Station Eleven: Chapters 7-18

This perfect utopian community in a distant galaxy is called Eria. This planet is very similar to our Earth with the same temperate environment and size. Observing the distant twin planet, the founders of Eria learned from Earth's mistakes and flaws to perfect their model community. First, they decided that a socialist government is the most successful system due to its equal opportunity for access to healthcare and secondary education for citizens. Like in the United States, all representatives and office members would be elected for a given term length, and checks and balances would be followed to not give too much power to one person or branch. To best preserve their planet and prevent pollution, they employed renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy to power Eria, encouraging citizens to have their own solar panels and greenhouses for their homes with tax reductions. Another huge problem Erian leaders viewed on Earth was the historical racism, homophobia, and sexism. They taught all citizens from youth that every person is equal, no matter their skin color, sexual orientation, or gender identity. All children will be given the same educational opportunities to succeed, following a curriculum that gives scholars the freedom to explore and choose their career path at a younger age. With this peaceful environment established, leaders found no need for firearms or weapons since there were no enemies to go to war with. 

Reader’s Journal: 

"[Miranda] likes Hollywood best at night, in the quiet, when it's all dark leaves and shadows and night-blooming flowers, the edges softened, gently lit streets curving up into the hills. Luli wanders near them snuffling in the grass. There are stars tonight, a few, although most are blanked out by the haze of the city" (99).

This passage reminded me a lot of one of my favorite poems by Walt Whitman: When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer. 

When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

The speaker of this poem is a student aspiring to be an astronomer, fascinated by the beauty of space and its imaginative qualities. However, his lectures in school are dull and boring, talking about the mathematical and quantitative aspects of astronomy. These classes are enough to make the speaker lose passion for it but finds himself still happiest watching the stars. Just like in the poem, Miranda is very unhappy at the dinner party, celebrating her anniversary with people she is not close with, and failing to get Arthur's attention all night. Furthermore, the guests judge her decision to not publish her comic project and receives passive-aggressive remarks all night. It wasn't until she finally escaped them to go outside that she is finally at peace, enjoying the tranquility of the nighttime; under the night sky that inspired her project. 

"In three months Miranda and Arthur will sit in a conference room with their lawyers to work out the final terms of their divorce settlement while the paparazzi smoke cigarettes on the sidewalk outside, while Elizabeth packs to move into the house with the crescent-moon light by the pool. In four months Miranda will be back in Toronto, divorced at twenty-seven, working on a commerce degree, spending her alimony on expensive clothing and consultations with stylists because she's come to understand that clothes are armor; she will call Leon Prevant to ask about employment and a week later she'll be back at Neptune Logistics, in a more interesting job now, working under Leon in Client Relations, rising rapidly through the company until she comes to a point after four or five years when she travels almost constantly between a dozen countries and lives mostly out of a carry-on suitcase, a time when she lives a life that feels like freedom... But first, there's this moment, this lamp-lit room: Miranda sits on the floor beside Elizabeth" (106-107). 

I thought this excerpt was especially inspiring for people that are possibly stuck in a difficult situation. Those stressful moments and negative thoughts seem like they will last forever at the time, but life can turn around a lot quicker than we anticipate. In this example, Miranda went from an unhappy housewife that felt out of place in the glamorous environment to a successful businesswoman that travels all over the world just like she had dreamt of when she was a secretary. Her entire life journey took so many turns but eventually was on the path to freedom and happiness for her.

Discussion Questions:

In what ways do you think the motto “Survival is Insufficient” fits for the Traveling Troupe? They perform A Midsummer’s Night Dream, a play that it turns out Shakespeare wrote during the great plague in Europe. Are there other parallels you see between the play and the story?

The Traveling Symphony's main objective is to provide entertainment for people and allow survivors to still enjoy themselves in a world that is devoid of free time. Some other similarities I noticed between the play and the story was the relationships between the characters and the people playing those roles. It was apparent Kirsten had a previous relationship with her character's love interest.

In section two, the novel leaps ahead twenty years following the Georgian Flu. How has life changed for principal characters such as Kristen?

Year 28 of the Georgian Flu portrays an overrun Earth where the remaining survivors are in varying points of poverty, depending on the town or community they reside in. For Kirsten, however, her home is with the Traveling Symphony where they are constantly touring their productions to towns across the Midwest. She only has vague memories of life before the pandemic and holds onto physical mementos of that era such as the glass paperweight, photographs of Arthur Leander, and a copy of the Dr. Eleven comic books.

In chapter twelve, the prophet makes his first appearance following the performance. Discuss his character.

As of now, the prophet is a very ominous character. It's obvious his leadership is corrupt and tyrannical as community members seem much more reserved and fearful. When making his speech after the play, he reveals his beliefs that the Georgian Flu was meant to cleanse the Earth and left worthy people. He shows interest in younger women for his wives and constantly has bodyguards protecting him. The Traveling Symphony views his town as a complete cult and leaves swiftly to not get entangled in their lives.

In section three, the novel flashes back to Arthur’s life before the outbreak of the Georgian Flu. What do we learn about him in these chapters?

In this part, we learn Arthur's life story and how he came to fame as a successful actor. He seemed like a kind person who took pride in his hometown's unique scenery and geography. However, he felt out of place in the United States as he couldn't find a way to properly explain his previous home to Americans. Although he was a talented actor, his rise to success was by no means quick or easy, only landing smaller roles or commercial gigs up until his late twenties. We also see how he met and fell in love with his first wife, Miranda, who he deeply cared for when they first knew each other. Once Arthur becomes rich and famous, there is a noticeable shift in his character as he constantly uses his charm on his fans and is unfaithful to Miranda. From then, Arthur's love life fails as he goes through three divorces and becomes a grumpy man that regrets his actions.