The Sirens of Titan Lesson Plan

In the first chapter, the narrator notes that "the time was long past when one nation could seem more glorious than another by hurling some heavy object into nothingness" (25). What does this tell us about the current political and social climate of Earth in the novel?

This statement suggests that Earth is moving into a new political and social dynamic after the Cold War, in which major world powers, particularly the USSR and the United States, competed for power and influence through shows of strength and technological prowess, as well as information gathering, as opposed to direct combat. The novel is recognizing this shift and suggesting that something new will...