Before computers and smart phones, automobiles and electric lights were once the hot new technology. The characters of Chime display both a comfort with the old world and a fascination with the new technologies that promise to make life easier. While these days it would be hard to imagine a world without cars and lights, Briony however, can't imagine a world without frocks and swamp creatures. This tug of war between the old world and the modern one is fun, exciting, and dangerous at the same time, and courses throughout the book.
Questions About Technology and Modernization
- How would the story change for Briony if cars were more common at this time?
- What are some of the things the characters in Chime are preparing to give up in the name of modernization?
- Briony points out that the Old Ones can't live in cities. What is it about the magic and spirit world that is at odds with technology and modernization?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Technology is both a source of excitement and a source of sorrow for the characters in Chime.
As a Chime Child, Briony represents the bridge between the new modern world and the more natural world.