64 pages • 2 hours read
Ray NaylerA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
Author Ray Nayler has commented on the meaning of the novel’s title as a nod to the theme of seeing things from different perspectives: “What humans call islands are the tops of mountains in the sea” (Nayler, Ray. “Ray Nayler Answers Your Questions About The Mountain in the Sea.” YouTube, uploaded by Hugonauts, 11 Dec. 2023). How do the characters’ views about the archipelago differ? What does Con Dao represent for Ha, Altantsetseg, Evrim, and Dr. Mínervudóttir-Chan, the locals Son and Da Minh, and the octopuses? Pick three characters who have differing views and examine why, using textual evidence.
How do epigraphs function in the novel? Choose one epigraph and distill its meaning. Then analyze its significance to the chapter, the characters, and/or the novel’s themes.
Many characters in the novel experience profound loneliness and alienation. Choose two characters and analyze the source of their isolation and their means of coping. Using textual evidence, explore how the novel contextualizes isolation in relation to the barriers that exist between individuals and/or between an individual and society.
Plus, gain access to 8,450+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
Animals in Literature
View Collection
Appearance Versus Reality
View Collection
Books on Justice & Injustice
View Collection
Canadian Literature
View Collection
Challenging Authority
View Collection
Class
View Collection
Class
View Collection
Colonialism & Postcolonialism
View Collection
Common Reads: Freshman Year Reading
View Collection
Community
View Collection
Earth Day
View Collection
Fate
View Collection
Forgiveness
View Collection
Friendship
View Collection
Globalization
View Collection
Good & Evil
View Collection
Loyalty & Betrayal
View Collection
Memory
View Collection
Order & Chaos
View Collection
Power
View Collection
Safety & Danger
View Collection
Science & Nature
View Collection
Teams & Gangs
View Collection
The Best of "Best Book" Lists
View Collection
The Future
View Collection
Trust & Doubt
View Collection