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Asterios Polyp and Cloud Atlas: Manifold Manifestations of Art-Centered Escapism

and the Role of Posthumous and Epistolary Narration as Central Escapist Elements

Introduction:

Asterios Polyp and Cloud Atlas are two masterful works of literature that explore the
relevance of art as a means of escape in manifold ways. Asterios Polyp recounts the story of
Asterios Polyp, a professor of architecture, who embarks upon a journey of self-exploration after
his home catches fire due to a lightning strike. Plagued by internal duality and past trauma in the
form of being haunted by the thought of his stillborn twin brother, Ignazio, and a failed marriage
with Daisy, Polyp finds himself contending with ways to escape his present into a salvageable
future. Cloud Atlas, on the other hand, is a collection of sub-stories that explore the uniformity of
human nature and the interconnectedness of humanity across space and time. “Letters from
Zedelghem,” a sub-story within Cloud Atlas, chronicles the story of Robert Frobisher, an
impoverished and disinherited aspiring composer who becomes an amanuensis to a once-great
composer in order to escape a poverty-ridden and repressive past back in England only for his
aspirations to lead to an ever-increasing cacophony of complications that eventually lead to his
demise. Through the characters of Asterios Polyp and Robert Frobisher, both novels explore the
role of art as a means of escape. Not only that, the novels themselves contain various escapist
elements. Asterios Polyp and Cloud Atlas showcase the manifold manifestations of art-centered
escapism as it presents itself in the form of spatial, psychological, economic, and other forms of
escapism. Moreover, through the choice of a posthumous narrator and the use of epistolary
narration respectively, the writers embed escapism within the very heart of their narratives as a
byproduct of reader response in the case of epistolary narration and didactic and pedagogic
utility in the case of posthumous narration.
This essay will explicate how for Asterios Polyp, art is able to provide an escape because,
psychologically, it allows for Polyps’ allegiance to a vision of idealized perfection at the expense
of tangible, and often imperfect, progress and realization, suggesting that for Polyp, art serves as
a legitimate shield against the perceived imperfections of the world. The choice of Ignazio, the
stillborn twin brother, as the narrator serves as an escapist element in the novel because through
the choice of this perspective, the reader is plunged not only into a reflective perspective that
stretches beyond mortality, but it also helps the reader navigate the gulf between Polyps’ future
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and past self. The essay will then go on to argue that Robert Frobisher, unlike Polyp, does not
use art as a means of escape from the perceived imperfections of the world, but, for him, art
serves as an escape into the alluring prospects of a successful artistic future, suggesting that for
Frobisher art primarily is a bridge to a more idealized future that can only be realized through
hard-won artistic inspiration and composition. The escapist element in Cloud Atlas primarily lies
in the Frobisher’s story being related through epistolary means, allowing the reader an escape by
having them assume the narrative view of Rufus and therefore virtually serving as Frobisher’s
only confidant, further instilling in the reader a sense of extreme intimacy with Frobisher and
prompting the readers to fill every conceivable gap left by the epistolary narration and thus
submerging the reader’s subjectivity into the narrative.

