Louise and relationship with her daughter
Who is Louise talking to in the story?
She is talking to her daughter.
What do humans want to do with the Heptapods?
They want to communicate with them.
Is Heptapod writing spoken or written?
written.
Is Gary a scientist or a soldier?
A scientist.
What tense does Louise often use when she talks about her daughter?
She often uses the future tense.
Does Louise believe communication is fast or slow?
She believes communication is slow.
What is special about Heptapod writing?
It shows meaning without sounds.
How does Gary react to Louises explanations?
He listens and asks questions.
What does Louise know about her daughter’s life?
She knows her daughter’s whole life, including her death.
What is more important than translating words?
Understanding meaning and structure.
What type of written language do they have? and what does it mean?
Semasiographic. Which means, when their written language is not connected to their spoken language.
What personal quality does Gary show?
Openness.
Why does Louise still choose to have her daughter?
Because she believes love is worth the pain.
Why can humans not translate the Heptapod language directly?
Because the language does not work like human languages.
How does Heptapod writing show grammar?
Through shape, position, and orientation.
How is Gary different from Colonel Weber?
Gary is patient and curious, Weber is impatient and controlling.
How does Louises relationship with her daughter reflect the theme of non-linear time?
Louise experiences all moments at once, so love and loss exist together not one after the other.
How does communication with the Heptapods change the humans understanding of language?
It shows that language shapes thought and how time is understood.
How does the structure of Heptapod writing reflect their view of time?
It is non-linear and two-dimensional, showing all meaning at once just like their experience of time.
What does Gary represent thematically in the story?
He represents scientific thinking, cooperation, and trust in knowledge.