Neal Stephenson’s Anathem–is it feminist enough?

by squidmom

Neal Stephenson’s “Anathem” is not a specifically feminist work, but it’s a blast to read.  It has his standard socially inept male protaganist, Fraa Erasmus; a female love interest whom he perceives as way better than he is socially, intellectually, and emotionally, Suur Ala; and an incredibly complicated context.

The setting is Arbre, a world in which is kind of parallel to ours, but in which many scientists and mathematicians live cloistered from the rest of the world, while the religious types live outside the walls.  Those cloistered have been able to preserve information and many artifacts intact during centuries of intermittent upheaval in the world outside.  From a feminist perspective,  there is essentially complete gender equality within the concents (also known as maths).  On the other hand Erasmus’ sister Cord, a brilliant technogeek working in a foundry in the secular world, has to deal with all kinds of hassles for violating gender roles.

The two worlds come together for a week every ten years when Erasmus’ concent opens its doors.  Normally this doesn’t have much effect.  This time, something Arbre-shaking has appeared in the sky that catalyzes a revolution.

Why do I like to read Stephenson?  His writing voice makes me feel like I’ve settled down with a great friend, frenetic, brilliant and entertaining.  This book explores space and time travel, the multiple world theory of quantum mechanics, teenage horniness, religion, and whether the human brain is a quantum device capable of hacking the space-time continuum, all presented as a coming-of-age quest story.  What’s not to like?

Filed under assorted | | Comment (0)