In the world of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel we have been introduced to time before civilization fell and even to the time before it. In the novel a motto was stated early on that “Because survival is insufficient” (Mandel, 58). The meaning behind this motto is that there must be purpose in life, that just simply surviving and living by the day without goals, hopes, and dreams is not enough to satisfy ones self. Much like the Traveling Symphony that wear this quote on their lead caravan and in their hearts. They don’t just survive, they live valuing what was once good in the world, the old world, and share those values with other survivors in  different towns. Much like Clark who had miraculously survived the Goergia Flu and found safe haven in an airport in Severn city where he stayed for two decades. What he lived for beyond just survival was to put the old world on display for those who come from that old world to appreciate what they once had, and for those of no memories of the old world or those that were born in the new world to learn about these past useful tools and possessions. What he had was a museum of Civilization. ” Clark had always been fond of beautiful objects and in his present state of mind, all objects were beautiful. He stood by the case and found himself moved by every object he saw there, by the human enterprise each object had required.” (Mandel, 255). This was his life now it seems to bring him much joy just collecting things but even if its just for him this can also serve the purpose of teaching the youth with hopes of one day mankind can replicate the technological advancement or even beyond that. Even back in the Old World he found himself staring at a bunch of “Sleep walkers” The people that do nothing but stare at their devices all day just getting through life. This problem of living with meaning was existent even before the New World.

Another man with goals was the Prophet. We find out that the Prophet is Arthur and Elizabeth’s son. He grew up in the new world reading texts of revelation, surrounded by faith worshipers of the new world and the new heaven. The Prophet’s goal was to bring light to the world as he utters the words with his men “the fallen walk among us. We must be the light. We are the light.”(Mandel, 291). This light he refers to is only his own belief of what was right and what was wrong. He was only 8 years old when the world fell apart only paying attention to a handheld device like most kids his age in our era do. He did not know that what he was doing was wrong. His light came with suffering, taking towns and taking women for himself and his worshipers. They wanted to repopulate the world. Actually in my opinion he was not wrong with wanting to repopulate the world it was just how he came about it that was so wrong. Even though the Prophet did a lot of wrong he was not simply surviving, he was working towards a goal so great that he can smile at the face of the enemies that he kills and blackmails.

At last our main protagonist Kirsten meets Clark for the first time and he shows her something that would probably change the new world. Miles down south of the airport the stars are dimmed. “In the distance, pinpricks of light arranged into a grid. There, plainly visible on the side of a hill some miles distant: a town, or a village, whose streets were lit up with electricity.” (Mandel, 311). I absolutely lost it when i read this part because i knew what it meant and I immediately thought about the motto “Because survival is insufficient”. Whoever generated the electricity in that town or village not only survived but had a goal to bring light to world so dark and full of despair. The world was so lucky to have a man or woman or even a group of engineers who know about electricity to come in and have electricity surge back into circuits. What could have came about if they died? How many things could have happened if people did not die? How many things could have been achieved if they did not die? These are the things i asked myself as I finished the novel, of course some people deserved to die like the people who tried to attack the Traveling Symphony in their early years when Kirsten joined, or like the Prophet who brought nothing but more despair. I believe that it is important to keep on living with good intentions and that is when you will meet true satisfaction with yourself.

The story of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel carries and gets more intense through parts 4 through 6. Starting with part 4 We are brought back to year twenty with Kirsten and the traveling Symphony who are now all anxious that their newly met enemy “The Prophet” might be tailing them. “The Symphony walked armed and on full alert, Olivia and Eleanor in the back of the lead caravan for safety.”(Mandel, 127). This is just a small hint that the traveling Symphony were not at ease, though in a 20 year old lawless civilization it makes sense to always be on your toes, still the matter of the fact is that The Prophet might be onto them because the Prophets future wife Eleanor had escaped St. Deborah by hiding in the caravan of Symphony without them noticing. To them it feels like they have a bullet with each of their names on it especially if the Prophet finds Eleanor with them. Although they might be scared or anxious they are still well prepared for the Prophet and his men because of the tactics they are using to keep eachother safe, though as we soon find out it may not be enough. When Symphony sleeps there are always people keeping watch, it was Kirsten and August turn to keep watch, Sayid and Dieter had went ahead to scout the area. As Kirsten and August were having a peaceful shift they heard something rather disturbing. ” There was a sound just then, a disturbance passing over the surface of the night as quickly as a stone dropped into water. A cry, cut off abruptly? Had someone called out”(Mandel, 135). Sayid and Dieter went missing without a single trace. “It was as though Dieter and Sayid had been plucked from the face of the earth”(Mandel, 136). Not only have two members of Symphony been abducted but they also left no trace, we then find out later that Olivia gets abducted as well. They are messing with what appears to be professionals.

