The following is a suggested list of general topics and teaching ideas corresponding to Nikki Erlick’s The Measure. These suggestions can help students understand the relevance of literature to discipline-specific and real-world scenarios and enhance their critical thinking and analytical skills. While this is by no means a comprehensive list of potential classroom uses for the College Novel, it provides a jumping-off point for further examination and discussion.
Do you have additional ideas to suggest that may benefit your fellow instructors? Contact Mary Thompson at mthompson@sussex.edu to have them added to the list!
Anthropology
As this novel revolves around a central plot point of everyone on earth having knowledge of when they will die (or having access to that information, should they choose to access it), the work presents opportunity for rich discussion in the field of anthropology, especially surrounding topics of mythology and mortality, ritual, and social stratification.
- Analyze the role of myths and folklore in shaping cultural understandings of life and death. Discuss how new myths or narratives might emerge in response to the boxes in The Measure and how these might vary across different societies.
- Investigate how knowledge of lifespan could affect kinship structures, marriage, and family planning. Discuss how this might differ in matrilineal vs. patrilineal societies, or in cultures with different family structures.
- Examine how the distribution of lifespan knowledge could reinforce or challenge existing social hierarchies and inequalities. Discuss how different societies might address issues of fairness, access, and privilege in this new context.
Art
Artists often explore and convey their fears, hopes, and reflections through the works they produce. Art has often served to foster a sense of connection and community by allowing people to share their experiences and perspectives, helping to normalize the existential questions and emotions that arise from moments of crisis. The role of art in a rapidly changing world can provide a foundation for discussion of The Measure in art classes.
- Consider how artists might depict the concept of knowing one’s lifespan. What visual metaphors and symbols could represent the themes of the novel?
- Discuss how art can reflect and influence societal attitudes towards life and death. How might the themes in The Measure inspire contemporary art?
- Examine classical works of art depicting the Fates and relate to themes in The Measure.
- When is art mentioned in the novel? (Consider the characters who create art, the role of visual art in a world rocked by societal change, etc).
- How would you depict the boxes and strings as described in the work? What other plot points might serve as inspiration for artistic creation?
Biology
The novel proposes a world in which characters know when they will die, but not how. This provides a wonderful basis for discussion in the biological sciences, and raises many questions regarding medical ethics.
- Discuss the difference between health-span (the period of life spent in good health) and lifespan. Explore how the characters in The Measure might prioritize health and well-being, given their knowledge of their lifespan.
- Explore the role of genetics in determining lifespan. Discuss how genetic variations can influence aging, disease susceptibility, and overall longevity.
- What fears do “short-stringers” have regarding medical treatment? Are these fears justified?
Criminal Justice/Legal Studies
The question of how people with “nothing to lose” might behave becomes politicized and weaponized in the novel, providing ample fodder for discussion in criminal justice and law.
- Explore the legal and ethical implications of individuals knowing their exact lifespan. How might this affect laws around euthanasia, assisted suicide, and the criminal justice system? What political rhetoric is used in the novel
- Discuss how governments and law enforcement might respond to the societal upheaval caused by the boxes. Consider the potential for increased crime rates or civil unrest.
- How might people choose to manage their estates with exact knowledge of when they will die? How might the legal profession respond/change as a result?
Economics/Business
This discipline will find much to work with in The Measure! How might spending patterns change when individuals know exactly when their lives will end? In what ways might estate planning be impacted?
- Investigate how knowledge of lifespan might influence economic decisions, such as saving, spending, and investing. How do different characters react financially in the novel to their string length?
- Discuss potential changes in the labor market, productivity, and retirement planning in a world where people know their exact lifespan.
- How is the stock market affected in Erlick’s novel, and what might the long-term repercussions of the boxes arrival be (if any)?
Environmental Science
How might concerns with human impact on the planet change/evolve with specific knowledge of individual lifespan?
- Discuss how knowledge of lifespan could influence attitudes toward environmental conservation and sustainability. Would people with shorter lifespans be less motivated to protect the environment, or would they be more focused on leaving a legacy?
Foundations
Self-awareness and goal-setting is at the heart of Foundations courses. Discussion of how knowledge of one’s exact lifespan in The Measure influences the characters’ priorities, time management, and life goals would be of particular interest.
