The Power of Power
David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas is a series of eleven interconnected stories about six different characters. The structure of the novel goes first in chronological order, and then concludes in reverse order. Although set in different time periods and different parts of the world each character is intertwined with one another. These connections illustrate the ripple effect between the past and present, and how our lives are all interconnected. The Louisa Rey and Sonmi-451 story are bound together by a thin tangible geographic and historical connection. Louisa’s father, Lester Rey, was a war correspondent during the Vietnam War, which was an ally of South Korea, which is the setting in Sonmi’s story. David Mitchell uses specific plot details to represent how power both influences and exploits individuals.
The major plots points of Half-Lives and Orison show how power is used to dominate a society. The Louisa Rey story is set in close geographical location to San Francisco, which is significant because that setting is stereotypically associated with being health conscious. The nuclear plant being built on Swannekke Island has design flaws that could be devastating to the environment, and when …show more content…
The corruption and greed that can come with absolute power is not only demonstrated in the careful word choices, but from the imagery of tangible and moving items. Human life brought to an end. An elevator that stops can restart. Corporations and governments, both responsible to the people they serve; represent how their corruptive power led to fall all over the planet. The power within Cloud Atlas is most moving because of how it transpires through time and space. It doesn’t just stop with one character, or one story, but continues to move the reader just as much as it moved Sonmi and Louisa
David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas is a series of eleven interconnected stories about six different characters. The structure of the novel goes first in chronological order, and then concludes in reverse order. Although set in different time periods and different parts of the world each character is intertwined with one another. These connections illustrate the ripple effect between the past and present, and how our lives are all interconnected. The Louisa Rey and Sonmi-451 story are bound together by a thin tangible geographic and historical connection. Louisa’s father, Lester Rey, was a war correspondent during the Vietnam War, which was an ally of South Korea, which is the setting in Sonmi’s story. David Mitchell uses specific plot details to represent how power both influences and exploits individuals.
The major plots points of Half-Lives and Orison show how power is used to dominate a society. The Louisa Rey story is set in close geographical location to San Francisco, which is significant because that setting is stereotypically associated with being health conscious. The nuclear plant being built on Swannekke Island has design flaws that could be devastating to the environment, and when …show more content…
The corruption and greed that can come with absolute power is not only demonstrated in the careful word choices, but from the imagery of tangible and moving items. Human life brought to an end. An elevator that stops can restart. Corporations and governments, both responsible to the people they serve; represent how their corruptive power led to fall all over the planet. The power within Cloud Atlas is most moving because of how it transpires through time and space. It doesn’t just stop with one character, or one story, but continues to move the reader just as much as it moved Sonmi and Louisa