The story takes a weird shift between an interview with Kirsten and what happened to jeevan within the first 2 months of The pandemic. We get some clues about the two knife tattoos Kirsten has during the interview with Francois. Francois asks Kirsten about the tattoo but she refuses to tell him about them “You know what tattoos like this mean.”(Mandel, 132). Much like how gang members tattoo tear drops on their face to signify how many people they have killed this could be the same thing. Kirsten is always carrying knives as though they were a preferred weapon so maybe she has killed two people for whatever reason. Maybe her skill with knives can help her out in the future.

Jeevan seemed to have left his brother behind though it would probably be the smartest move even though it sounds messed up. I cant imagine Jeevan trying to survive as he is pushing his brother on a wheelchair for two decades plus.

I wonder if in year 20 Clark and Elizabeth are still alive. By the end of Part 6 we get the revelation that the plane Clark and Elizabeth and her son boarded on to leave for Toronto had to make an emergency landing on Severn City Airport in Michigan. This was before the collapse and one of the last few flights to have been departed. This is stated to be where the Prophet had come from so i wonder if they are tied together somehow. Like what if Clark is the prophet ? Or maybe it the son of Arthur ? I think this brand new mystery will get solved in the next few parts.

The story of Station 11 by Emily st. John Mandel continues to provide the readers with unexpected situations. The story becomes very dark which compliments the dark tone of the new world after the Georgia Flu epidemic. This time around we started off with the young girl Jeevan met in chapter 1. Her name is Kristen who was only 8 years old at the time but we have fast-forwarded into the future 25 years. Civilization had collapsed and it seems as if the Georgia flu had gone away only after killing off 99.99% of the world with it. Kristen continues to travel with symphony, a group of actors and musicians. They go town to town and perform for the people although it is not said if they get compensated or if they do it because they want to. As she scavenges for supplies she often looks for things specific to her childhood and one of them is station 11. A limited graphic novel given to her by someone she had met. She just wants to keep a certain part of her life bright while everything is so dark, and everything is very dark.

With the world in collapse and not many people are alive foreseen things can happen. It gets all “Walking Dead” where communities in small towns are run by a certain figurehead yet it is possible to get raided by another group or being forced to work for said group. It seems like the town of St. Deborah had gone through this because Symphony had seen the change in management with the unnerve feeling they all get. A prophet who is probably just lying to everyone is running things. This man gives off an eerie chill when he speaks and that is seen when after symphony is done with their performance and the prophet speaks they all get nervous and anxious. The conductor who is essentially the leader of Symphony is not amused by the prophet as she demands to know what happened to the two members of Symphony that was left behind in that town. Graves with their names had been marked but they do not believe that they are dead. The prophet does provide a satisfying answer but proceeds to show his true selfish colors. He gets close to the conductor and whispers to her something profane which the conductor denied. Kristen asks the conductor what he told her and the conductor told Kristen, “He suggested that we consider leaving Alexandra, as a guarantee of future good relations between the Symphony and the town. He said he’s looking for another bride.”(Mandel, Chapter 12). Alexandra is one the members of Symphony, oblivious to things going on around her. This shows how the prophet is just demented or is just drunk on power. Everything the people do in town are according to his needs or ideals. He also wants another bride which shows how the culture has changed to where maybe it was not okay to have multiple wives but now that civilization is collapsed things have changed. Much like Neegan from The Walking Dead, he runs a community, sets up his own rules, and has multiple brides.

The story takes us back to before the collapse following the life of Arthur. The mood is somewhat dark surprisingly when the story is now taking place before the plague. We read as he gets through his first, second and third wife. Through this story line we find out that the author of Station 11 graphic novel is none other than Arthur’s first wife Miranda. She was with her boyfriend Pablo for 8 years until she had gotten bored of him and her life. proceeded to sneak around with Arthur and when Pablo knew she was leaving him he struck her. Arthur took care of Miranda and they then got married and during the point of their third year anniversary Arthur was a very famous man. Unfortunately this was the same day that Miranda found out about the affair that Arthur is having with his then later second wife Elizabeth. Miranda continued living a life of her own traveling for her company spending nights at hotels and occasionally sleeping with her downstairs neighbor but not to date them. The sad part is that she lives on telling herself “I repent nothing”(Mandel, Chapter 15). This is the same thing she told herself while she was sleeping with Arthur while still living with Pablo. She knew it was dishonorable and was guilty. She knew she was too weak but had to tell herself this to remain strong. This makes me wonder if she survived the epidemic or was she too weak for that too.