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Examining The Tribal "Other" In American Post-Apocalyptic Fiction, Alicia M. Pavelecky Alicia M.

ETD Archive

Most post-apocalyptic novels feature situations in which protagonists and antagonists are extremely polarized. In this relationship, many antagonists are treated as the "other," this practice, according to Edward Said, is used by one group to establish dominance over another. This thesis strives to examine the relationship between the protagonist and its tribal "other" in two works of American post-apocalyptic fiction, and suggests that this dichotomous relationship corresponds to key concerns in American political culture at the time of each work's publication. David Brin's 1985 novel The Postman uses the "other" as a way to reinforce core American values, such as …