The eight-legged confidant: Narrativizing octopuses and non-human aging

Abstract

This article follows an increased interest in the octopus in both popular science and fiction. Octopuses have long held fascination and are commonly tied to processes of aging: Even though their life expectancy tends to be lower than that of humans, they are often framed as “old”, not only by appearing as mythical creatures from an unknown past but also by appearing wise and intelligent. Whereas the octopus has been framed as Other, prominently by inspiring the aesthetics of alien life forms, recent examples have underlined the possibility of inter-species contact and communication. This article traces these moments of contact and investigates the role of aging in such fictional encounters. By focusing on two recent examples, Shelby Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures (2022) and Gina Chung's Sea Change (2023), it illustrates the ways that contemporary fiction narratively links the octopus to older age and discusses forms of non-human aging.