Name: Hasna

NIM: 1907956031
Final Exam
Date: Dec 20, 2019

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda: Critical Analysis through Ranciere’s Model
Hasna1, Febiola Dharmawati Kurnia2, Ali Mustofa3
Abstract

This paper is aimed to present an in-depth analysis of an adult novel particularly

LGBT novel. The novel is entitled “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda”. The
novel consists of 205 pages with 35 series or chapters. This paper presents the
synopsis of the novel, the characters, in-depth analysis by applying Ranciere’s
model – “Aesthetic Regime of Art” which focus on how a subject is expressed
and how a literary work was created, and conclusion that grants brief explanation
in terms of the analysis and my point of view about the analysis result.

Key Words: LGBT, Aesthetic Regime of Art

1. Introduction

Through our five senses, we can see many things and events in this world
both concrete and abstract things and events. Some people say that everything that
we see, touch, hear, smell, and taste, must be exist. While, every event that is
happening or has already happened is called reality. Many things and events we
have or had seen in this world, made us confused. Therefore, it is important to
study Philosophy in order to know the mysteries of existence and reality. Many
philosophers had tried to discover the nature of knowledge/truth, relationship
between individual and society, and relationship between human and nature to
provide problem solving for those who face problem in their life.
One of philosophers is Jacque Ranciere. He was born in 1940. Although
he was born in Algiers, he lived in French. So that he grew up to be a French
philosopher. Philosophy of politics, education and aesthetics are the fields in
which he had made important contributions since the late 20th century.
The central subject of Rancière’s instructive and political methods of
insight is radical balance. Agreeing to him, the division of work, obligation, and
control characteristic of inegalitarian social orders is based in portion on spurious
presumptions approximately contrasts within the mental capacities of people. One
of the more unique angles of Rancière’s thought is his accentuation on the
“aesthetic” measurement of legislative issues and the “political” measurement of
aesthetics. Legislative issues is tasteful in a broad sense insofar because it is
concerned with the “sensible” dispersions that constitute social progressions, and
aesthetics is political within the sense that verifiably imperative conceptions of the
nature of craftsmanship and of the part of the artist—the broadest of which
Rancière calls aesthetic “regimes”—determine conveyances of the sensible within
the creative space and loan knowledge into the disseminations that characterize
bigger society.
Rancière recognizes three aesthetic administrations: the moral, the
representational, and the stylish. Beneath the “ethical administration of images,”
which he partners with the perfect state of Plato, craftsmanship entirely talking
does not exist, and visual or scholarly pictures, caught on as duplicates of things
that are genuine or genuine, are created as it were to fortify the social arrange. The
“representational administration of art,” which starts with Aristotle, characterizes
pecking orders of creative shapes, recognizes the unmistakable nature of creative
imagination, and liberates the craftsman from coordinate benefit to the state, in
spite of the fact that his work is still anticipated to serve a healthy reason. Beneath
the “aesthetic administration of art,” which includes the rise of Innovation, the
Classical pecking orders and traditions are ousted in novel blends of shapes and
subjects; devout and highborn subjects are supplanted by those more closely
approximating existence ; and craftsmanship is recognized as profitable in itself.
Since it in this way includes a radical as
Analyzing a literary work like a novel based on “Aesthetic Regime of Art”
(ARA) is very interesting because ARA proposed by Ranciere is a new way to
view every subject in a literary work is the same in which in reality everyone
wants to be treated as the same as others. This way emphasizes on how subject is
expressed in a literary work and how it was created. Talking about how a literary
work was created is closely related with the writer and the country where the
writer lives which can be related to its history and its social structure.
We analyzed a novel entitled “Simon vs. Homo Sapiens Agenda” which is
written by Becky Albertalli. She is a clinical psychologist who has had the
privilege of conducting therapy with dozens of smart, weird, and irresistible
