On Wednesday I discussed Chapter 107. This was a more humorous chapter involving Flynne talking with Netherton while he was operating the Wheelie Boy. Her startling him was rather humorous, but the chapter also contained a more vulnerable moment for Netherton, who confessed that he does not like his timeline. The chapter referenced rising sea levels, so I showed my table the following site, which outlines how coastlines could change. I felt that this chapter contained some subtext between Flynne and Netherton, so I showed my table the following clip. It’s a funny and engaging video, while also showing characters that come from different worlds (potentially comparable to how Flynne and Netherton occupy different timelines).
On Friday I discussed chapter 120. I personally felt that this chapter was somewhat anticlimactic. We’ve been building to this confrontation for about half the book, yet the action was resolved very quickly. Flynne and Burton kill the villains, Lowbeer steps in to ensure that they’re safe in the stub, and the plot is essentially resolved. The usage of a form of disintegration was rather interesting, and has been used to kill off villains in other pieces of media. As such I showed my group a scene from Harry Potter and a scene from Anastasia, both of which feature similar death scenes.
Overall I enjoyed the book and the teaching process. While I felt that the book resolved the plot too quickly, the actual buildup, especially in the middle section, was quite interesting. Gibson does an excellent job world-building in the sci-fi realm. Leading discussions helped ensure that I stayed up to date on my readings, and helped me to think more critically about the book, especially through making connections to other forms of media.
