Literature of the Future--Notes on Today's Class

Foundation by Isaac Asimov, part 1--"The Psychohistorians"

Characters we meet:

• Gaal Dornick-a mathematician, "just a country boy" from the planet Synnax, now employed by Hari Seldon
• Hari Seldon-a psychohistorian, predicts that the Galactic Empire will fall within 300 years, predicts the future based on psychohistory and statistical analysis, spearheading the Encyclopedia Galactica project to preserve knowledge in light of the predicted fall of the Galactic Empire
• Linge Chen--actually ruling the Galactic Empire

Plot:

• Gaal travels to Trantor for the first time to meet Hari Seldon
• Gaal tries to get a tour of Trantor, but
• They meet immediately after Gaal chats with Jerril while looking out upon the splendor of Trantor

Setting:

• Trantor-the center of the Imperial Government, centrally located in the Galaxy, "the densest and richest clot of humanity the Race had ever seen," has a population in excess of 40 billion

General:

Compared with our previous book, A Canticle for Leibowitz, Foundation is a smoother, easier read.  The narrative moves quickly, and is linear and easy to follow.  The first part engages the reader and lays the groundwork for what promises to be an exciting story.  

Homework: read part 2, "The Encylopedists"; write down ten "plot points" that occur chronologically in part 2, and be prepared to discuss it on Monday.