"Slow Burn"

Paper Summary:

Victor Kelleher's 1997 novel "Slow Burn" is a young-adult science fiction novel which has been enormously popular in Australia and the United Kingdom. The paper shows that part of its popularity is perhaps due to its main concern, environmentalism, which has been a major media issue for the last 20 years, as increased urbanization and industrialization have put the natural world and even human life in jeopardy. The paper shows that while Kelleher treats these matters with urgency, he also provides teenagers with a tale of disillusionment, loss and betrayal to which readers may easily relate. The paper argues, however, that Kelleher's hero, Danny Fenton, formulates violent, non-constructive responses to his fears and rage; his solutions ironically become part of the problem and are not justified.

From the Paper:

"Danny assembles a group of easily influenced teenagers, forming bands of 'Eco-terrorists,' perhaps an oxymoron. These youths wreak havoc on society, exploding homes and other properties belonging to those they blame for environmental hazards. Naturally, they find themselves at odds against the Establishment, who, although they might agree with the message of the 'Eco-terrorists,' they are terrified and extremely dismayed by these acts of violence. As a result, the teenagers wage a full-scale war against the Establishment. Gradually, Danny's friends, one by one, are imprisoned; Danny alone remains energetic in his violent campaign to educate the world about environmentalism."

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