Essay Questions

What is the meaning of the title?

The title of the novel refers to the robot that is being assembled as the plot progresses. A sleeping giant is a symbolic phrase, and it refers to powers being unknown to those who possess it. The robot is a sleeping giant in the sense that it has been hidden for thousands of years, its parts scattered throughout the Earth’s surface, and it holds a great, but also destructive, power initially unbeknownst to those who are piecing it together.

What is the public’s reaction to the giant robot?

The key incident, the destruction of the base and the Denver airport, causes the robot to be revealed to the public. Naturally, the public goes into a state of panic and fear but, there is also the aspect of greed and want of control over the thing. This is why the anonymous leader decides to “destroy” the robot by submerging it near Puerto Rico. What he actually does is continue the assembling of the robot in secret, leaving the United States in the dark about it.

How does the novel include the concept of alien life?

The question of alien life is the first question raised with the appearance of the giant hand. Doctor Rose Franklin herself reveals that she doesn’t believe the robot was created by human hand. There is a sense of expectancy and acceptance of alien life as an obvious part of human history, with the robot as its proof. This is further confirmed with the appearance of another anonymous character who reveals himself to be the descendant of the alien species that roamed the Earth thousands of years ago, and the revelation that they were a part of human advancement.