Essay Questions

What is the motif of the title ‘Under the Dome’?

The dome has surrounded the whole town, and the people inside are locked from the outside world. Inside the dome, there are evil people, politicians, murderers, and characters, including drug addicts. Every person in this town faces the danger of death because there is limited access to air and water. Ironically, politicians and other evil people are still making others suffer within the dome as if they are immortal. Towards the end of the book, an explosion kills almost all people, including those who intentionally made others suffer. This story's morality is that there is no need to subject others to suffering because there is no single individual who is immortal.

How does the author link the characters of ‘Under the Dome’ to the modern world's ecological challenges?

The author's fictional story about the dome depicts the reality we live in today. Close analysis of this book reveals that the environmental problems facing the world today, such as pollution and the exhaustion of natural resources, are caused by man. The isolation of the characters of Chester's Mill's town represents the countries that are surrounded by the Ozone layer and devastating climatic conditions due to pollution. Some countries are not receiving rain and fresh air due to pollution, thus, endangering ecological life.

Why is Big Jim subjecting Chester's town to mayhem without compunction?

Big Jim is an influential self-proclaimed figure in the small town of Chester. Jim appoints people loyal to him to control the city as he wishes. People fear Big Jim because whenever they want anything, they must pass through him. Junior, the son of Big Jim, is also helping his father to eliminate his enemies. Therefore, Big Jim is confident enough that even if he plunges the country into chaos for his benefit, nobody will question him.