60 pages • 2 hours read
Naomi AldermanThe Future
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Why are the three CEOs so easily convinced that the apocalypse has arrived? How are their reasons similar? How are they different? What do these reasons reveal about their characters?
What are Martha’s reasons for perpetrating such a hoax? Compare and contrast her reasons to those of Selah, Badger, or Albert. How are these reasons similar? How are they different?
Why does Zhen agree to participate in Martha’s plan? What elements of her background propel her toward this decision?
What role do the Enochites play in the unfolding of the hoax? How does their influence, and continuing existence, impact the plot?
How are technology and consumption linked in the novel? How do they impact the near-future setting?
Discuss the relevance of survival and survivalism to the novel. How do the terms interact and diverge? How do the concepts influence the characters’ motivations and actions?
How are power and privilege portrayed in the novel? What are the results of wealth being concentrated in the hands of a privileged few?
How do the collaborations between the three largest technology companies affect the larger world of the novel? How do they impact particular characters, such as Zhen?
What are the similarities, if any, between the near-future world of The Future and the contemporary world?
What does the future hold, according to the final chapter? What does the future hold, according to the final interlude? How are these two futures similar? How are they different? What’s at stake?
