Post Nuclear Apocalyptic Vision in Martin Amis’s Einstein’s Monsters

Abstract

The research paper aims to analyze the study of Martin Amis’s Einstein’s Monsters in order to exhibit the philosophical concept of dystopia or anti-utopia. With the abundant evidences from stories and an essay which are collected in Einstein’s Monsters, the researcher comes to find out that utopia cannot be maintained by Europeans due to several reasons, for instance, proliferation of nuclear nukes, unchecked flourishments of industrialization, sense of egotism, escalation of science and technology and many more. In doing so, the researcher has brought the concept of Krishan Kumar and M. Keith Booker. The theoretical concept of ‘anti-utopia’ is proposed by Krishan Kumar’s Utopia and Anti-Utopia in Modern Times. Simultaneously, concept of ‘cacotopia’ is proposed by M. Keith Booker in The Dystopian Impulse in Modern Literature which does not celebrate the end of the world rather it warns the mankind for their massive destructive activities which create artificial apocalypse. These philosophical concepts can be applied and vividly found in Martin Amis’s Einstein’s Monsters. Basically, this research paper focuses on the five stories namely “Bujak and the Strong Force,” “Insight at Flame Lake,” “The Time Disease,” “The Little Puppy That Could” and “The Immortals” where these stories portray the post nuclear apocalyptic vision which, obviously, demonstrates the philosophical concept of dystopia. It further explores the Bernard Brodie’s concept of nuclear deterrence which discourages in the launching of nuclear wars. The research paper also illustrates the ruin of European world of utopia by showing the destruction created by nuclear nukes. Keywords: Anti-utopia, Apocalyptic Vision, Cacotopia, Dystopia, Egotism, Industrialization, Nuclear Deterrence, Nuclear Nukes, Utopia