All Systems Red

In Chapter 2, Murderbot details the romantic relationships and intrigues that exist among the members of the Preservation team (30). These relationships rarely, if ever, come into play in the story. Why, in your opinion, does Wells include these details, and what is their significance in the narrative?

Science fiction draws on human interactions with technology on personal, social, and global scales. How does the portrayal of human-technological interaction in All Systems Red mirror how we interact with technology today? In what ways does it differ? Support your response with evidence from the text.

Discuss the importance of setting in All Systems Red. How do interior spaces, like the hopper, habitat, and Murderbot’s cubicle, and exterior spaces, like the planet’s various regions, contribute to the novella’s plot and themes?

Murderbot and the other Preservation team members often use vernacular language and expletives. How does this type of communication shape the novella’s tone and what does it reveal about the characters’ relationships?

Why do Murderbot and Gurathin dislike each other? What, if anything, does their relationship imply about the dynamics between augmented humans, bots, and constructs in Corporation Rim?

Compare and contrast Wells’s depiction of artificial intelligence to that of another science fiction work, such as Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot (1950); Ernes Cline’s Ready Player One (2011); Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice (2013); or another work of your choice. How do the works portray the boundary between humans and machines? How does the period in which each work was written shape its view of artificial intelligence?

What are the differences between “hard” and “soft” science fiction? Considering features such as worldbuilding, technology, history, and lore, how would you characterize All Systems Red? Provide textual evidence for your response.

Does Murderbot have romantic feelings for Mensah? Why or why not? If so, how do those feelings influence Murderbot’s decision to leave at the end of the novella? Provide textual evidence for your response.