Orbital Literary Elements

Science Fiction

The novel is set aboard the space station orbiting Earth.

The novel is written in third-person omniscient.

The tone is contemplative and lyrical. The mood is a mix of awe and melancholy.

The protagonists are the six astronauts aboard the spacecraft. The antagonist is the vastness of space and the existential crisis.

The major conflict is internal as each astronaut grapples with the meaning of life and his or her place in the universe while physically and emotionally isolated from Earth.

The climax occurs when another group of astronauts on their way to the moon surpasses the crew.

The constant references to death and the fragility of human life foreshadow moments of personal loss and existential reflection, such as when Chie learns of her mother's death.

There is an understated handling of the emotional toll of isolation in space. Characters rarely voice their turmoil but reveal it subtly, such as Shaun’s "nodding."

Harvey alludes to classical art and literature, such as Velázquez’s Las Meninas to explore the complexities of perspective and reality.

The novel is rich in vivid imagery, particularly related to space: “The auroras…snake around the inside of the atmosphere fretful and magnificent like something trapped.”

The paradox of feeling most connected to Earth while furthest from it is a recurring theme.

The 16 orbits the spacecraft makes around Earth are mirrored by the cyclical nature of the astronauts' thoughts and routines.

N.A

The Earth is frequently personified as a mother: “The earth is a mother waiting for her children to return.”