Float

Emerson is a dynamic character who changes over the course of the story, completing a character arc. Using examples from the text, compare and contrast Emerson at the beginning of Float and at the end.

Have you ever had to step outside your comfort zone, like Emerson does in Float? How did you feel about it, and what was the result? Write a personal essay explaining your answer and compare your experiences to Emerson’s using specific examples from the text.

Some of the characters in Float find the five-level RISK rating system frustrating. In your own words, explain the reasons behind this frustration and the ways it highlights ableism. Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Emerson’s mother’s anxiety manifests in compulsive worry for her son’s safety. Given her son’s RISK factor, does the text suggest that her anxiety is justified? Why or why not? Refer to the text when developing your answer.

Do you have any personal experience with disability? If so, write an essay comparing Float to your own experiences and/or the parallels Martin draws between disabilities and RISK factors.

Martin uses the motif of life lists throughout the novel to underscore the central theme of Living Life Fully. Compare and contrast the role of the life lists in two separate character arcs over the course of the narrative.

Consider Martin’s use of time travel in the plot of Float. What tropes of traditional time travel narratives does Martin include? In what ways does she subvert them? How does the trajectory of Murphy’s character arc allow him to shift his perspective on time travel?

Write a character study of one of the characters in Float. What role do they play in the narrative? What is the trajectory of their character arc? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.