LITERATURE

Hello, everyone! Tonight we revisit my examination of Genre Fiction by taking a look at a novel that embodies everything the stuffy scholars say about it. I am, of course, talking about The Happening rehash James Patterson's ecological thriller, Zoo.

Here we go.

First, let me say that if you have seen M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening, you have read Zoo. Except in Zoo, it's animals who have turned against humanity... and are killing people... okay, so it's not exactly The Happening, but... well, let me explain.

Zoo is the story of Jackson Oz, evolutionary biologist. Well, he used to be, before he noticed something strange about the global animal populations: an increase in the yearly number of animal attacks on humans, as well as bizarre deviations from normal behavior patterns. Oz attributes this increase to what he calls H.A.C: Human-Animal Conflict. Basically, because humanity is stupid and evil, animals have somehow evolved a hatred of and desire to kill humans. Oz's colleagues have laughed him out of the scientific community for this theory because they are all blind and can't see the evidence in front of them, and not at all because Oz does everything he can to make his theory sound like something you'd hear about on crazy conspiracy websites or the modern History Channel.

H.A.C.

Also, this theory about animals evolving a hatred of humans doesn't keep Oz from keeping a chimpanzee in his apartment as a pet. Yes, a chimpanzee. In an apartment in New York City. A species known for its strength and the violence of their attacks. Needless to say, this ends horribly for everyone involved.

Of course, Oz's idiotic brilliant handling of his theory and the situation in general does not stop him from being vindicated by the story. He is the hero, and he needs to find proof of his theory (picking up a lovely French scientist along the way who, of course, instantly falls in love with our hero after he saves her life), drum up support for his theory (nearly impossible as humans would rather blow their problems to Kingdom Come), and find the solution H.A.C., or else humanity is doomed.

In my last post, I mentioned that, while this is not necessarily true of all Genre Fiction, many works of Genre Fiction are "fluff" stories; These are novels that are meant for entertainment only, no thinking necessary, essentially the literary equivalent of the summer blockbuster. Zoo, I believe, is one of these works. In addition to the many writing no-no's committed over the course of the novel (telling instead of showing, point-of-view changes in the middle of a scene, etc.), Zoo is the perfect example of what scholars of Literature think genre fiction is. Characterization is shallow and driven entirely by the plot, the writing style is kept simple to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and the themes are simple and heavy-handed.

Now, that's not to say that the theme of the novel is unimportant; humanity's impact on the environment and its probable repercussions do need to be discussed (Me? A tree-hugging liberal? I have no idea what you are talking about). However, the way this theme is handled in Zoo leaves much to be desired in the subtlety department.

CAUTION: WATCH YOUR HEAD

So, what does this mean for " Literature"? Should its themes be more subtle, and open to more interpretation? Should "Literature" make the reader think about what they are reading, not switch their brains off for empty entertainment? Could this be what separates "Literature" from other fiction?

Next time, I read Clive Cussler's The Tombs, and continue my exploration of the line between Genre and Literary Fiction.