The Sparrow

The Sparrow is both a work of science fiction and an inquiry into the philosophical ideas of faith and God. How do these two genres work together, and to what effect?

By the end of the novel, has Emilio lost his faith or found it once more?

In Chapter 14, there is a clear connection between the experiences of Isaac Jogues and Emilio. What are the similarities between each man’s mission trip, and how do their differences make a larger commentary about the nature and purpose of such a trip?

Many of the characters lose or find faith in God throughout the novel. Choose three characters and discuss what their relationship to faith in God reveals about their identity.

Was the mission trip to Rakhat successful? Why or why not? Consider the changed social dynamic between the Runa and the Jana’ata after the humans’ departure and if the change is good or bad, and for whom.

At the end of the novel, Vincenzo Giuliani reveals to Emilio that they are planning another mission to Rakhat. Considering everything that has happened to Emilio and to the creatures on Rakhat, is this a good or bad idea?

In Chapter 31, after Emilio has revealed the full extent of the tragedy that he experienced on Rakhat, he also says that there are no beggars there, no unemployment, no overcrowding, no starvation, and no genetic diseases, among other positive things. He also says that although they “pay a terrible price for this system,” so does Earth, and that “[j]ust because their corpses aren’t eaten doesn’t make our species any more moral” (452). Considering these specific similarities and differences between Earth and Rakhat, is Emilio justified in making this claim?

Language plays a significant role throughout the novel, whether it is Emilio’s linguistic ability to learn new languages quickly or his inability to put to words his thoughts and feelings once back on Earth. Explain the importance of Emilio being a linguist, thinking specifically about the language divide between the creatures on Rakhat and the humans, as well as Emilio’s inability to use language effectively once back on Earth.