The Last Days

Abstract

Although there are parallels between Heroes and Villains and the novels to be discussed in this chapter, all three might be described as ‘last days’ narratives, there are important differences between them. As Elaine Jordan (1990) points out: ‘The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman draws on ‘pornography, the Gothic, fairy tales, horror films, boy’s imperial adventure stories, anthropological idylls according to Rousseau or Levi-Strauss, and the fantasies of philosophy, the world as Will and Idea’ (p. 34). It also has some of the characteristics of the quest narrative.