teenagers. She also served for seven years as co-leader of a support group or
gender nonconforming children in Washington, DC. She now lives with her
family in Atlanta. “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” is her first novel. You
can visit Becky online at www.beckyalbertalli.com. The novel is such kind of
LGBT novel.
When I opened the web of Science Direct and type ‘analyzing literary’, I
found 23,029 result with 240 pages., i.e., Analyzing a literary work: Comparing
literary worlds: An analysis of the space of fictional universes in the work two US
prose fiction debut cohorts, 1940 and 1955, A way with metaphors: An analysis
literary work produced in early MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease, Analysis of the
literary text’s concept sphere in the process of teaching literary translation, the
search for landmark works in English literary studies: a citation analysis, from
ideological literary criticism to the educational status of literary in the 1950s, etc.
In addition, when I typed in the web of Science Direct and type Marxism,
Derrida, and Freud in relation to literary analysis, I found 23,029 result with 240
pages., i.e., Bellamy, Richard (2003). The Cambridge History of Twentieth-
Century Political Thought. Pervasive shortages under socialism, A History of
Marxian Economics by M.C. Howard and J.E. King, etc.
However, research about analyzing literary work based on Ranciere is very
little. It can be proved that the key words: Ranciere and analyzing a literary work
in which I found only 23 result and none of the articles matched the key words
even one of them and even one article. While, Ranciere is one of the postmodern
philosophers who had created so many books related to philosophy particularly
philosophy of education, politics, social, aesthetic, and art. Therefore, I put my
interest to study about a literary work – novel in relation to Ranciere’s analysis
model, i.e., ‘Aesthetic Regime of Art’ (ARA).
2. Theoretical Framework
1) establishment of social structure: distribution of the sensible, 2) the
writer: Becky Albertalli as a clinical psychologist, and 3) the subject expressed.
3. Discussion
Firstly, it is better for us to see the synopsis of “Simon vs. the Homo
Sapiens Agenda”. Simon Spier may be a closeted, cheerful, 17-year-old tall
school understudy with a affection for melodic theater, who lives in a suburb of
Atlanta, Georgia. Unbeknownst to his family and companions, Simon has been
sending e-mails to a individual going by the title of "Blue", Simon himself
utilizing the nom de plume "Jacques". As the two gotten to be closer, in any case,
Simon's mystery all of a sudden falls beneath attack; the e-mails sent between him
and Blue are debilitated to be discharged in case he doesn't play wingman for
Martin, the course clown, and coerce his companion Abby into falling in cherish
with him. Presently, his sexual introduction and the protection of him and his
cryptic computerized confidant might conceivably be compromised. Simon must
discover a way to step out of his consolation zone, sometimes recently he is
pushed out, and some time recently he loses Blue, who as it were develops more
coquettish by the day, and who Simon, whether by choice or not, is on the cusp of
experiencing in individual.
Secondly, we have to know the characters of the novel. There are 21
characters in the novel. Character 1 is Simon Spier. He is the 16-year-old cheerful
hero who has however to come out and is in an internet relationship with a boy
named "Blue". He goes by the pseudonym "Jacques," which could be a reference
to "Jacques a dit," the French counterpart to the far reaching diversion, Simon
says. He cherishes Oreos and contains a enthusiasm for music of Elliott Smith. He
is affectionate of melodic theater and partakes in his school's preparations, indeed
in spite of the fact that he is as often as possible consigned to playing bit parts. He
plays "Fagin's boy" in their generation of Oliver! Character 2 is Blue who
Bluegreen118, commonly alluded to as "Blue", is the boy Simon e-mails for five
months. Simon met Blue on "creeksecrets", the school Tumblr page (alluded to as
"the Tumblr") after Blue posted an awfully instinctive and relatable post almost
being gay. He is Jewish-Episcopalian, has separated guardians (one of whom is an
English instructor, the other an disease transmission expert), likes superheroes,
has great linguistic use, and could be a exceptionally private individual. Simon
already accepted that Bram enjoyed Leah impractically.
Character 3 is Nick Eisner. He is Simon's male best companion. Simon
has known Scratch since he was four. Scratch contains a pulverize on Abby and
