FantasticLand

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of graphic violence and death.

In FantasticLand, the psychological impacts of solitude and catastrophe are central to the novel’s exploration of human nature. Initially, the employees trapped in the theme park maintained optimism for a quick rescue and clung to societal norms, but when “Paul the Puddle” fell and was killed by Brock, the tone in the park shifted. Isolated from the outside world and lacking leadership from management, they descended into tribalism and brutality. Through the various ways that the employees dealt with their new circumstances, the novel demonstrates how prolonged disaster can strip individuals of their moral boundaries and even their identities, leaving only survival as the basis for their decisions and actions.

Brock Hockney’s evolution into the primary antagonist of the novel begins almost immediately, as the interviews describe him taking advantage of the group’s desperation and uncertainty to establish himself as a leader. His authority was bolstered by the park’s detachment and isolation, which also contributed to the employees’ increased willingness to suspend their morals and commit acts of cruelty. The environment of FantasticLand, originally designed to be a place of joy and escapism, became a battleground where survival instincts overrode rational thought.