The Ministry for the Future

Note: Robinson frequently uses the terms “developed” and “developing” to label countries based on their level of industrialization, size of their economy, and human development. These terms are less used today because they assume that all countries will and should aim for a developed status. These respective statuses largely derive from relations of power that have their roots in colonialism and American hegemony (dominance) after World War II. As the events in the novel show, this model of development is an impediment to dealing with climate change. The terms “low-income nation” and “high-income nation” are used instead, while Robinson’s usage is maintained in direct quotes.

This chapter is narrated in the third person with Frank, an American aid worker in India, as the point-of-view character. Frank is running a clinic in Uttar Pradesh, India, when a heat wave kills many people over two days. When sheltering people in the clinic is no longer feasible, Frank convinces the survivors to go down to the lake to weather the heat event. Among the people at the lake, Frank recognizes a young actor from a play he saw. The actor’s final line was,

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