A Critical Discourse Analysis of Human- Artificial Intelligence Relationships in Selected Texts of Novel "Machines Like Me" by Ian McEwan
TL;DR
The research uses a qualitative method to analyze seven selected passages from the novel at the textual, discursive, and sociocultural levels, showing that the novel presents artificial intelligence as both similar to and different from humans.
Abstract
This study explores the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence in Ian McEwan’s novel Machines Like Me through Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (1995). The research uses a qualitative method to analyze seven selected passages from the novel at the textual, discursive, and sociocultural levels. The findings show that the novel presents artificial intelligence as both similar to and different from humans, questioning the traditional idea of human superiority. The analysis also highlights how language and narration construct themes such as consciousness, identity, and ethical responsibility. In addition, the interactions between human and AI characters reflect social concerns about the effects of advanced technology on human life. The study concludes that literary discourse plays an important role in shaping people’s understanding of artificial intelligence and its place in modern society.