SEVENTH FALL

Falls

100

“…and even here the books are ashes, long since blown away with fallen leaves.” Why is the loss of literature significant to humans?

Literature represents human culture, history, memories, and ideas. Much like leaves that are blown away and forgotten, books and pages of literature can be lost, and everything they represent to humans thus also becomes lost and forgotten.

200

What do the seasons represent in “Seventh Fall”? Elaborate more on Autumn.

Fall: Both the "falls," as well as the autumnal season itself, are the primary examples of seeing people dying, along with seeing the world die around them. Winter: Especially in the case of "The Long Winter" and wherever snow appears, Varner feels great sadness due to what he has lost to the falls, and also has very little hope for his future. Summer: A Midsummer Night's Dream is briefly mentioned a few times, and is one of the only examples of seasons that are filled with happiness, excitement, and life. The representation of life is significant because it is life in the midst of the dreary reality that Varner actually lives in.

300

DOUBLE JEOPARDY “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in a time of calamity.” Proverbs 24:16 How does this quote relate to Varner? (300) How does religion factor into the world of the Seventh Fall? Consider biblical imagery, the Missionaries of the Book, and this quote. (Up to 600)

300: Varner is deeply affected by all of the falls he experiences, but the Seventh Fall is one event that leads to him becoming "the righteous man" in those dark times. The "Wicked" missionaries are the ones who are said to stumble, and Varner's quest to obtain important stories before they are destroyed is what allows him to "rise again" from the darkness, far above the wicked men. 600: This is a post-apocalyptic world, which can be seen as the day of judgement of humanity. The missionaries could be destroying all books because the one book that they follow happened to predict the end of mankind, and is thus the only book that speaks the truth. They may be killing people because they are passing their judgment on the remaining humans on Earth, in order to send them to the afterlife. Additionally, there is a lot of writing that can be interpreted as biblical imagery, such as how "The Fall" is a name for Adam and Eve's first moment of being judged, and how that the falls themselves can be thought of as fallen angels, most significantly Lucifer, also known as a fallen "morning star."

Coming of Age

100

How did living with the Schuler’s influence Varner’s perspective on family?

The Schuler's taught Varner that your family is who you choose it to be, even if you're not born into it. They also reinforced that family is important and worth cherishing.

200

What point in his flashbacks would you consider Varner's coming of age?

Varner comes of age in two parts. The first is when he loses his father when their troupe is attacked. The second part is when he leaves the Schulers to find "Hamlet".

300

Can societies come of age? What would the difference be between a mature society, and a child-like one?

There isn't a simple answer to this. Societies can come of age, however, it's also possible for them to regress. A mature society is one that has multiple kinds of relationships with other societies. A child-like one is a society that only rarely deals with other societies.

Shakespeare and Literature

100

Who utters the famous quote "To be or not to be?" What does this mean and how does it relate to “Seventh Fall”?

Hamlet. He is asking is it better to be alive or dead and death is a theme explored in the post-apocalyptic world of "Seventh Fall".

200

How is Varner like Odysseus?

The journey Odysseus travels on to go home to Ithaca is long and arduous. He is trying to get back to his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus.

300

DOUBLE JEOPARDY “'A man whose father is killed, and he can’t figure out how to avenge him.' Still Varner held the pages out over the water. What would it be like to be free of them? 'Revenge is simple' the pilot said ''you find the sonsofbitches and you kill them, right?'” There are two themes in this question. What are they (300)? Elaborate on this quote and its significance compared to its literal meaning (up to 600).

One theme is Revenge, something that is explored by Hamlet as he tried to avenge his father's death. Varner witnessed his father killed by the Missionaries. The other theme is the importance of literature in this story. Varner questions if his life would be less complex without the pages of Hamlet. "To be or not to be?"

Banned Books

100

Who bans books in society and what is their motivation for doing so?

Churches, governments, schools, or other societal institutions. Motivation lies in protecting people from corrupt ideas regarding violence, vulgarity, sexuality, race, and religion.

200

Varner believes that performing plays from the books he finds is the best way to seek revenge on the Missionaries of the Book. How does this constitute as revenge?

Missionaries of the Book attempt to prevent the spread of knowledge, science, or ideas that contradict their religious beliefs. Through his performances, Varner directly opposes the Missionaries by sharing literature with so many people.

300

If books were not systematically destroyed, do you think that society within this short story would be dramatically different than what it currently is?

Yes, for the following possible reasons: - Attempts to rebuild society based on previous knowledge. - More objective view of the falls. - Reasons to engage intellectually. - Less chaotic and violent.

Final Jeopardy

100

What is the significance of the title "Seventh Fall"?

Other than being the actual event that caused the end of the world they used to know. Seven had many biblical references, and a fall is something that causes the end of something good.