Rationalising a volcanic crisis through literature: Montserratian verse and the descriptive reconstruction of an island

This article discusses a selection of the literary output provoked and inspired by the eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano on Montserrat — notably poetry and prose written by Montserratians affected by the disaster. It argues that literature can be a source of local knowledge, and a window into a culture that is seeking to deal with a tragedy. It can also be used to assess outreach efforts and to investigate the impact of volcanic events – and of volcanological information – on local populations. The texts describe the process by which Montserratians moved from bewilderment and denial to renewal and re-identification, and even pride in the volcanic activity and their own ability to live with it — and to help prepare other Caribbean islands for future volcanic events. Literature looks both backwards and forwards, communicating the acts of experiencing and changing. On Montserrat, that applies both to colonialism and the role of the UK in Montserrat's political, economic and social life, and also to the importance of learning volcanology, and welcoming volcanologists, as a means of survival.

Research highlights
► Literature can be an important part of the cultural expression of a crisis.
► It can help scientists to assess outreach successes.
► It can be used to communicate the experience of a disaster to other vulnerable people.
► The sudden dependence on science within a volcanic crisis has social repercussions.