Islands & Gods
Islands and Gods are a mutual theme in the book Nation by Terry Pratchett, and the ipod app Pocket God.
Cultures collide, Lifestyles collide, even large ships and islands collide in the captivating novel Nation set way back in the 1870’s. Main character Mau lives on a very old island where customs have been around forever. They worship the Grandfathers, who are like gods to the island dwellers. Mau leaves on a ceremonial venture to become a man that every man on the island has gone through. While on his venture he is caught in a very bad storm and just barely survives being swallowed in a humongous wave. When he returns to his island he discovers that everyone else on the island weren’t so fortunate and were all dead. He also finds a washed up ship which he calls “the big canoe.” The crew of the ship were all dead the only survivor was Daphne, a well brought up British girl. Mau and Daphne get to know each other and form a sort of friendship, despite the fact that the had completely different cultures and don’t even speak the same language. Throughout the book both Mau and Daphne struggle with keeping there own cultures and identities. Mau begins to question the Grandfathers. Other people begin to arrive at the island as well. I’m not going to say any more about the story because I don’t want to give away too much and spoil the story because it was a very good read.
The Ipod app, Pocket God reminds me a lot of the island on which Mau lives, and Mau himself. In the game, your job is to be the “God” and to rule the little Pygmies.
On Mau’s island he and the other islanders were ruled by gods. They islanders in Nation pretty much did whatever the grandfathers told them to do. If they say to jump off a bridge they islanders would probably listen. In Pocket God the islanders do whatever you make them do as well. You are their ruler.
In the island in Nation the area is very dangerous. Filled with nasty animals and whatnot. The same is true in Pocket God. You have to watch out because you never know when a shark might eat one of you Pygmies (like in Nation) or when there might be ghosts (again like Nation since at first Mau thought Daphne was a ghost.)
All though I don’t know Terry Pratchett personally very well. I don’t know if he has an ipod or not, or if he even like games. However, i would not at all be surprised to find out that he plays the game Pocket God. After all, Pocket God is practically modelled after Nation.
January 27th, 2010 at 11:44 am
From Terry Pratchett? COOL!
January 27th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Hello – I recently wrote a book for the next generation and have put it online. It is completely interactive and has links, pics, video and more. I’m trying to spread the word about it to see what people think. Check it out…if you like it I’d love if you post it on your blog so other kids can read it too. If you don’t like it then you can forever ignore this comment. The book is called Finding Kir Royo and can be found at http://www.kirroyo.com. Thanks, and keep writing! You seem pretty good at it.