About Me Welcome! My name is Rhi. I'm a senior nursing student at Wright State University. Besides going to school full-time, I also work PRN at a local hospital as a patient care technician. Medicine is my passion, but in my free time I do enjoy reading a good novel (usually something by Agatha Christie). In my blog posts, I explore themes found in post-apocalyptic novels and reflect on aspects that interest me. In my final project, I use all of the information I have learned throughout the semester to independently analyze an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as an apocalyptic narrative.
When reflecting on the entirety of this course, it strikes me how diverse apocalyptic narratives are. They are about so much more than just the end of the world - they delve into social, political, and ecological issues and connect to the real world in surprising ways. In my blogs, I explore the exploitation of the environment by humans (The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood), women's reproductive rights (Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich), the importance of the arts (Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel), the ethics of torture and imprisonment (American War by Omar El Akkad), capitalism and government propaganda/exploitation of citizens (Zone One by Colson Whitehead), and the inevitability of the end of humanity (The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch). As part of my final project, I explore the topic of censorship/the silencing of citizens by governments ("Hush"). Although they tend to have a darker tone and do not always have happy endings, bits of hope and positivity are sprinkled throughout these apocalyptic narratives. The characters are fierce and resourceful and fight to break through the cracks in the pavement of apocalypse to bloom. Throughout this journey, I encourage you to comment and interact with me! |