Assignment Week Nine: Artemis by Andy Weir (6 Points)

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     Artemis by Andy Weir was the novel I decided to read for this week. The technology of this particular book incorporates itself into the story through smuggling, sabotage of the facilities and even where Jazz (the main character) lives. The story takes place in the future where a 26-year-old woman lives in Artemis, a city on the moon.  Thus the technology was already advanced enough to have people living and working on the moon. A man asks her to shut-down one of the facilities so that he can take over the moon, when he offers to pay her, she couldn’t say no. This plot choice is interesting, instead of having her be the hero, she is more like a middle man since she just wants the money to pay back her dad.

          The book as a ton of symbolism intertwined with the pages. For one, Artemis symbolizes the sense of home as well as the society is holds between the sections. Due to Jazz moving there when she was 6, Artemis is the only place she’s really known. For readers it’s easy to see the problems of the society and the circumstances can make us feel comfortable, but for her the city is home and comfort. Jazz and Kelvin’s E-mails are also a big symbol for the endurance of friendship. Reading this during a pandemic where I can’t really see and hang out with people, really made me smile at their strong friendship. Overcoming any distance and letting each other’s words comfort each other was something to note while reading. Especially since they have never met in person. Working together, as well, on creating a smuggling operation to improve their situations.

          Jazz goes through trials of her smuggling as well as her debt with her father. Through the story, her character arc, and with the setting of Artemis, the book explores morality. Jazz’s own morality challenge the idea that your morals stay the way they are, since they were developed. With Artemis as a place being loose in its own governing and works a lot in grey zones for personal gains. The novel may seem defending Jazz’s actions for illegal smuggling, due to the government already being corrupted. With all these symbols and morality technology plays a big part in all of this, due to the fact the whole city is based on technology and everything technology is precious and/ valuable.


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