60 pages • 2 hours read
Michael CrichtonA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
What a person can understand is limited by human perception. Most people can only perceive things that are familiar or that fall within certain parameters. In this novel, Norman discusses the anthropomorphic problem with regard to alien life, or the tendency of people to believe that alien life forms will be similar to humans in looks and vulnerabilities because this is all they can perceive. Norman argues that humans are frail animals and want alien life forms to be just as vulnerable. Likewise, the fear of the unknown contributes to the lack of a person’s ability to imagine a life form or other entity as more than what they can understand through basic human perceptions.
The novel pushes the limits of human perception by placing characters in a situation where they come into contact with a power that allows them to manifest their imagination as reality. This power gives Harry the ability to bring his biggest fears to life without consciously understanding that he’s behind the manifestations. The power allows Beth to express her feminine side while intensifying her insecurities, especially as they relate to men. Through Harry and Beth, the novel explores what a human mind is capable of without an understanding of the depths of this power.
By Michael Crichton
Eaters Of The Dead
Michael Crichton
Eruption
Michael Crichton, James Patterson
Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton
Prey
Michael Crichton
State of Fear
Michael Crichton
The Andromeda Strain
Michael Crichton
The Great Train Robbery
Michael Crichton
The Lost World
Michael Crichton
Timeline
Michael Crichton
Action & Adventure
View Collection
Appearance Versus Reality
View Collection
Fear
View Collection
Loyalty & Betrayal
View Collection
Mortality & Death
View Collection
New York Times Best Sellers
View Collection
Safety & Danger
View Collection
Teams & Gangs
View Collection
Trust & Doubt
View Collection
Truth & Lies
View Collection