The Biosemiotic Glitch: N Casio Poe's Mutant Aesthetic, Genomic Shock, and the Collapse of Posthuman Identity

 

This paper presents an analysis of N. Casio Poe's literary works, particularly INLORE and Stuck Pig, arguing that his concept of "Mutant Aesthetics"-the artistic representation of grotesque and de-normalized bodies-serves as the physical manifestation of "Biosemiotic Glitches." These glitches represent a fundamental breakdown in the processing of biological and symbolic information, leading to recursive cycles of trauma and violence. By examining Poe's depiction of the posthuman body and fragmented identity through the theoretical lenses of 20th-century biology, this paper demonstrates a deep structural alignment between his narratives and key scientific principles. Specifically, it employs Barbara McClintock's theory of genetic plasticity and Manfred Eigen's error threshold to interpret the chaotic transformations of his characters not as random degradation, but as a form of traumatic, adaptive evolution. Ultimately, the paper asserts that Poe's fiction models a harrowing evolutionary paradigm where systemic collapse and corporeal monstrosity become the very catalysts for new, albeit terrifying, forms of existence.

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