Nandita Parmar (BA in Philosophy ’23) shares how her new novel, Listen, the World is Ending, was influenced by a Romance Studies course at the Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies (FHIS).
“I began to see books as tools that could help shape the collective consciousness through the dissemination of important thoughts and ideas, which shaped my decision to write and make an impact.”
What is your novel about?
Listen, the World is Ending (2024) is all about feeling lost and alone in the world. It’s about facing our deepest desires and forging a way forward through struggle.
At the same time, it’s about feeling disconnected from the direction the world is heading—technologically, politically, economically and socially—and embarking on a grand journey of realization and self-knowledge.
I want anyone who reads my story to know that they are not alone. I think we’re headed into times that are unpredictable and scary. There are many structures in place in the world that don’t support us, and I think we’re beginning to see this more visibly now more than ever.
If you feel a certain way about things, ask yourself why and then look more critically at the world around you. Realize that you have the potential to change things and that others will inevitably support you.
How did your FHIS course shape your creative process?
Jorge Luis Borges in 1971.
“I began to see books as vehicles for larger movements that could allow others to feel less alone in their experiences of the world.”
I came across “RMST 202 – Introduction to Literatures and Cultures of the Romance World II: Modern to Post-Modern” taught by Jon Beasley-Murray through a promotional email. Surprisingly, I was not (and am still not) a big fiction reader, but I was bored with school, so I thought: might as well enroll!
The impact of books
What stood out to me in this course was that the books were conveyed as being different in some way, and that captured my attention because I love things that are out of the ordinary. This unusualness truly shaped my creative process. It was the first time that I looked at something outside of the ordinary and thought: wow, this has meaning!
The classic novels weren’t shoved down my throat in the typical academic way. Instead, I got to encounter books that dared to dissect the human experience in unique, courageous and sometimes repelling ways, offering profound insights into societies, revolutions, struggles, etc. I began to see books as tools that could help shape the collective consciousness through the dissemination of important thoughts and ideas, which shaped my decision to write and gave me the confidence that my work could be successful and have an impact!
The literature in the class shaped me in two different ways.
On one hand, seeing such original and out-of-box novels gave me permission that there is space for unique perspectives on a larger scale. If they could do it, I can do it too!
On the other hand, these books unraveled quite a bit about the emotions that we don’t always want to face (our fears, doubts, insecurities, self-limiting beliefs). I began to see these books as vehicles for larger movements that could allow others to feel less alone in their experiences of the world.
The influence of authors
Borges’ Labyrinths (1962) is similar to my thinking style—I quite like dissecting complex things! Not everyone in the class loved Borges’ work, but I did! So, it gave me the courage to put my ideas into the world, even if others didn’t understand them; I knew that some would, and those were the people I hoped to reach.
Borges’ The Circular Ruins (1940) specifically added weight to my perception that novels could shape and influence collective thought, often in unforeseeable ways.
Also, my book ended up being quite dreamy, with many moments revisiting childhood memories, and I think that was the influence of Proust!
Unique grading structure
The class discussions were equally as creative and refreshing, as well as the grading structure. I was free to choose my own grade, in turn, my own destiny. Sometimes, giving students a choice, instead of forcing pre-existing structures upon them, can have powerful shifts in the ways that they think!
Any artist is taking a chance on themselves when they decide to put their work out into the world. This takes a lot of inner dialogue and personal power. You have to believe in yourself. Choosing your grade truly put that all into practice—and I didn’t even realize it at the time!
Engaging atmosphere
It also taught me to have fun with my learning and career! Classes can be so draining and monotonous sometimes. Jon Beasley-Murray’s teaching style at the time felt engaging and inspiring! His passion, and the willingness of other students to dive into the profoundness of these novels, opened my eyes to their value and inspired me to take a closer look at thoughts and ideas I would’ve otherwise overlooked.
Why did you write this book?
“My protagonist comes from a technology-obsessed, fast-paced and disconnected city. They follow a similar path of self-realization and struggle. So, in a way, I fictionalized my personal experiences.”
When I first graduated from university, I had no idea what I wanted to do.
On the other hand, I knew exactly what was expected of me regarding my career: ‘find a stable job’ (no such thing, by the way), ‘perfect the resume’, or ‘gain valuable experience’.
I knew that I wanted to do something meaningful to me, even if I didn’t know what that would be. I struggled quite a bit with this, feeling dispassionate about existing job opportunities (or lack thereof), and, in general, at odds with the world.
It all led me to a place where I took a step back from my environment and asked myself what my dreams were, what truly motivated me and what I desired most in life. We don’t get the time to do this, especially in the big cities we live in, and when we move so fast through our lives, it can be overwhelming—almost as if the world is ending.
When I started to look more closely at our society, I started to notice that we’re not socially positioned to contemplate our dreams or feel encouraged to pursue them. Then, I started to feel a dissonance with systems at large that are present in our world—not just the social beliefs and expectations within which we exist, but larger political and economic structures that don’t equally support us.
Then, the moment finally came: “I think I know what I want to do!”
I knew that doing things just because I was told I had to do them wouldn’t bring me what I was seeking, so I took to writing in the hopes that those around me who feel similarly about our world would react positively.
My protagonist comes from a technology-obsessed, fast-paced and disconnected city. They follow a similar path of self-realization and struggle. So, in a way, I fictionalized my personal experiences into more impactful and relatable comments about the world that I felt were important and worth hearing! (Although, despite the title, the ending is quite optimistic.)
What advice would you give to students who are interested in writing or creative endeavors?
“If you feel strongly about creativity or writing, it’s probably because you have something to say that others need to hear.”
Do it, and don’t be fearful about the future or overly assuming about the way things are going to unfold in your life. If you feel strongly about creativity or writing, it’s probably because you have something to say that others need to hear. Or maybe, it’s just fun for you, and that’s entirely a reason to do something!
If I could go back in time, I would ask myself: What do you want to do? Do you have a wish? If you woke up tomorrow and suddenly landed that job you think you want, would you actually feel any different?
And if not, what are you lacking that would allow you to feel fulfilled even in the absence of any external factors or circumstances?
Finding that is true wealth and success.
