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  • Essay / Cloud Atlas: Reincarnation and Human Coexistence

    Introduction: In the novel Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, the most significant theme which strengthened the connection between the contrasting sections through the recognition of the previous lives of various characters of six stories. However, the main characters in the six stories are not reincarnations of each other. The main characters stand out from other characters because they have a comet-shaped birthmark on their body which is used as a visual illustration by the author to prove to the reader that a character from a period is the reincarnation of a another character from another period. throughout the novel. For example, Ewing, Frobisher, Luisa, Cavendish, and Meronym all have comet-shaped birthmarks. Very few characters such as Zachry and Luisa believe in reincarnation and actively explore its consequences in their current times. Besides the comet-shaped birthmark symbol, there are many other aspects of the connection between the character and the soul via reincarnation that are clearly illustrated by the author and emphasized by the belief that with the passage over time, the soul will be reborn in another human character. for example Luisa's reaction to seeing Ewing's ship. The occasional "déjà vu" reinforces the general theme of reincarnation, particularly through the character Zachry who believes in reincarnation or "rebirth" and its effects on a faith-based society. The characters are linked to each other through the past, present and future. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Thesis Statement: This theme is most prevalent through the reincarnation of souls throughout the novel. The reincarnated soul is marked with a comet-shaped birthmark below its body. It is insinuated that the universe follows the same patterns over and over. When Robert Frobisher commits suicide, he believes he will be reincarnated. Time transcending the soul's journey and human coexistence, conveyed through the symbol of a comet-shaped birthmark, is explored with the novel's integrated narrative structure. The symbol of a comet-shaped birthmark symbolizes a cyclical return of the soul, which is embodied in different related characters throughout different historical periods. The novel begins with the "First Half of The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing" and is set in Chatham. Island in 1850. It tells the story of an American notary Adam Ewing, who, while awaiting repairs to his ship, witnesses the cruelty of slavery and is diagnosed with a deadly parasite that quickly weakens his health. The following story "Letters from Zedelghem" is set in Belgium, Zedelghem in 1931. It tells the story in the form of letters of a young bisexual musical genius, Robert Frobisher, who becomes the assistant of the composer Vyvyan Ayrs, who suffers of sexually transmitted diseases. disease known as syphilis. In letters to his lover Rufus Sixsmith, protagonist Robert Frobisher mentions discovering "half of Adam Ewing's Pacific Journal". The following story "Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery" is a crime novel/thriller set in a fictional town of Buenas Yerbas, California in 1975. A young journalist Luisa Rey investigates a new nuclear power plant for discover that it is dangerous. She meets Rufus Sixsmith, who worked as one of the power plant's scientists, but was forced to resign due to his safety report concluding that the power plant was unsafe. The fourth story of the novel "The Horrible Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish" takes place in theBritain today, where Timothy Cavendish, a 65-year-old publisher, is threatened by the brothers of his previous client. The protagonist is placed in a nursing home by his own brother and cannot escape. He mentions reading a manuscript of "Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery" and ends up planning an escape with other residents. The fifth story "An Oration of Sonmi ~ 451" takes place in a dystopian future state in South Korea ruled by the technocratic capitalist society Nea So Copros. The protagonist of the story, Sonmi~451, is a genetically engineered maker of a fast food restaurant like many others. She becomes aware of herself thanks to the members of the rebellion and becomes their leader. She describes watching a clip from the film “The Horrible Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish.” The sixth and main story of the novel "Sloosha's Crossin' an' Ev'rythin' after" is the only uninterrupted story in the novel. Zachry, an old man and protagonist, tells the story of his youth to the children. The story takes place on a large post-apocalyptic island of Hawaii inhabited by Zachry's peaceful people called the Valley People and savage cannibals – the Kona Tribe. The people of the valley worship the goddess Sonmi and remember the fall of civilization which led them to primitivism. The island is occasionally visited by technologically advanced people and anthropologists known as Prescients who study the people of the valley and trade with them. One of the anthropologists, Meronym, reveals to Zachry the story of Sonmi which he finds difficult to believe. Topic Sentence: The novel seems to attract two main readings. A number of reviews focus on aspects of history, human nature, and character connections, while others tend to focus more on the narratological aspects of the novel. Commentary: Mitchell explores the human condition in different places and times to suggest patterns that transcend historical circumstances. The characters are linked to each other at different times. Evidence and Quote: Readers observe an idea of ​​the butterfly effect which means that if one character did a specific thing, it could affect another character in the future. There are many instances that indicate a connection between different characters via a butterfly effect. For example, in the story "The Horrible Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish", Cavendish got Hoggins to sign a contract on the copyright of the book for his benefit, but later he was threatened by the Hoggin brothers and demanded money for the sale of the book. . This proves a connection when Cavendish was arrested at a nursing home known as Aurora House, where he signed a contract in which it was clearly stated that he was residing in the house and could not leave Aurora House.Topic Sentence: The most prevalent theme of the novel is the theme of rebirth expressed through a comet-shaped birthmark shared by a number of characters such as Robert Frobisher, Luisa Rey, Timothy Cavendish, Sonmi ~ 451 and Meronym. Commentary: The birthmark that connects the characters implies that they are different incarnations of the same soul. Evidence and Quote: In fact, relationships between stories and characters emerge gradually, for example, Luisa Rey meets Rufus Sixsmith – Frobisher's lover, and Meronym leads Zachry to the truth about Sonmi-451. Furthermore, it can be inferred that the author could make these connections so that society would believe in the faith and religious facts of reincarnation so that people would do good things and not sins so that no other soul in the future does not suffer from the sins of past lives. Who..