The Day of Creation (Magill’s Literary Annual 1989)
At a glance:
- Author: J. G. Ballard
- First Published: 1987
- Type of Work: Novel
- Time of Work: Late twentieth century
- Setting: An arid region in central Africa
- Principal Characters: Dr. Mallory, Noon, Miss Matsuoka, General Harare, Nora Warrender, Captain Kagwa, Professor Sanger, Mr. Pal
- Genres: Long fiction
- Subjects: Self-discovery, Africa or Africans, Twentieth century, Rivers or waterways, Medicine, Health, Television or television broadcasting, Guerrillas or guerrilla warfare, Wildlife
- Locales: Africa
Most of J. G. Ballard's books are either science fiction or visionary novels. Empire of the Sun (1984), however, is written in a realistic mode. The Day of Creation is realistic in style and imagery but plunges into the realm of fantasy. In this novel, Ballard achieves a remarkable merging of realism and illusion. The real world of poverty, disease, and filth in primitive central Africa is juxtaposed to the fictional world of the television documentary, presented as an exploitative invention passing itself off as real. This juxtaposition appears to be a metaphor for the...
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