The Shallows
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10
Themes
All Themes The History of Technology Distraction and Focus Efficiency, Speed, and Relevance Value, Depth, and Intelligence Scientific Context
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Marshall McLuhan Eric Kandel Plato Alan Turing Fredrick Winslow Taylor Larry Page Joseph Weizenbaum
Terms
All Terms Neuroplasticity The Enlightenment Intellectual Technology Working Memory Transcendentalism
Symbols
All Symbols The Story of Thoth
Download PDF
Download Teacher Edition
The LitCharts.com logo.
Sign In Sign up for A+
The LitCharts.com logo.
AI Tools
  • Ask LitCharts AI
  • Discussion Question Generator
  • Essay Prompt Generator
  • Quiz Question Generator
Guides Guides
  • Literature Guides
  • Poetry Guides
  • Shakespeare Translations
  • Literary Terms
Sign In Sign up for A+ Sign up

The Shallows

by Nicholas Carr
Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Prologue
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Chapter 10
Themes
  • All Themes
  • The History of Technology Theme Icon
    The History of Technology
  • Distraction and Focus Theme Icon
    Distraction and Focus
  • Efficiency, Speed, and Relevance  Theme Icon
    Efficiency, Speed, and Relevance
  • Value, Depth, and Intelligence  Theme Icon
    Value, Depth, and Intelligence
  • Scientific Context Theme Icon
    Scientific Context
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Marshall McLuhan
  • Eric Kandel
  • Plato
  • Alan Turing
  • Fredrick Winslow Taylor
  • Larry Page
  • Joseph Weizenbaum
Terms
  • All Terms
  • Neuroplasticity
  • The Enlightenment
  • Intellectual Technology
  • Working Memory
  • Transcendentalism
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • The Story of Thoth Symbol Icon
    The Story of Thoth
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)
Previous
Transcendentalism

The Shallows Symbols

Next
The Story of Thoth

The Story of Thoth

The Egyptian god Thoth is credited in the ancient pantheon with inventing the intellectual technology of writing. In the story told by Socrates in Plato’s dialogue The Phaedrus, Thoth brought the invention of writing…

read analysis of The Story of Thoth

The Story of Thoth Symbol Icon
Previous
Transcendentalism
Previous
Transcendentalism
Next
The Story of Thoth
Next
The Story of Thoth

Company
About Us Our Story
Support
Help Center Contact Us
Connect
Facebook Twitter
Legal
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Privacy Request
Home About Contact Help
LitCharts, a Learneo, Inc. business
Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved
Terms Privacy Privacy Request
The LitCharts.com logo.
Save time. Stress less.
Sign up!
  • AI Tools for on-demand study help and teaching prep.
  • Quote explanations, with page numbers, for over 50,238 quotes.
  • PDF downloads of all 2,253 LitCharts guides.
  • Expert analysis to take your reading to the next level.
  • Advanced search to help you find exactly what you're looking for.
  • Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.
  • Expert analysis to take your reading to the next level.
  • Advanced search to help you find exactly what you're looking for.
  • Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.
The LitCharts.com logo.
The LitCharts.com logo.
The LitCharts.com logo.
The LitCharts.com logo.