GLOBAL WARMING AS A TRIGGER FOR HUMANITYʼS PRIMORDIAL MEMORY IN J. G. BALLARDʼS POST-APOCALYPTIC NOVEL “THE DROWNED WORLD”

Abstract

The article examines J. G. Ballardʼs novel “The Drowned World” (1962) as a prominent example of post-apocalyptic climate fiction. It focuses on the concept of humanityʼs primal memory, which is activated by global warming. Ballard, a British writer, envisions a future where catastrophic climate change significantly alters human civilization. The novel raises philosophical questions related to memory, encompassing both cultural memory, evident through the architectural remnants on the planet, and the collective unconscious as proposed by Jungian theory. This demonstrates how human identity synchronizes with climate change and natural processes.The article also delves into the biographical context of the work, highlighting how Ballardʼs childhood memories of Shanghai and his time spent in a Japanese internment camp have influenced the theme of memory within the novel. Special attention is given to the psychoanalytic aspects and the relationship between the charactersʼ behaviour and climate change.Set in a semi-submerged London in 2145, the characters undergo psychophysiological changes, such as experiencing identical dreams and an irrational urge to move south despite the dangers involved. The author investigates a theory put forth by one of the characters, Dr. Bodkin, regarding the synchronization of all life on Earth and a regression to the “lizard brain”.The contrast between nature and civilisation is illustrated through Ballardʼs meticulous descriptions of interior design, architecture, human cultural achievements, and artefacts collected by the antihero, Strangeman. The characters exhibit animal instincts in various ways, from triggering primitive memories and reactions to the allure of the sun to adhering to the principle of “survival of the fittest”. Ballard does not merely depict the physical changes in the environment; he also explores the transformations of the human psyche in response to climatic catastrophes. Ultimately, Ballard presents a bleak outlook for humanityʼs survival amidst global warming. Technological advancements, rather than providing solutions, only serve to delay the inevitable capitulation of humanity to nature.