Stories of Your Life and Others

Stories of Your Life and Others

• Genre: Collection; fiction; science fiction; speculative fiction
• Originally Published: 2002
• Reading Level/Interest: College/adult
• Structure/Length: 8 stories; approximately 304 pages; approximately 10 hours and 23 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: This collection of short stories features different protagonists and conflicts in each tale, from a mathematician who communicates with aliens in “Story of Your Life” to a golem creator and his discovery in “Seventy-Two Letters.” The conflicts often arise from the intersection of science, philosophy, and human experience.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Varies by story; may include language, violence, and complex scientific and philosophical concepts

Ted Chiang, Author

• Bio: Born 1967; American speculative fiction writer; known for his thoughtful and meticulous exploration of science, technology, and philosophy in his stories; works as a technical writer in the software industry
• Other Works: The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate (2007); The Lifecycle of Software Objects (2010); Exhalation: Stories (2019)
• Awards: Locus Award for Best Collection (2003); British Fantasy Award (2005); the story “Hell is the Absence of God” won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards; “Story of Your Life” won the Nebula award and was the basis for the film Arrival (2016)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Ethics of New Scientific Discoveries
• Combining the Real With the Metaphorical or Fantastical
• The Danger of Superintelligence
• Cultural Paradigms in Alternative Realities

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of Ted Chiang and the complexity of the genre of speculative fiction.
• Study paired texts and other resources to make connections to the text’s four themes of The Ethics of New Scientific Discoveries, Combining the Real With the Metaphorical or Fantastical, The Danger of Superintelligence, and Cultural Paradigms in Alternative Realities.
• Compare and contrast the film Arrival to “Story of Your Life” and demonstrate an understanding of how a chosen theme is developed in both the film and short story.
• Analyze and evaluate theme, point of view, plot, structure, and other literary devices to draw conclusions in structured essays regarding time, connection, ethics, and the human condition.