Station Eleven

by

Emily St. John Mandel

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Station Eleven: Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Back in the theatre, people from the production discuss Arthur’s death and the need to notify his family. They discuss his son, Tyler, his second (out of three) ex-wife Elizabeth, and ultimately decide to call his lawyer. They all have a drink, toasting to Arthur.
Other people who will be personally impacted by Arthur’s death are his ex-wives and his son. Since he is famous, though, it seems like everyone knows his family history.
Themes
Death and Survival Theme Icon
In the dressing room, Tanya gives Kirsten a paperweight and tries to contact the young girl’s parents. Back in the lobby, the people who have been discussing Arthur’s death drink to the late actor once more and part ways. We learn that of those people, the bartender lives the longest. He dies three weeks later on the road out of the city.
The chance gift of this paperweight will have major significance for Kirsten later in life. At the end of this chapter, Mandel subtly introduces the notion that after Arthur’s death, many other people will die too, setting up her juxtaposition of a single death with a mass death.
Themes
Death and Survival Theme Icon
Faith and Fate Theme Icon
Memory Theme Icon
Art Theme Icon
Quotes