Emily St John Mandel's Station Eleven is one of the more intriguing texts on the VCE English text list. One of the more compelling thoughts brought on by Mandel is the questioning of the social conventions that we currently live by. This piece, an excerpt from The English Lab's Station Eleven Study Companion (available on the resources page), looks at what Mandel is saying in relation to this idea and how she conveys this message.
Beyond the laws that humans within a society follow, there are also a set of unwritten conventions or norms that are followed in order for things to function smoothly. Mandel explores these conventions, mainly through her examination of the point at which they fall away. Jeevan’s need to “kick” past the ushers to reach Arthur on the stage during his heart attack is symbolic of the forces that maintain order. Mandel signifies the abrupt shift to a new world that evening through Jeevan’s ability to rise and walk “out onto the stage” following the incident. That “no one stopped him” (p9) represents a breaking in the conventions that maintained order within the society as they knew it.
Kirsten also recalls an experience with an absence of authority when she observes that “all the guards had left” (p188) the border crossing to the United States. That students would one day struggle to fathom these made-up “lines” that determined countries further emphasises the ability for humans to create order through abstract ideas that are blindly followed.
However, Mandel is not simply critical of such conventions and ordered thinking. At the airport, Clark is “stunned to see that the security checkpoints were unmanned.” (p238) His ability to simply walk through what was once such a controlled environment symbolises the immense impact of the pandemic upon the fabric of society. Rather than a sense of freedom, “he’d thought it would be liberating...”, Clark understands the immense change that has occurred and “...all he felt was fear.” The reliance upon such structures, and the security felt by those within a society is examined by Mandel as those who survive the pandemic come to terms with their absence.
Mandel also examines the human need to do and to be useful in order to feel a part of a society. The actions of the citizens of the airport show their desire for “physical labour” over “wandering the...concourses” (p250) and even Clark finds himself “walking to the kiosk”, as it “seemed like a purposeful action” (p235). In this time of panic and unrest, many are left with the need to act, in any conceivable way, as opposed to merely staying idle. Being occupied with being busy or merely keeping to routine (Clark’s habit of shaving “every three days”) seemingly becomes a coping mechanism as all that has been understood is removed from their lives.
So much of what Mandel says about social conventions is explored through the swift nature of how these conventions are removed and how long some of these norms linger. Many examples of this can be seen through the actions of those in the airport. If we consider the citizens of the airport as a microcosm of the larger world from which they once inhabited, we can understand their need for law and order and the desire to create a society that reflects the pre-pandemic world.
The dwindling effects of fame are explored through those who help Elizabeth clear the runway, as “celebrity still carried a certain currency” (p250). There is also mention of wanting to tweet about the experience of spotting Elizabeth and Tyler before realising that their phones are now useless. Mandel is able to comment on the structures that humans adhered to by the hesitance to break them, such as the debate surrounding the ransacking of the mexican restaurant. Ultimately, that which was once powerful and meaningful becomes shockingly meaningless. The identification documents and the AMEX card both become exhibits of a time that becomes unimaginable to the children born after the collapse. By considering the immense power once held by such things, Mandel exposes the ties of a society and the power of individuals all agreeing to a similar system of order and values.
The English Lab has produced many videos (including sample paragraphs and chapter analysis) for this text on its YouTube Channel.
For further assistance with this text, our Station Eleven Study Companion (from which this post is an excerpt) contains pages of in-depth analysis, sample paragraphs and curated evidence to help you improve your ability to know and analyse this text in greater depth and detail!