Spatial Escapism as Art-Centered Escapism

Spatial escapism may be defined as a transition of physical location and setting that
serves as a character’s attempted escape often from the past and all the baggage associated with
it. Both Asterios Polyp and Cloud Atlas present spatial escapism as an external journey that must
be undertaken for internal transformation to take place. It is this spatial escapism that Shawn
Massak, in his paper entitled “Traversing the Odyssean Narrative; Asterios Polyp and the Politics
of Movement, Stasis, and Gender,” credits for the identity transformation that Polyp goes
through when he declares that “In the Odyssey and Asterios Polyp, the act of journeying
produces a shift in the identities of its protagonists.” (67)
Polyps’ Manhattan apartment, the spatial foothold that Polyp occupies in the beginning of
Asterios Polyp is linked to his architectural acumen and all the accolades he had been able to
achieve as a result. Given that, the disruption of Polyps’ spatial continuity by lightning striking
and depriving him of a home represents the first intimations of the possibility of spatial escapism
by having Polyp literally lose his home. The clearest manifestation of spatial escapism in
Asterios Polyp can be found when Asterios Polyp, while talking to the ticket counter employee,
inquires, “How far would this take me?”(Mazzucchelli 32) referring to his money.
Spatial escapism, however, is not an end unto itself but rather a manifestation of a deeper
psychological escapism. This is evident in the fact that Mazzucchelli juxtaposes the lightning
striking that consumes Polyps’ home with him being engrossed in watching cassettes that contain
video recordings of intimate scenes from his failed marriage. (Mazzucchelli 9)
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This spatial continuity that is soon disrupted is further consolidated later when it is
revealed that Polyp “lived in this Manhattan apartment for almost two decades,”(Mazzucchelli
19) echoing Odysseus’ time away from Ithaca, suggesting that Polyps’ prolonged stay in his
apartment represents an exile from his true “home.” However, with the disruption of his static
habitat via the lightning strike, a door of escape opens up in the form of homelessness, prompting
Polyp to consider embarking on a journey of self-exploration and break the monotony of his life.
The aforementioned spatial continuity also represents the static life that Polyp builds for
himself by virtue of his artistic acumen despite the failure of his designs to ever materialize in
the form of a building. This suggests that his monotonous existence preceding the loss of his
home can be construed as an art-centered escape unto itself wherein he can maintain his
existence without ever having to contend with the translation of his artistic acumen and designs
into a practical and tangible product, pointing to the fact that his job as a professor serves as an
escape that allows him to maintain his affinity for idealized perfection in the form of designs.
This becomes clear when the book explicitly states, “In fact, none of his designs had ever been
built.” (Mazzucchelli 19) Furthermore, this art-centered escapism as a means of circumventing
the imperfections of the world is further reinforced when we see Polyp dwell over a past that
haunts him into the present day. This proclivity to want to circumvent the past becomes evident
when, in response to witnessing his home burning before him, Polyp exclaims, “Not again,”
(Mazzucchelli 23) suggesting that for Polyp, the spatial continuity provided by his apartment is
synonymous with a defensive wall against the trauma of the past.
In Cloud Atlas, on the other hand, Robert Frobisher’s spatial escapism is represented
through the spatial transition from England to Zedelghem. This spatial transition serves as spatial
escapism because via this change in spatial setting, Frobisher’s efforts to escape from his
impoverished and disinherited existence into a more financially lucrative future are encapsulated.
Frobisher’s escape from London to Belgium is foreshadowed when, while talking about his
escape from the hotel, Frobisher proclaims, “Escape was not hitchless,” (Mitchell 22) and later
the large spatial escape becomes evident when Frobisher associates his daydreaming with him
“traveling to Belgium.” (Mitchell 23)
This spatial transition and escapism is intertwined with art-centered escapism so much so
that the latter is arguably a manifestation of the former because this spatial escapism is centered
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around Frobisher’s artistic acumen and ambitions as a composer with art serving as a vehicle to
potential elevation in status in social circles.
Unlike Polyp, for whom artistic acumen and ambition as manifested by spatial continuity
served as an escape from the imperfections of the world, self, and the past, Frobisher treats his
own artistic acumen and ambitions manifested via spatial transition as an escape from a poverty-
ridden and status-deprived present into a tantalizing future with intimations of potential
success.

Psychological Escapism as Art-Centered Escapism:

