In case you missed the bit where the aliens landed and took over the planet, let us spell it out for you: The True Meaning of Smekday is about warfare with aliens. At first, the war is just between Boov and humans, but before long, the Gorg get tangled up in the mess as well. Not only that, but Tip is right in the trenches, so to speak—she does her fair share of fighting, and sees a lot more between spaceships as well. The book asks us to think about the motivations behind all the fighting, just as much as the war itself.
Questions About Warfare
- What kinds of weapons are used in the novel? Are some better than others?
- Does it matter why people are fighting? Is all war the same, or are some battles worse than others?
- Why does J.Lo help Tip save her home planet? What reason does he have to stick around?
Chew on This
Humans lose the war with the Boov (and almost with the Gorg) because they are underprepared and lack the proper weapons to fight with aliens.
The True Meaning of Smekday argues that not all warfare is the same because the Boov and humans are praised more than the Gorg, though they are all fighting a war.