Asher Didier

Senior Project Advisor

Lori Martindale

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Spring 2022

Keywords

dust, novel, dystopian, global warming

Abstract

Dust is a dystopian novel centered on the effects of inaction in our combat with climate change. Set in the future (around the year 2150), the world is a much different place. The Earth has turned into a hot and overused world which is devoid of most of the plants and animals that exist today. Desertification has occurred on much of the Earth and sand and dust have become prominent in place of grasslands and forests. One of the common motifs of the book is, as the title suggests, this dust. Dust is looked at in many different ways throughout the book, symbolizing aspects of the storyline and showing that things can often be two-sided and multilayered. At times dust is viewed as a hindrance to the characters – something stifling and perilous, but dust is also viewed as beautiful and renewing – something that has a rejuvenating effect.

This novel explores the themes of family and connection in a time when these things are hard to come by. The characters search for ways to regain part of what was lost, while slowly realizing that they have a lot already to begin with. As they each go through challenges in their own lives, all while fleeing from danger at every turn, the characters slowly learn the importance of maintaining humanity in a time when it appears to have been lost. The theme of age also plays an integral role in this book, with the characters all being different ages from eight to nineteen. This theme plays a part not just in emphasizing the unique perspectives of characters, but showing that every one of us, no matter how old we are, can bring something valuable to the world.

Department

Honors

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Dystopias--Fiction; Climate change--Fiction; Families--Fiction

Genre/Form

science fiction

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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Included in

Fiction Commons

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