Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Analysis

There are different themes evident in Emily St. John Mandel’s “Station Eleven.” The first theme is creation of art before the Georgia Flu and after the pandemic, which claimed the lives of many people (St John Mandel 20). Before the crisis, the novel depicts artistic creation through movies and performances. For instance, Miranda pursues novel graphics, while Arthur is an actor before the pandemic hits the world. Post the flu, the Symphony is determined to create art by acting plays and playing music through cities, towns, and villages. The fact that art is created before and post the flu is an indication of the theme of artistic creation dominates the novel. The second theme in the book is religion, which appears post the flu. For instance, the prophet is an example of a religious person who uses the need for religion to exploit the community (St John Mandel 50). It is evident in the text that Tyler modifies the book of revelation in the bible to suit his interests. He uses the trick to gain fame, followers, and loyalists who go to the extent of murdering for him. As such, the theme of religion is depicted in the novel “Station Eleven.”

Other themes that are evident in the novel include regret, death, survival, luck in a crisis, and memory. The novel is rich in topics that are a trend in the current world, especially on the Georgia Flu. From the beginning of the semester, the novel has been an exciting piece to read and discuss important themes. My thoughts on the book before underrated the content of the book, especially on matters that can affect the health of the world population (St John Mandel 70). In essence, the book contains more than I thought, giving experiences that are worrying. As a student in college, I can make a connection between my journey and what an ordinary reader can go through. The fact that there is a pandemic that erupted, which is threatening every economy in the world, makes me connect to what a common reader can feel about the book. The piece is an interesting art that narrates real-life experiences that people undergo, which helps in making a connection with the outside world.

The novel makes public affairs connection in many ways, including community engagement in finding solutions, help those in need, ending exploitation, and ethics within the society, among others (St John Mandel 100). Equally, cultural competence is a matter that is evident in the text. The pandemic is an example of a scenario that the real world should use to get prepared in case one erupts. Like in the book, most communities are not prepared to handle such situations, which will lead to the deaths of many people. All stakeholders in the community should team up whenever a pandemic arises in a bid to find a solution. One quote that stood out for me in the text is, “Hell is the absence of the people you long for.” The quote implies a scenario where one loses people who they care about and are left with nothing (St John Mandel 144). To them, the world is already hell, even though they are alive. Other relevant thoughts on the book include exploitation that the society faces in the hands of politicians in the name of religion.

Works Cited

St John Mandel, Emily. “Station eleven.” London, Basingstoke, and Oxford: Picador (2014).