Psychological escapism may be defined as “an individual escap[ing] from something that
is not (directly) socially caused.” (Henning & Vorderer 102) As such, psychological escapism
necessarily encompasses aspects of the individual psyche such as personal complexes, defense
mechanisms, and psychological quirks.
In both Asterios Polyp and Cloud Atlas psychological escapism as manifested through
artistic escapism showcases the protagonists’ tendency to use art and artistic pursuits as a shield
against their personal psychological complexes and inadequacies.
In the case of Asterios Polyp, Polyps’ application of his artistic talents within the realm of
teaching could be interpreted as a defense mechanism from a psychoanalytical perspective,
specifically sublimation. Sublimation may be defined as “Transforming one’s anxiety or
emotions into pursuits considered by societal or cultural norms to be more useful.” (Bailey &
Pico) In this way, Polyps’ transition to the profession of teaching and then his subsequent retreat
into theoretical proficiency at the expense of practical realization of his designs can be seen as an
attempt at sublimating the guilt and actional paralysis associated with the imperfections from his
past such as the death of his stillborn twin brother. Consequently, Polyps’ artistic tendencies
serve as an escape from his web of complexes embedded in Polyps’ subconscious mind. In other
words, Polyps’ psychological escapism and his art-centered escapism are inextricably
interconnected.
In the case of Robert Frobisher from Cloud Atlas, art also serves as a psychological
escape in the form of the transition of projection of the father from Frobisher’s biological father
to Ayrs, a surrogate father. Not only that, Frobisher’s affair with Jocasta, Ayrs’ wife, further
evokes the idea of the Oedipal complex, with Jocasta also serving as an allusion to the incestuous
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mother and wife to Oedipis from Oedipus Rex, further consolidating the theme of incest within
Frobisher’s psyche. Frobisher suffers from a father complex with his biological father
disinheriting him. As a result, he projects the imago of the father onto Arys, who represents a
surrogate father. As Carl Jung puts it, “Imagos are the consequence of personal experience
combined with archetypal images in the collective unconscious. Like everything else
unconscious, they are experienced in projection.” (Sharp 36) Furthermore, Carl Jung says of the
father complex: “In men, a positive father-complex very often produces a certain credulity with
regard to authority.” (291)This production of “credulity with regard to authority” is evident in
Frobisher’s deep respect for Ayrs after being utterly rejected by his biological father.
In Asterios Polyp, Polyps’ psychological escapism is also manifested through Polyps’
belief in the conceptual utility dualities. Ignazio asks Polyp why “choices always lie along a
linear spectrum with two poles?” Polyp responds, “It’s just a convenient organizing principle,”
and that doing so helps “better illuminate the entire subject” (Mazzucchelli 114) Soon thereafter,
Ignazio notes that “Asterios’ particular vision had a more specific source” (Mazzucchelli 116)
before depicting how Polyps’ belief in dualities stems from the duality within his own existence
that he felt since his childhood and how he records every room in his house in order to possess
access to a perspective that is “like a shadow of the living world.” (Mazzucchelli 121) This
reference to a complex plaguing Polyp since childhood showcases the degree to which Polyps’
fundamental belief in dualities stems from the internal duality plaguing him since childhood and
how this belief serves as a form of psychological escapism from the complexities of the world
that can only be comprehended outside of dualities.
Polyps’ psychological escapism is further reinforced via the motif of the solar-powered
automobile using which Polyp attempts to make his final escape after landing himself in the
hospital with an eye injury. Polyp is seen projecting his post-lightning strike self upon Ignazio as
his past self, named Polyp, interacts with Ignazio who now appears to be the Polyp that came
into being after leaving Ithaca. After his past self constantly exclaims, “Stop it!”
(Mazzucchelli 279) and eventually strikes him, Polyp decides to embark upon a journey using
his employer’s solar-powered vehicle, signifying his final break from the internal duality that
plagues him.
While Polyps’ internal duality is represented through a stillborn twin brother that informs
Polyps’ identity, Frobisher’s internal duality is represented through his bisexuality and affinity
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for both genders. Not only that, Polyps’ internal duality becomes reflected by posthumous
narration, while Frobisher’s internal duality is depicted through the epistolary means that show
his oscillating affinity for the two genders, various social class, and roles in the form of stream-
of-consciousness narration along with internal monologues that reveal his inner strife.
However, both use art as a means of transcending these inner dualities as it serves as the
only medium that has the potential to elevate them in the world above social competition,
amorous quarrels, and complexity of ordinary existence.

