| Xen: Ancient English Edition by D. J. Solomon |
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Although metafiction is often a catch-all term used to describe post-modern literature, it
has its own set of distinct properties. By its well-coined and often used definition,
metafiction is “fiction about fiction” – in other words, a self-reflective work that
examines itself. In Xen: A Novel from the Future, “translator” D.J. Solomon takes on the
mammoth task of presenting the ancient English edition of humankind’s deliverance from
xenophobia. In the process, Solomon embraces the metafictional techniques of telling
stories within stories, using irony liberally and effectively, and commenting not only on
fiction, but on language itself.
Many literary works engage the classic metafictional procedure of telling a story within a
story. Solomon utilizes this technique to its fullest extent. The interwoven stories of Xen
are not arranged chronologically within the space of the book, but they are nested
chronologically in time. Xen in its entirety is written as though it will be read in the far
future. Book 3, detailing the Mother reading the whole story to her child, is the second
tier of the nested hierarchy. As we move backwards in time into the third tier, we
encounter Muliebris, the Adolescent of Book 7, who introduces us to the idyllic post-
plague future, and Minister Esse (Books 4, 8, and 10), who eloquently guides the world
as the history of the plague and the transformation of the human species is revealed.
The fourth tier is composed of Books 2, 5, and 9, named for the Scientist, and Book 6,
“History.” These books roughly coincide with our very near future and chronicle the
instigation and progress of the transformation. Within Book 6, we travel into the past for
the fifth and final tier, a brief and harrowing account of the worst of human history. (The
beginning of the earth, as detailed in Book 1, “The Bet,” is not included in the
above model as it is does not fit into the nested hierarchy arrangement and reads more
like a prologue or an introduction).
Irony often plays a definitive role in metafiction. Metafictional irony commonly involves
interrupting the narrative in order to remind the reader that they are reading a work of
fiction. In Xen, we are most effectively reminded that we are in the midst of a story by the
insertion of Book 3, in which the mother and child are reading the same text that we are.
The plot and characterizations of Xen are also rich with other forms of irony.
Book 2 introduces Xen’s controversial main character, a scientist by the name of
Pawkey Seneschal. The reader is immediately barraged by Seneschal’s stream of
consciousness. Seneschal’s uncensored thoughts, which are best described as racist
and sexist, are made to be even more disconcerting through their powerful second-
person delivery. Seneschal, however, is quite certain that he doesn't “have a
prejudiced bone in [his] body” (24). Then, on the third day of our sojourn with the
scientist, we are introduced to another side of him. Although he remains an unabashed
cynic, Seneschal’s musings on advertisements, politics, drugs, crime, entertainment, and
food are refreshingly accurate and sensible.
Even more ironically, we later find that Seneschal is destined to be the hero of the story.
Some definitions of irony require there to be a moral teaching involved. Xen initiates its
rise to this challenge by providing a stellar example of an unlikely hero. We know that, in
reality, there is no such thing is a perfect hero. English literature covers the gamut of
unlikely protagonists, with any of the usual assortment of flaws, such as shyness, a frail
stature, slow wit, or a quick temper to name but a few. However, a successful hero
usually has an underlying sense of compassion and justice – the unshakable “purity
of heart” most often found as a fixture in children’s fairy tales. Seneschal may be a keen
observer and an analytical thinker, but there is little in his first book that hints of any sort
of enlightened goodwill toward humankind, much less the will to act on it. He comes
across as sexist, misogynist, racist, cynical, hypocritical, and all-around misanthropic.
What message can the reader take from this thoroughly ironic and unconventional
protagonist? If this guy can change the world, then so can you!
Seneschal’s ironic life is mirrored by his ironic death. As part of his vision, he wipes out
half the people on the planet, a subset composed of “those addicted to government, who
are selfish, who hate, who bully and taunt” with a virus that conveniently disintegrates the
bodies of its victims as it spreads (179). The surviving world population is granted a 47th
chromosome, which corrects any remaining vestiges of propensity to malady,
misunderstanding, anger, indifference, and cruelty. Although he later becomes the
catalyst for humanity’s swift evolution into hufemity, the Seneschal that we have
grown to know in Book 2 would certainly not qualify for transformation. He willingly meets
the same fate he created for all the other xenophobes, leaving in his wake the building
blocks for Utopia and assuring Water her victory over Wind.
While the plot assesses society, Solomon’s choices in language and formatting examine
the English language. It would be difficult to refute that Xen is spun from an awesome
vocabulary. Solomon saturates his book with esoteric, pretentious, and faultlessly-
descriptive phrases, interspersed with profanity, twenty-first century slang, and some
common expressions, such as “deader than dead” and “bored out of your gourd,” that
are somewhat surprising to see in literature. Solomon only scraps the scholarly
linguistics in favor of plain, brutally obvious language during Wind’s lengthy and highly
descriptive catalogue, which tidily compiles the various atrocities that a human being can
and has committed. These linguistic juxtapositions highlight the diversity and versatility of
our tongue.
Solomon, having already informed the reader in the introduction that a dictionary is
required to thoroughly enjoy his book, also includes a lexicon** of his own: Lexicon – a
brief, post-text dictionary in which a writer takes the liberty of defining or, in most cases,
redefining select terms used in his text. This can include general vulgarity and acronyms
(FLFs, SHPOS), cynical and entertaining interpretations of broader terms (religion,
marriage), favorite medical disorders (akathisia), and a miniscule sampling of the book’s
linguistic gems (borborygmi).
As the book is written from the perspective of someone translating from the future
language of Eartherian, Solomon is granted a generous amount of liberty to comment on
English. In a work of metafiction, it is a common practice for the author to interact with
the text by addressing the reader directly. Solomon communicates with his audience
in this way through a few brief editorial notes inserted right into the flow of the text. For
example, he points out the necessity of profanity in order to express frustration “in an
imperfect Society, where disappointment still occurs” (150). (Evidently, Solomon’s Utopia
is not entirely synonymous with perfection; at the very least, unpleasant emotions still
occur). He also informs us that “one example of English’s limitations” is that many words
have multiple definitions (39). He illustrates this nicely by using the word “dispense” in two
different contexts in the same sentence.
With the exception of Wind and Water’s witty debates and the torturer’s monologue, Xen
is written entirely in second person. In this way the author can be interpreted as
addressing the reader throughout the greater part of the book. After all, there is no
tangible narrator, and yet someone keeps referring to the reader as “you.” Solomon’s
use of this technique is unique and clever in that not only does it allow him to interact
with the text, he insists that you become part of the narrative as well.
D. J. Solomon’s Xen is a ripe, fantastic work of speculative fiction skillfully and effectively
steeped in the metafictional attributes of nested story-telling, resonating irony, and
linguistic exploration. The story is daring and original, as are the applications of the
metafictional techniques employed by the author. The narrative and methodology of Xen
challenge us to consider our language and its complications; our past, present, and
potential future societies; our conceptions of literature and story-telling; and, ultimately,
ourselves.
Works cited:
Solomon, D.J. Xen: A Novel from the Future. 2004. Whiteville: Avar Press.
| Sarah Champagne University of Northern British Columbia Prince George, British Columbia, Canada "World in Paradox: Metafiction and the Dimensions of Xen" |
| © Copyright 2004-2008 by Avar Press. All rights reserved. Copyright of the individual essays belongs to the respective writer and may not be reproduced in any fashion without express written permission from each author. Interested parties may contact the author via their high school or by sending correspondence to Avar Press. |
| First Place $1000.00 Scholarship 2008 |
