Examining of the Motif of Rising and Falling in "Cloud Atlas" Aleksandra Novozhilova 12th Grade

Throughout Cloud Atlas, Mitchell heavily emphasizes the theme of humanity and its innate flaws, the inevitability of our eventual fall. Even with the greatest intentions in mind, we tend to encounter a fatal obstacle, stumbling despite our best attempts, leaving us to get back up or simply give up. At the same time, Mitchell emphasizes the impact of that inevitable fall: the “ripple” it can send through those around us even when we fail in our initial goals, perpetuating the idea that every action has a connection to the future. Specifically, it is the recurring appearance of the birthmark that shapes the theme of rising and falling within each story, most prominently so in Sonmi and Luisa’s stories.

Within the novel, Mitchell uses a comet-shaped birthmark as the main means of connecting characters throughout the six stories. The birthmark serves as an indication of a character’s past reincarnation, weaving all of their actions and fates together into one complex tale. This birthmark is also where the motif of rising and falling takes shape. A comet is one of the brightest things seen in the night sky; in our eyes, it rises through the darkness, burning bright, illuminating everything in its way almost like a star, only to...