Creative Project: Dragopolis Welcomes Careful Drivers. Critical Commentary: Laughing with the Bogeyman: Monstrous Agency in Metamodern Satire. N/A

The critical element of this thesis examines ‘metamodern satire’ as described by Samantha Chesters, situating an intervention into the theoretical discourse of postmodernism as it relates to the satirical mode. The critical commentary aims to take the concept of older styles of parody being replaced with postmodern pastiche a step further, with particular engagement with the fantasy and science-fiction genres. By examining this ‘hybrid mode’ of satire, the commentary seeks to offer new insight into the impact of this approach to the genre, showcasing forms of character agency in a mode that has, historically, shunned such engagements. Consequently, this project also explores methods contemporary creative practitioners might employ to ensure the vitality of the mode, adding to the discourse surrounding why satire remains popular. This exploration works through an in-depth examination of satirical characterisation strategies for the archetypal fantasy monster both in the Tiffany Aching Series of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and my own writing. The discussion is focussed on strategies which produce characters with agency as opposed to parodic and/or passive objects that only invite ridicule and mockery, enabling a humour which empowers and a quality of satire which enriches, meaningfully connecting the reader with the archetypally monstrous by facilitating an agency the monster does not typically enjoy.
The findings of this critical study have informed a methodology for the characterisation within the creative element of the PhD. Dragopolis Welcomes Careful Drivers is a fantastical and satirical upper-middle-grade (that is, intended for children between the ages of 8 and 12) novel. The methodology aims to treat the young reader as an active rather than passive audience, optimistic about their ability to analyse and acknowledge a diverse range of satirical stimuli, and treating them as sources of interior possibility.