult in her life. This book is extremely memorable because it provides realistic outcomes if there were ever to be an apocalypse that terrible. After reading this novel I realized the terrifying realism it provides because it came so contrastingly close to the most modern day pandemic of Covid. It was almost as if the novel was a prophecy of covid, because it was released six years before covid hit. Hollywood even made a t.v show of the novel Station 11 that was supposed to be released in December of 2021. But, since the pandemic was at the height of its exposures producers had to post-one the release. This was because if it was released then, people might spiral into belief that covid would turn their lives into that horrible of a fate. I watched the t.v show and I have to say that the t.v show is better than the novel. The t.v show’s bold use of color and added dramatic scenes enhanced the viewing experience. In the novel, Jeevan was not that closely connected to Kristen; they only knew each other for one day. The book only describes how Jeevan survived the pandemic and not how Kristen survived the pandemic. The t.v show makes Jeevan the father figure to Kristen, by highlighting when the pandemic hits Jeevan takes Kristen with him to a safe house, instead of leaving her by herself like in the novel. Through the dynamic duo of Kristen and Jeevan, and the author having them tackle their issues together, it reminded me of the importance of community. During covid, with all of the time period’s isolation and loneliness no one could have made it through without their family. People had no socialization, so they could have forgotten the norms of society. But, when they had a community to rely on, it created a space where no one forgot their social skills. This novel, through its suspenseful stories of multiple characters, gives the reader a new perspective on life and the importance of society.
(Word count: 681)
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