Metaphysical Escapism as Art-Centered Escapism and the Transcendent Nature of the Artist:

Later in the narrative, while in bed with Jocasta, Frobisher notes that an artist “lives in
two worlds.” (Mitchell 235) This reference to an artist living in two worlds further showcases
Frobisher’s belief in the transcendent nature of the artist in that he is of this world and above it at
the same time, suggesting that for Frobisher, art and specifically the vocation of an artist serves
as a metaphysical escape from the vicissitudes that constitute everyday existence as exemplified
through the servants.
Frobisher’s retreat in the idea of the eternal recurrence posited by Friedrich Nietzsche
(1844-1900) further highlights Frobisher’s metaphysical escapism in that it demonstrates that in
order to withstand the cruel realities of the world, he has to retreat to doctrines of a recurring
existence, which itself renders life itself a work of art. As Nietzsche himself asks in The Gay
Science, “What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest
loneliness and say to you: 'This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live
once more and innumerable times more' ... Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your
teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment
when you would have answered him: 'You are a god and never have I heard anything more
divine.” (194)
Both novels also utilize literary allusions to further explicate the nature of Polyps’ and
Frobisher’s escapism. For instance, in the case of Frobisher, Frobisher’s love affair with Jocasta,
a reference to Oedipus’ unwitting marriage to his own mother, splays Frobisher’s love affair with
Jocasta with incestuous undertones, suggesting that there is something unnatural and contrived
about their union. Not only that, it foreshadows Frobisher’s doomed attempt to escape his own
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fate in the manner of Oedipus, further reinforcing the idea that Frobisher’s attempt to elevate
himself via his art is a form of metaphysical escapism from fate itself.
In the case of Asterios Polyp, Polyps’ loss of eyesight in one eye echoes the cyclops who
is blinded by Odysseus when the latter is journeying back home Assays “the Cyclop Polypheme,
And, by the crafts his wits apply, He puts him out his only eye.” (Homer Kindle Locations 3106-
3107). Polyp being cast as the cyclops suggests that Polyp has become a victim to his own
escapism, and that for him to escape this island of cyclops he must first let himself to be allowed
by his past self. Not only that, Polyps’ departure from Ithaca represents a reversal to the journey
of Odysseus since Odysseus' journey to Ithaca. Not only have that, the voyage from Ithaca to
Apogee mirrors Odysseus’ journey from the island backed to Ithaca. This use of irony in the
form of reversal.
Another motif used to externalize Polyps’ escapism is that of smoking. Throughout the
novel, Polyps is seen smoking or with a cigarette in his hand whenever he is assuming the
pompous persona of an arrogant professor. However, later in the story when he begins to build a
new identity in Apogee, he stops smoking completely, signaling that smoking represents the
psychological escapism provided by Polyps lofty station as a professor. Furthermore, the motif
of smoking is also used to represent various other ideas as well such as the impermanence of
existence, personal vices etc.
Another form of escapism that can be pinpointed in Asterios Polyp is that of intellectual
escapism manifested in Polyps’ intellectual rigidity. Polyps’ intellectual rigidity itself serves as a
form of escapism since it allows him to mask his vulnerabilities and achieve emotional
detachment from not only the past but the people closest to him such as his erstwhile wife. It
could be further argued that by plunging into the realm of the imagination, evident in him being
labeled a “paper architect,” (Mazzucchelli 19) Polyps attempts to flee the disappointments and
imperfections of his past. However, the narrative juxtaposes Polyps’ spatial external journey with
the unwinding and unfurling of all these defense mechanisms furnished by art such as
