Stories of Your Life and Others

Locate and analyze the use of core science fiction tropes in Ted Chiang’s “Understand.”

Creative Assignment: Write the daughter’s perspective in “Story of Your Life” in the form of diary entries covering three events mentioned in the story.

How does the ethical side of science influence the behavior of characters in at least two of the stories from the collection? Supply examples and analyze.

Explore and analyze the development of Neil Fisk’s character through his relationship with God.

How does the perspective of multiple characters contribute to the development of the main theme of “Liking What You See: A Documentary”?

How does Ted Chiang use the plot in “Story of Your Life” to justify Louise’s final choice? Explore through examples.

Creative Assignment: Imagine that Carl finds a way to understand Renee at the end of the “Division by Zero” and write their final conversation.

“I can’t believe that you, a grown woman taller than me and beautiful enough to make my heart ache, will be the same girl I used to lift off the ground so you could reach the drinking fountain, the same girl who used to trundle out of my bedroom draped in a dress and hat and four scarves from my closet.” Based on this quote, analyze the way Ted Chiang utilizes the shifts in tenses to support his main thematic notion in “Story of Your Life.”