The Main Themes of Salvation in Station Eleven

The novel Station Eleven could be seen to have many different themes. I believe this novel has a few themes that stand out. These themes focus on what people turn to in tough times. Those are faith, fate, and memory. In the novel, the characters turn to faith in times they are struggling. They want to believe that everything happens for a reason. For example, “The flu,” the prophet said, “the great cleansing that we suffered twenty years ago, that flu was our flood. The light we carry within us is the ark that carried Noah and his people over the face of the terrible waters, and I submit that we were saved” his voice was rising “not only to bring the light, to spread the light, but to be the light. We were saved because we are the light. We are the pure.” This gives them hope that it is going to be alright and there is a reason for all of the tragedy that has happened. It gives them a sense of stability in a world that is changing so much. The survivors can use that as a way to take the guilt off of there shoulders if they choose to believe there was a reason they survived and that they were meant to survive. It eases their mind to choose to believe there is a reason so many people died and suffered.

Along with the idea of faith, is fate. In this novel I believe they tie in together. I think the author meant to showcase the idea that the characters develop because of the connections they have with other people. Some of the characters were fated to be in each others lives. Some of the characters keep encountering the same person somehow. This leads you to believe the author meant to have the theme of fate. For example, Elizabeth says, “I think this is happening because it was supposed to happen.” There was a purpose they were in each other’s lives. This goes back to the idea that everything happens for a reason. There was a reason the characters were connected. They were meant to be in each others lives to change and develop each other.

Throughout the novel, memory is a recurring theme. It shows how people’s memories affect them. Their memory plays an important role and reminds them what the world used to be like. This gives them hope. However, it can also be a burden to remember all the tragedy that happened to the world. The people who remember the time before everything collapsed are the ones who miss it the most. It is interesting that Kirsten only remembers parts of her old life. She has specific memories like coloring in Arthurs dressing room, but she cannot remember what her mother looks like. Memory is a blessing and a curse in this novel. There are also people in the novel who were born after the collapse and their only memory of it is what people tell them or choose to share. Some people tell their kids in detail about what happened because some believe remembering the collapse is very important. Others tell their kids almost nothing about the collapse because they don’t want them to have the same kind of pain they did. For example, “ Some towns… want to talk about what happened, about the past. Other towns, discussion of the past is discouraged. We went to a place once where the children didn’t know the world had ever been different, although you’d think all the rusted out automobiles and telephones wires would give them a clue.” This shows that the memories of the world bring them pain.

In conclusion, I believe faith, fate, and memory are the main themes of station eleven. Some are trying to forget what the world used to be like, while some think it is important to remember the old times. I think all of these themes are ways that the characters try to cope with their loss and struggles in a world that has changed and lost so much.