Literature Discussion Group: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

29 December 2016

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Ha! The title of this book is, in effect, a super-simplified plot overview: our heroes wind up at what is indeed a small, angry planet in the end, and they definitely go a long, long way to get there.

Something Old, Something New

It's a fun journey for readers because Becky Chambers does such a nice job of creating an innovative future world with just enough familiarity to let us absorb it all without too much confusion. The tone of the book is playful, the plot and characters are entertaining, and the language is simple enough that it's a pretty quick read. That said, there are still many confusing and complex aspects to consider.

Wormholes, for instance, present a scientific challenge not only for Rosemary to understand, but for readers as well. And then, of course, there are the numerous and varied alien species included in the book: Sianat pairs, Harmagians, Grum, Aandrisks, and the like, each with their own political backstory and cultural norms.

A Complex and Intriguing Universe

One thing is for certain: when Chambers created this universe, she was thinking big. Big enough that she wrote a stand-alone sequel, A Closed and Common Orbit, so that she could continue to explore new characters and locations in this sci-fi world. (So if you enjoyed this read, you may want to delve into that book next.)

But back to Long Way...

People often consider genres such as sci-fi and horror somewhat lowbrow—as in, not terribly literary. We think of them as pulpy: quick reads, good fun, but not the stuff of serious scholarship. In creating the intricate world of the Wayfarer series, however, Chambers has packed her novel full of distinct characters, innovative technology, and complex social issues all ripe for investigation. Which brings us to...

Your Potential Assignments

Option #1: Becky's Future
In an interview with The Mary Sue, Becky Chambers said, "Anytime anyone’s writing science fiction, they’re writing the future they want to see." So... what does the future Chambers created say about the future she would like to see? Muse on that in a paragraph or two, a poem, a collage—anything that helps to illustrate the kind of future you think Becky Chambers was intent on creating when she wrote this novel.

Option #2: We Are Family
Family is a big theme in this book. So... what do all the various mentions of family add up to? Track down at least three instances in which the idea of family is discussed or alluded to. (Be sure to note page numbers so you can find them quickly during the discussion.) Examine these references and try to decide what, exactly, the novel says about family.

Option #3: Humans vs. Aliens
One interesting aspect of the novel is the vision we get of humans through the eyes of other species. Dr. Chef and Sissix in particular seem to frequently muse about the strange ways in which humans approach various issues and events. Find a couple of examples of this—instances in which we see humans through the eyes of an another species. For each example, identify both what is being directly said about humans (the actual dialogue) and what is being implied (the ultimate lesson about—or the new perspective of— humanity we are being encouraged to consider).

Option #4: Humans vs. Humans
There are at least three different subsets of humans mentioned in this novel, and they all have different backstories, beliefs, and political leanings. First, figure out what these subsets are (HINT: one of the subsets is the Exodans). Then briefly explain their origins. They all started on Earth, of course, so how did they become three separate factions? Finally, ponder Chambers' reasons for presenting humans in this way instead of just as one, unified species, like say, the Aandrisks. What was she thinking? What effect does it have on the story?

Option #5: Alien-palooza
Make a list of all of the different alien species that are mentioned in the book. From that list, choose a few to draw or describe in detail. You can create illustrations, give their political backstory, explain some of their social norms, highlight their main characteristics—whatever helps to best create a full portrait of them.

Option #6: Reader's Choice
As always, you are welcome to create and complete your own assignment. Have at it!

That's it for now. Happy reading!

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Looking For Hamlet Scholar Talk

This is another event at the PPL in March in honor of the First Folio Exhibit, and it's on Wednesday, March 9th from 12-1:30pm in the Rines Auditorium.

"Focusing on Hamlet, University of Southern Maine Professor Ben Bertram will examine the way editors, directors, actors, teachers, and scholars choose among folio, quarto, or conflated versions of the plays. He will also be accompanied by actors who will perform Hamlet’s soliloquies and join in a discussion of how Shakespeare’s words make it from the page to the stage."

Get the full description here.

Definitions and Clarifications

pneumatic, adj. - literally, full of air. This term is often used to describe women in BNW, and seems to suggest that a woman like Lenina, who's "wonderfully pneumatic," is buxom, curvy, shapely, and yes, even bouncy. But pneumatic could also have a second meaning here, and that is to indicate that someone is a bit of an air-head, light on the intellectual matter, or not bogged down by weighty matters or considerations.

viviparous, adj. - a creature that is viviparous gives birth to live young that develop inside the body, as in the way mammals reproduce. Humans are viviparous (at least, they were until A.F. 632).

Malthusian, adj. - based on the beliefs of Robert Thomas Malthus, a British economist who argued that "population tends to increase faster than food supply, with inevitably disastrous results unless the increase in population is checked by moral restraints or by war, famine, and disease." - The Free Dictionary

Pavlovian Conditioning, n. - also called Classic Conditioning, it's a way of getting a subject to make certain associations between two previously unrelated things; Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was the psychologist who discovered that if he always rang a bell right before feeding his dogs, they came to associate the sound of the bell with getting fed, and therefore would start to drool upon hearing the bell. Here's a great comic related to that experiment.

Literature Discussion Group

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