Oryx and Crake

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What are the ethical responsibilities of scientists? To what moral standards should they adhere? Who should enforce such standards, and how?

Teaching Suggestion: Prior to responding, develop class definitions of the terms ethics and morality. Record them for viewing by all.

• From the Center for the Study of Technology and Society, “The Moral Challenge of Modern Science” by Yuval Levin takes up the issue of whether science itself is neutral but subject to the decisions humans make about how to use it.
• “The Science of Morality” by Chris Palmer discusses the role of the brain in determining people’s sense of morality.
• The National Human Genome Research Institute defines genetic engineering.

Short Activity

Oryx and Crake can be classified as post-apocalyptic fiction. Working with a partner, research this genre and create an infographic that defines it and gives some examples. Your infographic should answer the following questions and may also include other facts you think are important:

• What is post-apocalyptic fiction?
• What are some common themes or scenarios in a post-apocalyptic story?
• What aspects of human nature can be explored effectively in post-apocalyptic fiction?
• What are some examples of books and/or movies in this genre?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might sketch their infographics on paper or use a computer program or free infographic maker to create them.

• “What Is Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction?” from MasterClass defines the genre and gives examples.
• The article “The Post-Apocalyptic Genre: Definition, Characteristics, Examples and More” also gives an overview of the genre, including a brief section on its history.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

In terms of academic subjects, do you gravitate more toward STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and math) or toward the humanities (English, social studies, psychology, art, music, theater)? What causes you to make this connection to STEM or the humanities? Are both fields equally important to your future? To society? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: Suggest that students prepare T-charts to list the social pros and cons of each field of study. What conclusions can they draw about the relationship between the two fields and the relationship of each to students’ potential contributions to social progress or destruction?

• “STEM vs. Humanities: The Ongoing Counterproductive Debate” by Adya Mohapatra makes a case for interdependency.
• “Why STEM Students Need Humanities Courses” by John Horgan makes a case in favor of the humanities.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students more comfortable with numbers than words, ask them to gather data about the number of students enrolled in STEM classes versus humanities classes on your campus. What conclusions can be drawn based on the numbers?