may be a skilled artist and guitarist, is Jewish, and plays soccer. Oftentimes, he
finds himself struck by sudden philosophical temperaments, turning off into
existential digressions with respect to or maybe obscure subjects, such as the
translations of his possess dreams. Simon finds this overwhelming. Nick's smash
on Abby is very self-evident, with him exchanging seats to sit another to her at
lunch, and his "waiting, lovesick eyes" that see in her common course. He gets to
be Abby's boyfriend at the conclusion of the book. Leah Burke is character 4 who
is Simon's female best companion. She is portrayed as exceptionally "vacant" and
wry and is appeared to bottle up her feelings. She is exceptionally unreliable
almost her appearance, frequently covering up her thighs and other parts of her
body, in spite of Simon's consolations. Simon accepts Leah to be in cherish with
Scratch, driving to her antagonistic vibe towards Abby due to her conviction that
she "interfered" upon their companion bunch. At the conclusion of the novel, it is
uncovered that Leah has been learning how to play the drums for the past two a
long time and is portion of a band called "Emoji", in which Simon's sister is the
guitarist, Taylor the vocalist, Anna the bassist, and Morgan the keyboardist.
Abby Suso is character 5 who is Simon's other female best companion,
who moved from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta, Georgia, at the starting of the
junior year. They got to be companions after being required, due to accomplice
assignments directed by understudy alphabetization, to work together in their
homeroom course. Abby is appeared to be exceptionally customarily alluring,
peppy, and well-liked, much to Leah's disappointment. She is included in
numerous recreational clubs facilitated at the school, such as those including
soccer, cheerleading, and the theater generation bunch helping with the school
melodic, in which she plays the Shrewd Dodger. Simon comes out to her to begin
with, raising pressures between her and Leah. She is the adore intrigued of Martin.
She and Scratch gotten to be impractically included at the conclusion of the book.
She may be a cousin of twin sisters Molly and Cassie Peskin-Suso, the heroes of
Albertalli's novel The Upside f Lonely. Character 6 is Martin Addison who is the
lesson clown. He has floppy brown hair, includes a cheerful brother who goes to
college in DC, and plays Fagin within the school generation of Oliver!. He is
depicted as a nerdy, engaging, well-liked fellow, with Simon alluding to him as a
sort of "mascot". Be that as it may, his darker perspectives are uncovered when he
extorts Simon into matching him into a sentimental relationship with Abby after
he finds that Simon is cheerful. Martin accepts Abby is curious about Simon
impractically when he witnesses their dispassionate embrace and rashly unveils
his sexuality on "creeksecrets," a Shady River Tumblr page. After Simon is
subject to a few acts of badgering driven by homophobia, Martin shows
extraordinary regret for his activities, going up against Simon in a stopping part,
and sending him a ardent email. It is obscure whether Simon excuses Martin.
Character 7 is Cal Price who is the organize supervisor of the school
generation. Simon was once fascinated by him impractically. He is portrayed as
exceptionally charming, with "great blasts", blue-green eyes, and a Southern
complement. Simon at first accepts Cal to be Blue until Simon sends Blue a
arrangement of questions relating to Cal, of which the lion's share of his answers
to are a resonating "no". Cal is revealed to be indiscriminate and impractically
fascinated by Simon. Nora Spier is character 8 who is Simon's more youthful
sister. She could be a first year recruit. She has light twists and is depicted to be
"beneath the radar cool." She isn't exceptionally confident and appears to be
subject to peer weight. She instructed herself guitar and is part of a band called
"Emoji" with Leah, Taylor, and Anna. Alice Spier is character 9 who is Simon's
more seasoned sister. She may be a first year recruit at Wesleyan College and has
grimy blonde hair. Alice incorporates a mystery boyfriend named Theo for the
primary half of the novel, and she uncovers this to her family as it were after
Simon empowers her after he himself comes out to them. Character 9 is Jack
Spier who is Simon's father. He tries to be a "cool, hipster dad" and frequently
tells homophobic jokes, much to Simon's inconvenience. He is additionally
"fixated" with Simon's life, centering his consideration upon it regularly, which as
