Shogghoth

Spoilers ahead

Station Eleven was under a curious string of books I purchases subconsciously and read in a row which focused on the nature of a large scale pandemic and how would a human society collapse or rebuild itself in the wake of a breakdown of all the roadways of trade. In complete contrast to Earth Abides which took the ideas of looking at the apocalypse as an anthropological study of the nature and generic direction post apocalypse culture will take. Station Eleven focuses more on the strange interconnectivity of people and ideas throughout ages. The apocalypse becomes less of a core idea to experiment around with but more like a mere survival setting in which these characters are linked together.

The initial linking event for both the start of the apocalypse and the thread which brings all the characters together was the tragic death of actor Arthur Leander who passed from a heart attack on stage performing King Lear. Arthur is a key character in the whole story but mostly wasn’t spoken for instead of a few key chapters where we finally got to see in his mind. Instead the story follows the people Arthur surrounds himself with that being Kristen Raymonde who being a child actor at the exact show Arthur passed at decided to continue her passion beyond the fall of the modern world where performance is strictly only entertainment and escapism. Kristen was inspired by Arthur from that moment onward as she had committed her life to continue the craft he died doing and also joining the traveling symphony a group of actors and musicians who use their shared passion as glue to become a community seeking to help other communities.

The story also follows Miranda Carrol who created the Station Eleven comic and was one of Arthurs many ex-wives. Miranda who may not have been someone who survived the apocalypse but still ended up influencing people beyond her years by her creation of a fictional comic which never saw mass production but did end up in the hands of children who took care of it and preserved it through the years.

This point is also echoed by the antagonist the prophet is introduced. His inclusion shows specifically how the influence of the old world comes in with a piece of text which has influenced all of western life since its creation; The Bible. More specifically the Book of Revelations with its musings of an apocalypse and the ideas of a savor who can sweep the land under divine right of god to punish sinners and be self righteous in that conquest of perceived evil. This prophet sees himself as that figure and finds it as proof for his survival and his continued purpose. In contrast to Kristen who saw her purpose being only to touch others lives with song not curing the pain but granting escape from them, the prophet sees himself under the savior complex. Someone who must take others fully until his care either willingly through sermon or by force using lost people as pawns to perpetuate a cycle of oppression.

The town of St Deborah by the Water was the victim of this as the prophet entered and began to change the structure of how the people think. It wasn’t a survivor mentality anymore but one of giving his own perceived purpose onto them by converting members to his band and taking wives to foster children.

So from all this it seems like the goal the novel tries to relay is the power of the arts and literature in its ability to bridge gaps between people and in time as the people who 20 years alter survived the apocalypse are still moved by plays and books they read earlier in their life. Most of the creators of the works are all dead but the ideas and the passion and human effort lives on continuing to shape the world even when the physical beings have left like Jesus in the bible. From this it seems written work is still the only way to become immortal in the minds of other like Arthur, Miranda and John. There is still one character left to talk about however which I think holds the strongest message.

Jeevan Chaudhary was a paramedic in training during the production where Arthur died. He was seen rushing onto stage when it was clear Arthur was in trouble. It was through this act of kindness and care for his fellow man that I think stuck the hardest. It not only influenced Kristen with her kind nature but also influenced Jeevan himself who at that moment of time was having a crisis of purpose which most people have from time to time. His selfless care of a fellow man in trouble helped to shape the future even if it was only recorded by the last newspapers in print before the electric lights went out.

This book tells of the power of action and the overwhelming inspiring nature that kindness has to inspire more kindness. All history has the power to change the future that’s what draws me to Sci-Fi itself because good Sci-fi can break that mold and shift the future even as a work of fiction or maybe even a comic book. Its also good to touch others lives with small acts rather than to consume them in your own self purpose. A traveling symphony will be longer remembered fondly than any act of hate.