After finishing Stars this week I was very unhappy and confused about the ending of the novel. As it came to a close I felt like I had so many unanswered questions about what was going on. I understood that Marq was trying to convey that his life would never be the same again without Rat, but I was confused on what he was going to do next with his life. For him, I hope he is able to find some sort of joy but it is still very unclear if that can ever be obtained.
Although this novel is extremely abstract and mythical, I found some of the themes applicable to real life situations. When Rat left we saw many of the same emotions and feelings that we see when a spouse dies in a relationship in our world. I know that when my Grandfather died, that my Grandmother was a completely different person for a while. It was so sudden and unexpected and she did not know how to carry on with every day life. There were things that he would do that she wouldn’t even realize and now she had to do everything. I think when the book ends we are getting a glimpse of the sorrow and grief that Marq is about to endure in these next months or even years. He grew such an attachment and liking for Rat that he does not see hope for the future. He knows that he had already found the best thing that can ever happen to him and when nothing else will compare, how does one go on. This is an extremely painful and difficult situation to be in and one that was not a choice of his own.
Overall I feel like I did kind of being to gain that acceptance for the general culture of this book. As Professor Drexler pointed out, by the end you realize that it is ok to be accepting of this weird and twisted made up world. In the end it is about two creatures that really and truly feel that they should be together and there is nothing wrong with that no matter the situation. People deserve to be happy and to be with someone who makes them happy.
Moving into next week I am really excited to begin working on our poster projects. My group has decided to work on the possible colonization of Mars and all of the ethical issues that come along with that. First we want to see if it is even possible, and then if so, is it ethical. Should people be put in such a secluded environment and will they be able to survive psychologically? What will happen to them when they are stuck there with the same people for an incredibly large amount of time. We are really excited to be exploring this idea and all the sub topics that come with it.