idealizations. This slow detachment from his escapist tendencies is accompanied by the necessity
of practicality brought on during his odyssey. For instance, at the behest of his employer, Polyp
helps him design and build a treehouse for his son. Soon thereafter, Polyp admits to Ursula that
this was the very first time he had practically constructed a structure of this sort, signaling his
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shift from a professor with work borne of idealizations at the expense of practical realization to a
someone with a respect and affinity for practical action even at the risk of imperfections.
Another escapist element tangible in Asterios Polyp is the presence of a romance subplot,
manifested in the relationship between Polyp and Daisy. Through such romantic subplots,
readers are allowed a form of psychological escapism into the disparities that often exist between
idealized notions of love and its practical and often imperfect instantiations. When it comes to
the romantic subplots present in Robert Frobisher’s tale within Cloud Atlas, they serve as a
psychological escapism for the reader because they evoke a sense of catharsis stemming from
unrealized love not only between Frobisher and Rufus, but also between Frobisher and Eva.
Another escapist element contained in both Asterios Polyp and Cloud Atlas lies in literary
allusions to Nietzsche. In Cloud Atlas, Arys is said to treat Thus Sprach Zarathustra as his bible
while in Asterios Polyp, Daisy’s acquaintance is often seen referencing Nietzsche. This is an
indirect escapist element because Nietzsche believed that "May it serve as a lesson to these
serious people that I am convinced that art is the highest task and the real metaphysical activity
of this life in the sense of the man to whom, as my sublime pioneer on this trail, I wish to
dedicate this book"(57) reflecting his belief that art provided the only proper and noble escapism
in human existence. Robert Frobisher’s desire to surpass and to escape his menial position is also
echoed in one of Nietzsche’s statements wherein he said, “One repays a teacher badly if one
remains merely a pupil.”
Another form of escapism materialized within Robert Frobisher’s story is that of
economic escapism. It is a quest for this economic escapism that sees Frobisher take on a job
with an elderly composer in the first place, helping him find refuge from his economic woes and
helping him immerse himself in his creative pursuits. This economic escapism is synonymous
with an escape from everyday troubles that more often than not stifle one’s ability to become
immersed in artistic pursuits. Since Frobisher’s cardinal vehicle to realize this economic
escapism is his artistic acumen and his art, his economic escapism is inextricably tied to the
notion of an art-centered escapism.
Economic escapism in Asterios Polyp manifests itself in Polyps’ unwavering pursuit of
wealth and status as an architect. For Polyp, this economic escapism enables his psychological
escapism by allowing him a retreat from his past failures and ghosts. Not only that, this
economic escapism also isolates Polyp from a genuine human connection and allows him to
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ignore the resolution of his inner psychological turmoil. Polyps’ retreat into economic escapism
represents his deeply flawed presupposition that material success will ultimately lead to
fulfillment rather than confronting head-on the traumas of his past and resolving them rather than
avoiding them.
Escapism in Asterios Polyp is also represented in the form of visual symbolism. For
example, Polyps’ dreams and his architectural designs represent the psychological escapism into
idealization that defines Polyp at the beginning of the novel.
Another form of escapism evident in Asterios Polyp lies in the transfiguration of Polyps’
name itself. As he embarks upon his odyssey, Polyp is nicknamed “Sterio” by Stiffly, indicating
the materialization of the post-tragedy Polyp who has lost everything and is now ready to
transition into a more enlightened future.

