Drive for twenty miles in any direction, and you're bound to encounter more retail chains than parks. Are strip malls the new natural? Cloud Atlas shows us a huge span of time, from all the way back when Starbuck was just some dude who sailed with Captain Ahab, all the way up to a dystopian future where "starbuck" has become a common noun, replacing the boring term "coffee." In this ever-changing world, what is man's place? Are we in control or just along for the ride? And are we doing more harm than good?
Questions About Man and the Natural World
- Throughout the novel, various characters say that mankind's nature is to destroy the world and consume itself (just check out the quotes if you don't believe us). Do you agree? Which characters (and real-life examples) back up this stance?
- If human nature is inherently destructive, which characters are fighting against their nature? Can they succeed?
- Things seem to come full circle from Adam Ewing's time to Zachry's time. Is human nature destined to repeat itself, or can the cycle be broken?