Conference article

Coffee and Class for the Swedes - as seen in the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson: Coffee as materiality

Åsa Ljungström
Independent researcher

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Published in: On the Move: ACSIS conference 11-13 June Norrköping; Sweden 2013

Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 95:9, p. 69-79

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Published: 2014-01-17

ISBN: 978-91-7519-563-6

ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)

Abstract

In the Millennium Trilogy coffee and class express the paradox of the dream of a classless society denying the divisiveness of class affiliation in Sweden. Coffee is used to create affinity while the consumption of other kinds of food and drink is used to subtly mark social hierarchies. Swedish people like to believe that it is possible for anyone to climb the social ladder; equality is the ideal since the 1960s. Having a coffee works to level the communication between people IRL as well as in the novels. The author uses the coffee as a formula to get the storyline going; introduce new characters or forecast events. Not until the New York Times’ columnist wrote about the pathological coffee consumption did the Swedes notice. The Swedes will have a coffee during a break at work; at home; with a friend; or whenever they open communication. The serving of coffee makes a self-evident statement in any group. Drawing on theory of materiality and presence the presentation aims to analyse coffee running through the human bodies creating chains of communication. Anything is possible with a coffee for Stieg Larsson’s characters coping with the morale of good and evil; black and white.

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