The Measure Essay Questions

Do the reactions of people receiving the boxes feel realistic? Why?

People's reactions to receiving the boxes do feel realistic. This is because Erlick has us follow several different people's stories and they're all experiencing different reactions with a common thread. For most people, there is a throughline of grief. For example, Hank is grieving his life after he learns he is at the end of his string. On the other hand, while Nina has a long string, she's grieving Maura because they won't have as much time together as they previously thought.

Would you open your box? Why or why not?

There are pros and cons to each option, but in the book, the only normalcy that persists in this society is for those who haven't opened their box. Opening one's box could provide comfort, but if it is relatively short, the anxiety of depression caused by knowing the truth would outweigh the possible benefits.

What literary devices does Erlick use to portray the tone of the situation for the readers?

A literary device Erlick uses to portray tone to the reader is repetition. There is the repetition of the phrase "the new world," "the time before," and "the new world order," which lets the reader know the general feeling of unease and remember what a momentous event has happened for the characters. It also paints an ominous atmosphere and puts us in the shoes of the characters understanding that nothing is the same as it was.

What about the response to the strings in the news seems to mimic reality? Use an example from real or fictional news events to illustrate your point.

The response to the strings seems to mimic reality most in its us-vs.-them aspect (p. 165-166). We can see this division in the way people are labeled according to their differences—you're either a "short-stringer" or a "long-stringer." This is similar to the conflict in the show Manifest where the people who come back from the plane that disappeared about a decade earlier are in a different category—people from Flight 828. Their information is published online and the public is suspicious as to whether they are dangerous because of a difference they can't help.

What difference in social dynamics resulting from the strings seems most probable? How does Erlick present this dynamic?

The difference resulting from the strings that seem most probable is the strings becoming the elephant in the room when dating. The difference in responses of characters in the book to learning the string length of their partners further demonstrates this point. Erlick presents this dynamic on a first date overheard by Ben, and we also see Ben's ex-girlfriend's reaction to his string, as well as that of Nina to Maura. This shows the difficulty of learning the truth of someone's string and how it can complicate a romantic situation even if you do love your partner.