Structure
What type of text structure is mostly used in the story?
Narrative (storytelling)
Who is Louise talking to in the scenes about her daughter?
Her daughter
What are the aliens that humans are trying to communicate with called?
Heptapods
What is Weber’s role in the story?
He is the military leader in charge of the operation
What type of structure is the story overall?
non-linear structure
What stage of life is Louise’s daughter usually in during these scenes?
She is shown at different ages, from childhood to her teenage years
How do the heptapods communicate with humans at first?
Through spoken sounds and later through symbols
What is Gary’s job in the communication project?
He iworks with Louise to communicate with the heptapods.
The story switches back and forth between two main types of scenes. What are they?
Scenes about communicating with the heptapods and personal memories about the narrators daughter
Why are Louises scenes with her daughter written in second person “you”
To make the relationship feel personal and direct, as if Louise is speaking straight to her daughter
Why do Louise believe the heptapods have a writing system?
Because their technology and communication suggest they need a consistent way to record information
Why does Weber hesitate to approve Louise’s request for more equipment?
He is concerned about showing too much human technology to the heptapods.
What idea connects the heptapod writing scene with the waiting-in-Hawaii scene?
Patience and understanding things over time - like learning a new language
How do the scenes with Louises daughter change the tone of the story?
They soften the tone by adding emotion, warmth, and a personal perspective
What makes the heptapods’ writing difficult for humans to understand?
Their writing combines symbols into one structure and changes meaning through position.
How do Weber and Gary react to Louise’s ideas about communicating with the heptapods?
Weber is cautious and focused on security, while Gary is curious and more open to experimenting.
Why does Louise reveal information about the heptapod writing system slowly instead of explaining it all at once?
Revealing the information slowly matches Louises learning process and helps the reader discover the structure of the writing system at the same pace
Why does the author place scenes about Louise’s daughter between major moments of alien communication instead of grouping them together?
Placing them between the alien scenes links Louises personal life to her professional experiences and helps the reader see both as equally important to the story
Why do the heptapods choose to teach humans their language without requiring humans to teach them English in return?
This shows that the heptapods are cooperative and suggests they have a different goal or way of communicating than humans, which reflects their advanced understanding of language.
ow do Weber’s and Gary’s roles help create tension in the story?
Weber represents control and limits, while Gary supports exploration, and their opposing roles shape how the communication process unfolds.