it were includes to Simon's trouble in coming out to him and his spouse, Simon's
mother. He and Simon's mother appreciate observing The Bachelorette.
Emily Spier is character 10 who is Simon's mother. She could be a child
clinician and appears to be fantastically included in Simon's life, much to his
irritation. Taylor Metternich is character 11 who is Simon's theater mate. She
plays the lead, Oliver. She is thin and has "super brushed blonde hair". Simon
depicts her as a "dull side of flawlessness". Taylor is very self-obsessed, regularly
gloating almost her gifts and appearance. This both disturbs and interests Simon
and his companions. Taylor has an seriously enthusiastic response to Simon's
badgering taking after his coming out, nearly physically slapping one of the
perpetrators involved in his joke. Taylor could be a vocalist for the band "Emoji".
Ms. Albright is character 12 who is Simon's "tolerably badass" theater instructor.
She has electric ruddy hair and is rankled by others' badgering of Simon taking
after his coming out, decided to bring it to a lasting cessation. Garrett is character
13 who may be a soccer player who sits at Simon's lunch table. He is best friends
with Bram and is impractically curious about Leah. Anna is character 14 who is
Simon's ex-girlfriend. She sits at his lunch table, wears dark eyeliner, and peruses
manga. She is the bassist for Emoji. Morgan is character 15 who is Anna's best
companion. Simon accepts that she and Anna are practically interchangeable. She
is the keyboardist for Emoji. Dwindle is character 16 who may be a college-aged
man Simon picks up in a bar. He has exceptionally white teeth. Maddie is
character 17 who may be a young lady who may be a part of the understudy
board. Mr. Shrewd is character 18 who is Simon's English educator. Theo is
character 19 who is Alice's boyfriend. Carter Addison is character 20 who is
Martin Addison's cheerful brother, who is going to college.
We analyze based on the establishment of social structure. Based on
Ranciere, the police is used for social structure that is based on the qualification of
everyone. Simon is the main character in the novel. He is a gay who always
communicates with Blue who is also a gay through email. Conversely, their
relationship is suddenly known by Martin Addison who is his male classmate.
Simon at the time is very embarrassed and worries if Martin will tell the public
about their relationship. So that, Simon uses pseudonym, i.e., Jacques. Simon and
Blue are real gays who always communicate each other through email. Actually,
in Simon’s off line communication with his family and classmates except Leah
and Nick who are lesbians, he acts as a real boy not gay. Even, his mother wants
him to get a girlfriend and his mother is child psychologist and Abby is a real girl
who falls in love with Simon. But at the end of the novel, Simon is a real gay who
falls in love with Bram through Nick who is a lesbian. LGBT is a community that
is in a social structure. Based on Ranciere, we have to treat everyone as the same
as others including for those who are in LGBT community. But in this novel
Simon is not accepted by his mother if he is a gay. It is not fair for Simon. Simon
bad feeling because of his mother’s attitude to him can be known from the novel
when he complain his mother by telling his condition at home to his friends. So
that Simon feels very sad by pretending to be a real boy in front of his mother.

4. Bibliography

Albertalli, B., (2000). Simon vs Homo Sapiens Agenda. Sydney: HappersCollins.

Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.

Ben Davis. Rancière, For Dummies. The Politics of Aesthetics. Book Review.

Davis, Oliver (2010). Jacques Ranciere: Key Contemporary Thinkers.

Cambridge: Polity.

Deranty, Jean-Phillipe (2010). Jacques Rancière: Key Concepts. Durham:

Acumen.

Jacques Ranciere (1981). The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five Lessons in Intellectual

Emancipation.

Kenny, Anthony. (2007) Philosophy in the Modern World: A New History in

Western Philosophy. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

May, Todd. The Political Thought of Jacques Rancière: Creating Equality. – PA,
Edinburgh: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2008.

Molly Quinn. "Committing (to) Ignorance". Epistemologies of Ignorance in

Education. pp. 31–52.

Rancière, Jacques; Guenoun, Solange; Kavanagh, James H.; Lapidus, Roxanne

(2000). "Jacques Ranciere: Literature, Politics, Aesthetics: Approaches to
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The Edinburgh Dictionary of Continental Philosophy/John Protevi (ed.) –

Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005.