Genre
Science Fiction
Setting and Context
Set in the near future in the aftermath of a robot uprising
Narrator and Point of View
First-person narration from multiple perspectives and also in third person
Tone and Mood
Haunting and Hopeful
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Cormac Wallace while the antagonist is Archos.
Major Conflict
The conflict between humans and robots that are controlled by Archos leads to a war that threatens the future of humanity.
Climax
The climax occurs when Nine Oh Two helps humanity by disabling Archo’s antenna and the mainframe computer.
Foreshadowing
The opening passage foreshadows the end of the war between humans and robots.
Understatement
“A mechanic is just an engineer in blue jeans.”
Allusions
The narrative alludes to the question of whether artificial intelligence can outsmart humans.
Imagery
“The room is filthy: littered with empty soda cans, used phone cards, and dirty clothes. The chair squeaks again as the dark figure drops back into it. The tough-talking man is actually an overweight teenager wearing a stained T-shirt and sweatpants. His head is shaved. He sprawls back in the beat-up office chair, feet resting on a computer desk. With his left hand, he holds a cell phone to his ear. His right hand is tucked casually under his left elbow.”
Paradox
The same technology that is the epitome of human invention ends up surpassing the humans and intends to wipe humanity.
Parallelism
The narrative parallels the essence and purpose of humans and the A.I.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
“Kept telling us a chopper was coming in, but nothing.”
Personification
“Light floods into the room, instantly saturating the webcam.”
