Blog Journal for Station Eleven (2)

 "The Symphony was insufferable, hell was other flutes or other people or whoever had used the last of the  rosin or whoever missed the most rehearsals, but the truth was that the Symphony was their only home." (48). 

I found this quote interesting because it shows the reason why this estranged group of people stays together. They've built a sense of community in their chaotic road show, which has deeply connected them. Along with this, while reading I felt like most of these characters wouldn't do well alone or in a smaller community. I think that they appear as outsiders to everyone else, and wouldn't fit in with the general population. They need each other to thrive, which is why most of them stay. I surely wouldn't find traveling around and performing to be interesting, however, if I had a strong group of people around me, it would be more manageable. This also supports the idea of why Kirsten is surprised that Charlie would have left knowing that they were coming back. She knew that Charlie loved the Symphony, so for her to abandon them doesn't sit right with Kirsten. In the end, I find this group of people surprising. They appear to be a group of misfits who don't fit in with most people but found their group of people to survive with. 

"Nothing in Kirsten's collection suggested the Arthur Leander she remembered, but what did she actually remember?" (41)

I think that this quote dives into Kirsten's obsession with Arthur, who is just a figment of her imagination at this point. Arthur dying is the last memory has of her old life, which is why she tries to hold onto him. The memories that Arthur left on her are what she remembers of her old life, so she cherishes them. If these thoughts ever die, so does her recognition of the pre-flu world. Cherishing the pre-pandemic world isn't just seen in Kirsten, but really in every character. August. who used to love watching TV, desperately searches for old TV books when they break into abandoned houses. Even the citizens around them also want to remember their old lives, as they are grateful for the performances that the Symphony puts on, connecting them back with their older lives. People in this novel seek to hold on to what remains of the old world, the simpler times when life wasn't a struggle. I think this fact is interesting because I feel the same way about my own life. Although my life wasn't changed as much as theirs was, I still feel like a part of me died with the pandemic hit.  It marked the end of my childhood and the start of the real world. I often times try to recreate my old life in hopes of reviving the child spirit inside of me. 

Discussion Questions:

I think that the phrase "survival is insufficient" means that the members of the traveling group are attempting to bring joy back into people's lives. Ever since the outbreak, society has been in a rebuilding stage, purely focused on survival. People do what they need to survive, and nothing more. The Traveling Troupe wants to spread hope and happiness through these towns by performing acts and inspiring people to find their purpose. They are encouraging people to live their lives and do what they want, much like members of their group find hope my acting. They don't think just surviving is enough, they want to enjoy being alive. The main parallels that I see between the play and the story are the plague, and how it wiped people out much like the Georgian Flu did. In dire times, these plays act as hope to the people they are performed in front of. Along with this, I feel like the Traveling Troupe is similar to actors back in the day. I feel like they also traveled, performing shows for people around them. Another similarity I see is the emotions it brings to the crowd. These plays are meant to bring hope to the people, which is partially what Shakespeare also was successful in. It took the people's minds off the travesty happening around them, and gave them a moment of peace, distracting them from their reality. 

I guess the main difference is the technology available. It seems like most technology doesn't work anymore, including cars since they ran out of gas. This has resorted to people living much like humans used to, hunting and gathering for their food. The group used shelled-out trucks to transport people and items from place to place, carried on the backs of horses. The group can't travel very fast and has to stop for winter. People have taken shelter in old buildings, mostly sturdier buildings such as restaurants and stores. How people interact has also changed. People are much more hostile now, with the threat of being attacked at any moment. Kirsten doesn't feel safe unless she is carrying a knife on her. Overall, the world is a significantly different place than it was before the epidemic. 

The prophet is a strange character. He is a similar age as Kirsten and has long blonde hair and a beard. He turns St. Deborah on the Water into a cult-like town, causing people to live. The people who stay seem to like his rule, though to outsiders he is strange. The Symphony is scared of him and his motives, so they leave the town quickly right after performing. The prophet believes that everything happens for a reason, and uses strange terminology to persuade his people about topics. The prophet also tends to get what he wants. He lives in an old gas station and has bodyguards. During the play, he gets a chair brought to him while he watches. He also gets with women often, and if they don't want to get with him, they are most likely punished. The reason why the Symphony left so quickly was because the prophet wanted Alexandria to stay behind and be his next wife, so they made sure to get out of town quickly. The prophet is a strange character who has a significant amount of power over the people he controls. It will be interesting to see how his character progresses and see the importance he has in the novel.