Conflicting World Views

In the novel, the author uses the different conflicting worldviews of different characters in order to demonstrate Sebastian’s new found knowledge about the world. Prior to meeting the Whitcomb family, the only real worldview that Sebastian is exposed to is the rather peculiar worldview of Nana regarding predestination and the Greater Intellect. Essentially, Nana tells Sebastian that the Greater Intellect sets a path for everyone, and that Sebastian’s path is to pick up Bucky’s utopian vision where he left off. However, Nana’s worldview is not well thought out. If Sebastian's path is predetermined, she should not have to worry about Sebastian straying it. Throughout the entire ten years between Sebastian’s parent’s deaths and the point when he meets the Whitcombs, this, to Sebastian, seems like the truth.

However, once Sebastian meets the Whitcombs, the true nature of the...