By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
The character of Mollie, in George Orwell’s 1945 fable Animal Farm, may not be as familiar to many people as the pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, but she plays an important part in Orwell’s satire on the Russian Revolution (and the way its ideals were subsequently betrayed).
But who is Mollie in the novel, and what makes her role so significant to the book’s message?
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
As the Danish physicist Niels Bohr probably never said, ‘predictions are hard, especially about the future.’ And although the job of authors of science fiction and speculative fiction isn’t to make accurate predictions about what our future lives might look like, but to entertain us by tapping into current concerns, fears, dreams, and ambitions for where humanity might be heading, it can still be fun to read stories set in the future which managed to get things right (or sometimes, not so right).
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Literature is full of monsters whose names and appearance have passed into general circulation: we all recognise Frankenstein (even if, as pedants will be quick to point out, Hollywood has made us confuse the ‘monster’ with his creator), Dracula, and the Minotaur, among many others.
But what are the best stories about monsters, whether short tales from myth, epic poems, modern short stories, or long novels? Whether they’re from the realm of modern fantasy fiction or ancient mythology, the following ten monsters are all iconic in their own way, and deserve their place on this list, we reckon. So, without more ado, let’s open the pages of this online bestiary and discover ten of the greatest monster stories ever written.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Novelists and short-story writers have created some classic narratives about man’s best friend, the dog. But what are the very best stories and novels about dogs? Where should we begin in assessing the classic, canonical literature that features dogs?
From Homer’s Odyssey onwards – where the hero’s faithful hound remembered him upon his return to Ithaca – the annals of literature are full of famous literary dogs. Here are ten of the best works of fiction to feature our four-legged friends.