The graphic novel 'Snowpiercer', created by Jacques Lob and illustrated by Jean-Marc Rochette is a clear depiction of the three major classes of Marxist criticism: the aristocracy, the bourgeoisie, and the proletariat.
To begin with, in the novel, the Snowpiercer is a train consisting of one thousand and one carriages which are divided into classes. The closer a carriage is to the engine the higher the class. So, since the aristocracy class according to Marxist criticism consists of a small group people in power who have access to special goods, it can be correctly assumed that the small group directed by the Colonel Krimson and the President are the main members of the aristocracy class. This is proven when Adeline states over the radio “I repeat, colonel Krimson and the President lied to you. They never intended to save the people in the tail” (Lob and Rochette, p.84), since this transmission shows that the colonel and the president have clear authority and power over the carriages and the people inside them.
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The next class that can be seen on the Snowpiercer is the bourgeoisie class. The bourgeoisie class consists of society’s wealth and means of production. The main examples of the bourgeoisie class in the Snowpiercer are the business owners such as Rabinoff. This is clearly stated when Al the ‘Snowpiercer’s Archivist’ (Lob and Rochette, p.63) says: “He’s (Rabinoff, the Rabbit Breeder) got a monopoly on the reproduction – and rules the market as a result” (Lob and Rochette, p.60). This clearly demonstrates control over production.
Lastly, the final class found in Jacques Lob and by Jean-Marc Rochette’s novel 'Snowpiercer' is the proletariat. The proletariat consists of the lowest social class and the working class. In the novel ‘Snowpiercer’ the proletariat class can be found at the end of the train or the ‘tail’. The members of the tail are treated disdainfully and are considered good-for-nothings. It is clear that the tail passengers are part of the proletariat class when Proloff states: “They hadn’t stocked those carriages for us – hadn’t packed them with supplies, tins and biscuits on our account…” (Lob and Rochette, p.18). As this phrase shows, the tail passengers are part of the proletariat class because the other classes completely ignore their needs.
In summary, as the analysis has shown, the three main classes of Marxist criticism, including the aristocracy, the bourgeoisie, and the proletariat, can be seen throughout Snowpiercer's novel.
As a result, the three main classes of the Marxist theory including the aristocracy, the bourgeoisie, and the proletariat can be seen all throughout the novel 'Snowpiercer' by Jacques Lob and by Jean-Marc Rochette.
Work Cited
- Lob, Jacques. Snowpiercer: The Escape. Illustrated by Jean-Marc Rochette, Titan Comics, 2014.
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