Absurdism vs Dystopia

 Level Four Lockdown: Day Forty-Seven

Curfew. 9 p.m 

Mood: Better for the realisation of what I'm writing

Black and White Photo Challenge: Day Eighteen

The penny dropped this morning as Katie and I went for our Friday morning constitutional walk. We were near the river. I was explaining some point or other about my novel, I think I was whining about the re-writes I have to do. And then I say it.

'Oh, it's all absurd.'

And the penny made a big noise down Victoria Street, clamoring on the tram tracks, hitting me like a bolt from the blue.

I'm not writing a dystopian novel. I'm writing an absurdist one.

Phew. 

I've been trying to shoehorn my novel into the dystopian framework .

Hear me out. 

Here is a general description of Dystopian Literature. What Is Dystopian Fiction?

Dystopian literature is a form of speculative fiction that began as a response to utopian literature. A dystopia is an imagined community or society that is dehumanizing and frightening. A dystopia is an antonym of a utopia, which is a perfect society.

Whereas Absurdism is - to quote Wikipedia: 

"Absurdist fiction takes form most commonly in a novel, play, poem, or film, that focuses on the experiences of characters in situations where they cannot find any inherent purpose in life, most often represented by ultimately meaningless actions and events that call into question the certainty of existential concepts such as truth or value. Common elements in absurdist fiction include satire, dark humor, incongruity, the abasement of reason, and controversy regarding the philosophical condition of being "nothing.""

And though I have elements of dystopian literature, I'm writing something which is also pretty much absurdist.

And everything fell into place as I crossed the road to go down to the river at 7 am this morning.

And strangely it all feels quite comfortable. Okay, I'm not Vonnegut, Kafka, Murakami, Albee or Sartre - actually, it's strange how few absurdists are women. 

But think of it this way. The construct of the novel is if you hit 55 years of age and you can't support yourself, you die. They go easier on you if you arrange your own death. 

It's absurd (and yes, it's a bit dystopian)

It was put to me that what I was writing was a bit like The Lobster - which if you haven't seen it, I can't recommend it enough.

An absurdist film.

It's all fitting into place.

Not sure whether to be happy or scared.

Ah well. This is what happens when you go walking in the morning. 

Now to start the rewrites.

Today's song: