Isaraporn Pissa-ard (PhD) is an Assistant Professor at Chiang Mai University, Thailand, where she teaches undergraduate courses in world literature, mythology, and folklore. Her research interests include comparative literature, Thai political fiction, critical folklore studies, children’s literature, and literature for young adults. E-mail: eng102course@gmail.com
Posthumanism in Prabda Yoon’s Basement Moon and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun
Abstract: This paper examines two highly intriguing sci-fi novels: Basement Moon (2018) by Thai author Prabda Yoon, and Klara and the Sun (2021) by British author Kazuo Ishiguro. It argues that the two novels are comparable in three significant aspects: the characterization of nonhuman beings as both rivals and friends of humans, the dystopian settings that reflect the diminishing humanity of human society, and the central thematic concern that calls for a more considerate and equitable kind of relationship between human and nonhuman beings. The discussion in this paper is informed by key proposals in critical posthumanism that critique human desire for power and control over other beings, challenge the belief in human uniqueness and autonomy, and argue for the revocation of anthropocentric norms and practices that subject nonhuman beings to exploitation and maltreatment.
Keywords: posthumanism, science-fiction, dystopia, Kazuo Ishiguro, Prabda Yoon