Nevergreen: A satirical novel about campus culture with a Jewish subtext

• Published date: 27 September 2021
• Author: SHULA KOPF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Nevergreen, a savagely satirical novel by Connecticut College philosophy professor Andrew Pessin, is a mixture of Brave New World and Lord of the Flies, resulting in a fast-paced, witty portrait of the inverted reality in today's "woke" college scene. The biting satire, simultaneously frightening and funny, is fiction, but for its author, it hits close to home. More on that later.

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Pessin's protagonist, known only by his initial, J., is accused of a nameless violation of the Virtue Code and finds himself alone to face the unhinged mob. Students, professors and administration fall in lockstep. Like his counterpart, Joseph K. in Kafka's, The Trial, J. struggles to prove his innocence without being told what he's accused of.

"It's the complaint that was filed above a short while ago. The violation."

"Violation?"

"Of the Virtue Code, my dear. An Offensiveness Complaint."

"But again. What does that have to do with me?"

"I am sorry for being unclear. The complaint has been filed against you."

"I don't understand."

"The Virtue Code spells out a procedure for individuals—" Robert began.

"No," J. interrupted. "I mean, what did I do?"

"I am afraid," Aal answered, "I cannot give you that information."

"I don't understand. I'm charged with something and you can't even tell me what?"

"It's confidential. To protect the plaintiffs, my dear."

"Plaintiffs? Was there – more than one?"

"I'm sorry, I cannot give you that information."

"I don't understand – Was it something I said?"

"Possibly. Not necessarily."

J. suggests that he would like to get a lawyer.

"No, friend J., listen," Aaliyah answered quickly. "That will be seen as aggressive. You'll take a leave instead. Effective immediately."

"But I don't work here."

J. is repeatedly told not to defend himself.

"Absolutely not. You'll just get everyone angrier at you. As if you're blaming them for being offended by you."

"Just stay silent," Luiz said.

"If they decide to target you there is no escape," says Pessin in a recent telephone interview. "Campus cancel culture condemns anyone who has a different viewpoint, silences them, or gets rid of them. J. is being canceled because of a lecture he gave which no one attended. It's Kafkaesque. It's often not about what the person said or did. He is being canceled for reasons disconnected from reality. The students are attacking more an idea in their own mind rather than what the person said or believes."

Upon his arrival on campus, Pessin's protagonist tours the Student...