The Motif of Suicide as Metaphysical Escapism

An additional escapist element in Cloud Atlas lies in the motif of suicide. This is evident
in Frobisher’s belief in “reparative reincarnation” (Shelden 154) References to a separate
metaphysical world that awaits Frobisher evoke the idea of a retreat into a comforting
idealization, suggesting that a belief in the afterlife serves as a form of psychological escapism
for Frobisher. Later, when speaking of suicide, Frobisher writes, “Cowardice is nothing to do
with it - suicide takes considerable courage.” (Mitchell 249)This rationalization of the validity,
and even underlying admiration, for suicide further showcases Frobisher’s tendency to retreat to
metaphysical escapism whenever he is stumped in relation to his art-centered escapism, which is
manifested by his spatial transition to becoming an amanuensis for Arys.
Mitchell further foreshadows the connection between suicide and the artist through the
dream sequence recounted in the very first letter, wherein Frobisher juxtaposes falling “shelves
of porcelain antiquities” (Mitchell 21) with musical notes and chords. This juxtaposition not only
foreshadows Frobisher’s eventual and inevitable demise, but also the art-centered nature of his
eventual suicide because in the dream, the breaking of such fragile antiquities, which represents
the fragile nature of material and physical existence, is associated with musicality, which
represents the quest for immortality, suggesting that Frobisher’s suicide itself is an artistic and
metaphysical escape from worldly existence.
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The epistolary narration undertaken by Robert Frobisher further evokes the sense that he
outlasted the specific temporal and spatial confines within which he existed, as not only does
Rufus preserve his letters but the fact the letters make it to the reader himself. This metanarration
showcases artistic transcendence and suggests that Frobisher’s art-centered escape from the
conditions of his own existence was indeed successful, reinforcing the sense of escapism.
Robert Frobisher’s psychological escapism and belief in the transcendent nature of the
artist and art itself is further reinforced via the motif of suicide. After committing suicide, while
talking to Rufus, Frobisher notes how “[they] do not stay dead long,” (Mitchell 249) referring to
this as an “elegant [certainty]” (Mitchell 249) Frobisher’s claim about the supremacy of an artist
over death itself further showcases his belief that suicide is merely a change in “existential
status.” (Mitchell 249)
In the case of Robert Frobisher, art also serves as a metaphysical escape from the
confines of worldly existence. After having been blackmailed by Arys, Frobisher reflects on the
plight of the servants employed by his own family, inquiring, “Are the Frobishery domestics
forever biting their tongues as I must?” (Mitchell 236) This growing sympathy for the working
class showcases Frobisher’s belief in a sense of entitlement centered around the vocation of
being an artist, social restrictions on whom, he claims, are inappropriate, suggesting that for
Frobisher, an artist is supposed to be a transcendent entity that is not beholden to any social
compulsion. Consequently, since Frobisher sees the artist as a transcendent force, it would be fair
to assume that for him art itself is a means outside the petty bounds of social necessity and
coercement.

Posthumous Narration as an Escapist Element in Asterios Polyp

The cardinal escapist element that is weaved inside the fabric of the narrative of Asterios
Polyp lies in the choice of a posthumous narrator (i.e. Polyps’ stillborn twin brother, Ignazio).
Although there exist a multitude of reasons for the choice of a posthumous narrator, one of the
central ones revolves around its pedagogic utility. This pedagogic utility refers to what Klein, in
his paper entitled “The Wonderful World of the Dead: A Typology of the Posthumous Narrative”
calls the ability of posthumous narration to be “used for didactic purposes, as a means of
exhortation to rectify one's life.”(Klein)
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Consequently, since the pedagogic dimension of posthumous narration is inextricably

tied to instigating self-reflection on the part of the reader, it serves as an escape for the reader in
that the reader is allowed the luxury of viewing their own life from a more detached and
omniscient perspective. Since this bout of self-reflection is triggered by an artistic work, it would
be fair to refer to this form of escapism as an art-centered escapism since art plays the role of the
instigator in bringing about self-reflection.
What makes posthumous narration particularly effective at instigating such reflections in
the reader is that it is “facilitated by a clear division between and awareness of the live and the
dead state, which through contrast allows reflection and reassessment.” (Klein)
Not only that, Klein argues that because contemporary life itself is virtually
indistinguishable from death itself and its respective complete loss in the idea of a “complete
redemption” in the form of an afterlife, the afterlife turns into a “playground for alternative
lives.”(Klein) This is clearly manifest in Asterios Polyp whenever Ignazio is seen as an alternate
version of Polyp himself. This idea of “alternative lives” is most evident in the scene where
Polyps’ past self stumbles upon Ignazio working at the car repair shop, suggesting that Ignazio
represents the alternative life that Polyp avoided before the lightning strike ravaged his home.
By framing Polyps’ narrative from the perspective of a deceased character, Mazzucchelli
is able to explore how Polyps’ escape from his own past hinders his ability to embark upon the
alternative life necessary to his growth as a character. Consequently, the book itself then
becomes a hierarchy of escapes with one level hindering access to another. As a result, the theme
of escapism turns into a meta-theme in that the book itself becomes the highest level of escapism
for the reader. By utilizing the posthumous narrator as a representation of Polyps’ very own
future self, projected upon the person of Ignazio, Polyps’ character and journey of self-
exploration becomes amplified because the narrator effectively becomes Polyps’ future self-
narrating the transformational journey of his past self.
The fact that Polyps’ narrative is recounted via the use of a posthumous narrator serves as
an escapist element since the perspective of a deceased narrator transports readers outside the
boundaries of life and death, evoking the sense of having been transported into an otherworldly
existence. Not only that, the perspective of a deceased narrator also amplifies an underlying
sense of reflection that pervades the entire novel. Throughout Asterios Polyp, we see Ignazio and
Polyp himself constantly delve into philosophical introspection about the nature of the self and
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memory. This additional dimension of posthumous narration suggests that the choice of a
deceased narrator is also meant to provide readers with philosophical and reflective escapism
since such a perspective constantly invites and prompts the reader to partake in pondering over
deep existential questions that hover over the novel itself.
Additionally, posthumous narration can also be construed as a form of literary escapism
since it allows the reader to overstep the boundary between the known and the unknown,
allowing for the reader to constantly question the set of philosophical conventions and axiomatic
structure their lives abide by. “To speak in absolute terms, as in using the term escapism, reveals
only ignorance or mis-interpretation of reality. In the basic complexities of this existence,
absolutes tend only to obscure situations, not to improve them, if improvement is our object.”
(Young 377)

