REALIZING THE EXISTENTIAL HORROR IN MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE: READING THE DYSTOPIAN WORLD IN “THE MACHINE STOPS”

E.M. Forster‟s “The Machine Stops” is a classic piece of dystopian literature where he creates a world regulated by an all powerful and omnipotent machine. The story unfolds at a time when the surface of the earth has lost its hospitable condition and human beings are propelled to adopt a life devoid of direct touch with the outer environment. The feeling of isolation, alienation and spiritual void is realized through the character of Kuno and his attempts to make sense of his existence. Much of the tension arises from Kuno‟s inability to belong to the „mechanical‟ way of life and his hunger for satisfaction beyond that machine-made world. What happens when the illusion of stability and order breaks and people are left with their free will constitutes the conflict of the short story. Human resources and its management in a completely technological world are reflected throughout the novella establishing the conflicts and concerns of the post-modern world. Bringing in Sartre‟s existential philosophy, this paper attempts to argue that the climactic scene of the short story reflects the existential horror felt by the characters. This paper will incorporate existentialism as a lens through which one can unravel the apocalyptic vision of the world that finds manifestation in the short story.