Dark Life

Dark Life is in the ecofiction genre, also sometimes referred to as “Climate fiction.” The genre, which gained popularity in the 1960s, has developed its own field of criticism, often called Environmental Criticism (Ecocriticism) or “Green” criticism (Environmental Humanities Initiative: What is Ecocriticism?. University of California, Santa Barbara). The genre has roots in fiction much earlier than the 1960s, such as in the works of Henry David Thoreau or William Wordsworth, which engaged with and promoted nature. Broadly, ecofiction includes works oriented around nature or the natural environment. Ecofiction is deeply shaped by human relation to the environment, promoting an awareness of the natural world. Ecofiction can appear across genres, including science fiction, magical realism, and more.

Many novels historically have treated nature as an adversary or something to be controlled. Ecofiction offers a less confrontational relationship with nature; any confrontation with nature is usually presented as a reckoning for past human misdeeds.

Although the major conflict of Dark Life does not center around an environmental catastrophe, the world in which the characters live is shaped by past environmental catastrophe. Ty is aware of humanity’s role in the disaster that led to large chunks of the coastline collapsing into the ocean and the sun becoming so strong that it can cause terrible skin burns in moments. When Hewitt talks about how “easy” he imagines life Topside is, Ty replies, “It’s that kind of lazy living that made a mess of this planet […] People wanted everything to be easy and disposable. Look where it got us” (95).

Dark Life’s approach to solving the overcrowding problem Topside is typical of ecofiction. By going into the ocean, pioneers embrace the extremes of nature that humanity avoids due to the many dangers. Like today’s marine scientists and explorers, Benthic Territory pioneers illustrate an ability to learn about the environment and how they can prosper in it sustainably.

Many critics believe ecofiction has the potential “to have a positive ecopolitical influence by enabling readers to imagine potential climate futures and persuading them of the gravity and urgency of climate change” (Schneider-Mayerson, Matthew. The Influence of Climate Fiction: An Empirical Survey of Readers. Environmental Humanities, 1 Nov. 2018). Studies suggest that ecofiction may be contributing to increasingly pessimistic and doomsday outlooks on climate change that negate any potential action through nihilistic certainty about the death of the planet (Schneider-Mayerson, Matthew. The Influence of Climate Fiction: An Empirical Survey of Readers. Environmental Humanities, 1 Nov. 2018). Works like Dark Life, as opposed to ecofiction that depicts catastrophes, hold potential for a more positive effect on readers due to their positive reflection of humans working with the environment and growing as a result.