Rules and order are a hot mess in The Knife of Never Letting Go. On the one hand, we have people who have come to the New World to start anew, to shirk the old rules and build better lives. But on the other hand, we're a few generations removed from the original settlers at this point, and during this period of time, in Prentisstown in particular, all kinds of terrible rules have cropped up—you know, like you're not a man until you murder. And the Noise only complicates things further, creating chaos that people want contained, which makes rules only more desirable, and a critical relationship with them all the more unlikely.
Questions About Rules and Order
- Do you think that all rules and order eventually become corrupt? Are there any examples of rules that are only good?
- Think about the different settlements. Are there similarities between their rules? Any key differences? Are there any rules that work for absolutely everybody?
- What makes rules good? How about bad? Use the text to support your argument.
Chew on This
The ultimate purpose of rules is to bring order, but in the process, rules often bring chaos.
Noise is chaos, but men find ways to control it and bring order to their lives.