Brechtian All The Way

I oppose the resolution that Snow Crash is a Hegelian story, not a Brechtian story. For any story to be considered Hegelian, or idealistic, “social thought conditions social being” (93, TOTO). Compared to Brecht’s Marxist Poetry where “social being determines thought” (95). Brecht goes on to describe Hegelian literature; “the structure of the work is a scheme of wills in conflict.” Brecht compares Marxist Literature by stating that it is built upon “Contradictions of economic, social, or political forces.” I would argue that the main purpose of Neal Stephenson’s book is to make a reader take a harsher look at the world we live in today by referencing a futuristic environment where technology and the American lifestyle has lead to a deranged society. Although Hiro Protagonist and the rest of the characters in Snow Crash are extremely entertaining, it does not take away the fact that the main purpose of the story is to shine a spotlight on an America that has gotten out of hand.

Throughout Snow Crash Stephenson refers to technology, biochemistry, and religion as a way to spread a virus. There is the clear example early in the book where Da5id was attacked in the Metaverse by the Snow Crash virus which not coincidentally was distributed much like a drug deal would take place in reality. There is also an example on page 239 where Y.T. describes the actual chemical drug; “Snow Crash is the drug that comes in the little tubes…Snow Crash penetrates the walls of the brain cells and goes to the nucleus where the DNA is stored.” Hiro also gives an example of religion as a virus. He says “The Torah is like a virus. It uses the human brain as a host. The host-the human-makes copies of it. And more humans come to synagogue and read it”(230). This information is extremely important to this debate. Boal says “Brecht does not mean to say that individual wills never intervene: what he wants to affirm is that they are never the determining factor” (101). Snow Crash and the environment that the story takes place forces the characters to adapt, react, and try to overcome the obstacles presented by their surroundings.
Another way the story is an example of Brechtian literature is the way it draws empathy through reasoning. Boal says “If Einstein discovers that E=mc2…what an extraordinary emotion! (103). The point being that the reader should draw empathy for the characters through knowledge not blind emotion. Throughout Snow Crash information is constantly brought in “factual” form through the “Librarian.” When more information in discovered and the mystery begins to unravel the reader begins to side with Hiro on his attempt to battle against his environment. The logical sense of emotion and empathy is purely Brechtian!