Epistolary Narration as an Escapist Element in Cloud Atlas

On the other hand, the use of epistolary narration in Cloud Atlas to narrate the story of
Robert Frobisher serves as the central escapist element of the novel. One of the central features
of the epistolary genre in relation to “reader response” is its ability to nudge the reader into
“perpetuat[ing] the text itself” by having them “resolve the text's gaps and ambiguities.”(Dodge
65) In other words, by having the reader “perpetuate the text itself”, Cloud Atlas allows the
reader an escape room into their own subjectivity since the gaps in the story are filled in as a
result of the reader’s subjective impressions. This is manifestly evident in Frobrisher’s suspicion
of the veracity of Ewing’s account prompting the reader to resolve the discrepancy of the
difference between Frobisher’s relationship to Ewing’s account and the reader’s relationship
with Frobisher’s account. Other elements that require the reader to furnish the requisite
information for the narrative include the exact nature of the relationship between Frobisher and
his siblings for instance.
Bryn further argues that in epistolary narration, “the text’s existence, the text’s
completeness, and the text’s contents are all dependent on the reader. (65) This is evident in the
fact that the narrative gap between the Rufus in Frobisher’s story and the Rufus in one of the
subsequent stories in the book is to be filled in largely by the reader’s own subjective
conclusions and conjectures. Since “reading is the primary component of the epistolary novel,”
(66) the reader’s role becomes amplified, providing them with a form of escapism into their
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subjectivity that other forms of narration can hardly match. As a result, Mitchell’s choice of
epistolary narration for Frobisher’s tale serves as an escapist element for the reader in a story that
deals with the theme of escapism already.

Conclusion

To sum up, while both Cloud Atlas and Asterios Polyp depict the centrality of art as a
means of escapism for both the protagonists and the reader, this escapism manifests itself in
manifold forms such as spatial escapism, psychological escapism, literary escapism, economic
escapism, metaphysical escapism etc. Furthermore, Asterios Polyp and Cloud Atlas utilize
posthumous narration and epistolary narration respectively, employing them as escapist elements
within the literary works themselves that allow the reader a clear escape from a limited, ordinary
perspective and a detached perspective respectively. Not only that, epistolary narration in
particular prioritizes “reader response” by giving them a central role in filling in the gaps of the
narrative, amplifying the reader’s escapist involvement in the work itself. Through the means of
an external odyssey that externalizes the internal transformations undertaken by the characters,
the two novels solidify the significance of art-centered spatial escapism while owing to certain
narrative and perspective choices, both writers are able to ensure an amplified degree of art-
centered escapism for the reader himself. Not only that, both books delve into literary allusions
to further consolidate the thematic element of escapism and the various manifold expressions in
which it can stage an appearance.
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Bibliography
Mazzucchelli, David. Asterios Polyp. New York: Pantheon Books, 2009. Pdf.
Bailey R; Pico J, “Defense Mechanisms.” National Center for Biotechnology
Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2023,ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559106/

Mitchell, David. Cloud Atlas. E-book,Pdf.

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