- Explore the importance of setting meaningful goals with both short-term and long-term perspectives in mind, and examine how awareness of mortality can drive motivation and focus.
- Discuss on how to balance immediate desires with future aspirations, and the role of uncertainty in shaping one’s academic and personal objectives.
Literature/English/Communications
While every novel is appropriate to discussion in a literature class, instructors might find references to classical themes and the narrative structure of the work particularly useful for discussion.
- Analyze the novel’s structure and how the intertwining stories of different characters enhance the thematic depth of the narrative.
- Explore central themes such as fate vs. free will, the value of life, and the human condition. Discuss the use of symbols and motifs throughout the novel.
- Research literary works regarding the Greek Moirai (Fates) and their role in determining human lifespan. How might Erlick, a classically trained scholar, be adapting classical ideas?
- How is rhetoric used responsibly and irresponsibly in the novel, and what effect does this have on the characters in the work?
Math
Probability and statistics, game theory, actuarial science, and ethics are just a few of the topics in this work that will lend themselves to discussion in a mathematics class.
- Develop mathematical models to predict the societal impact of everyone knowing the length of their life. Include variables such as changes in birth rates, death rates, and economic productivity.
- Explore game theory concepts by analyzing characters’ decisions in the novel. Create models to determine optimal strategies for different scenarios, such as whether to reveal one’s lifespan to others.
- Explore the ethical implications and challenges that would arise for actuaries in this new context.
- Apply machine learning algorithms to predict trends and patterns based on the novel’s data.
- Discuss the ethical implications of using mathematical models to predict human lifespans. What responsibilities do mathematicians have in ensuring their models are used ethically?
- Analyze case studies of predictive modeling in healthcare and insurance, drawing parallels to the scenarios in the novel.
Philosophy
Particularly interesting to this discipline will be the possibilities for discussion of moral dilemmas, ethics, theological and spiritual responses to knowledge of lifespan, and existentialism.
- Investigate various religious perspectives on predestination, free will, and the afterlife. How do different faith traditions interpret the appearance of these boxes in the novel? Which religions are not mentioned in the book, and how might they respond to the boxes?
- Discuss how religious communities might respond to the boxes and their implications for faith, morality, and the meaning of life.
- Explore existentialist themes in the novel, such as the search for meaning and authenticity in the face of mortality.
- Discuss ethical questions raised by the novel, including the morality of knowing one’s lifespan and how this knowledge influences ethical decision-making.
- Explore the ethical dilemmas faced by the characters in the novel. How might different ethical frameworks (utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics) approach these dilemmas?
- Discuss the ethical implications of possessing and sharing knowledge about lifespan. Consider privacy, consent, and the right to not know.
Political Science
Governance, power, and authority are broad topics that may be discussed through the narrative lens of The Measure.
- Examine how political leaders might respond to the crisis induced by the boxes. What policies could be implemented to manage public reaction and ensure stability?
- Discuss the role of power and authority in shaping societal responses to the boxes. Analyze politicians’ influence on the story's events (implications for military service are particularly ripe for discussion).
Psychology
Many of the characters in the novel experience angst and depression as a result of their strings. Discussion in psychology classes and focus on the role therapy and support groups play in the narrative and in real-world scenarios.
- Examine how knowledge of one’s lifespan affects psychological well-being, decision-making, and behavior. Discuss concepts like existential anxiety, fear of death, and coping mechanisms.
- Analyze the impact of lifespan knowledge on personal relationships, including friendships, romantic partnerships, and family dynamics. How do different characters in the novel respond to this knowledge?
- How might different psychological schools of thought respond to the appearance of the boxes and the knowledge they bring to the population?
Sociology
When the implications of the strings’ arrival becomes clear, readers see how this knowledge affects human relationships, societal inequality, and collective decision-making. The novel provides a rich context for analyzing how individuals and communities respond to such unprecedented and universally shared knowledge, making it a compelling study in social dynamics and change.
- Analyze the potential societal changes brought about by the boxes, including shifts in social norms, economic systems, and cultural values.
- Discuss how different social groups might be affected differently by the knowledge of their lifespan. Consider issues of inequality and access to resources.
- What new class(es) are formed as a result of the strings, and how does this alter the everyday lives of the characters?
