The Diamond Age, or, Young Lady's Illustrated Primer | Topics for Discussion & Projects

The Diamond Age, or, Young Lady's Illustrated Primer Topics for Discussion

Discuss the implications of replacing geographical frontiers with a division of the world based on racial, cultural, and/or ideological factors. Do you think it is possible to establish a common identity without a geographical anchor? If the world was so divided, which tribe (of those described in the novel) would you belong to?

Can education be performed by a single book? Discuss the implications of raising a child with a unique book. Why did Fiona and Elizabeth ultimately abandon the use of the book as an educational tool?

In current computer games and applications, interactivity is usually quite limited. Do you think that expanding interactivity with the use of real "actors" is a good idea? Name a few instances where real people are already participating in enhancing the interactive experience of computer applications.

Several usual objects and situations are conspicuously absent from the world of The Diamond...
(read more)