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| Seth B. Draper
Foundation�s Edge Isaac Asimov Science Fiction 1. The major concept of this book is man�s search of his manifest destiny and what is the best way to govern that destiny (Click Here). The book offers up three potential ideas for man�s destiny, and they are to search for power and to hold on as long as we can, to create a universal government built on scientific thought and intellectual pursuit, or finally to unite the universe into one sentient being, so to speak. The last one is the final decision made in the book. It is the idea of just creating a society where everything is taken into consideration and giving basic respect. Plants, animals, even houses, and sculptures are to have their �feelings� consulted. 2. Asimov uses the whole book as an example of this theme. The premise of the story is about a man, Hari Seldon, who left behind a society to lead and create the other people in the universe into their scientific kingdom. But the other people learn of this other group and seek to destroy them so they can truly secure their own power and no longer be puppets. In the midst of this conflict of the two they encounter a third community on a planet whose sole purpose and drive is to develop technology to help all of mankind see everything in this universe as alive and treat it thus. What it comes down to is that they find one man, Golan Trevize, who has an intuitive sense of making righteous decisions, and they make him choose between the three. 3. The truest main character is Golan Trevize. While there are others who get their fair portion, Trevize is the one who the book�s plot hinges on. He starts out as a rumbunctious youth who is up and coming in the world of politics. He has a bildungsroman experience and becomes a sagacious man who carries and cares for the future of the universe. What marked this man out in fate�s eye was his ability to know what is �right.� There is never any moral plumb line or religion that allows him to do this; merely, it is a proclivity that he possesses. This trait becomes honed in his misadventures everywhere on a detective like search for a group who controls the future. This group does exist and was searching him out, and led him to them so that they could ask him to make the decision. He does so and in effect saves the universe, they hope. 4. A very well written part of the book is towards the end; it is a conversation between Trevize and his partner, Janov Pelorat. They both have noticed that there is some superior force guiding them to an end. From this, a debate results about who it is and why. The reason it is well written is because it plays to the utmost of paranoia. They have found those who are capable of mind control and altering or erasing memories (Click Here), so they can no longer even trust themselves. The discussion rages forth with the two putting forth logical assumptions and educated guesses that only further the paranoia. It eventually ends because it comes to a time when they have to act and they just do, without care for consequences at that point because there is no way for them to if they cannot believe their own minds. 5. I liked the book because it is a Sci-Fi psycho thriller and detective book. It is set up to solve a mystery and not only that but to have the characters never aware of what�s going on. It is very complicated and is unforeshadowed keeping the ending a surprise. Also, the endings are just as convluluted as the mysteries. I say endings because there are multiple false endings that truly only lend themselves to not let the reader be fully satisfied, but want more to know. The book is just utterly engaging and hard to put down. 6. I learned from this book that one thing I take for granted is the fact that I feel like I am myself and have my own life. The people in this book never get that feeling and moreover never have that chance. They are all just pawns in someone�s interpretation of what the best universe would be. |
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