It's not a particularly big leap to see why a kid who is dying would spend a lot of time contemplating the nature of human existence. Add a fascination with everything quantum physics-related, and we have ourselves a recipe for an awful lot of conjecture about life, the world, and the potential existence of other worlds operating in parallel to our own.
In addition to giving a lot of thought to other life possibilities in Going Bovine, though, Cameron is also given a lot of advice about how to get the most out of living (while he still can). His transformation from a sullen teenager seeking total numbness to someone who can finally see the joy in life is an important theme throughout the book, too.
Questions About Life, Consciousness, and Existence
- Why is life so hard for Cameron? What is it that is making him so miserable? Give evidence from the text to back your claim.
- When does Cam start to appreciate the little things in life? Why does it happen at this point? Be specific, yo.
- What are some examples of people wanting to avoid real life? Is how they are going about it right or wrong? Why?
Chew on This
The CESSNAB people and Doctor X both feel like life is about avoiding pain or anything that feels bad—but this isn't truly living.
Cam doesn't truly start living until he knows he is dying (and yes, it still counts even if it all just happens in his head).