The Nine Billion Names of God

Clarke deftly uses humor in many of his short stories. He relies on satire, irony, and wordplay to create comedic prose. “No Morning After” satirizes the human condition through the character of Bill. “Patent Pending” and “I Remember Babylon” both satirize the ease with which humans can be manipulated through sex. “Who’s There” builds suspense only to offer a funny, lighthearted plot twist at the end. “The Enchanted Orchid” and “Patent Pending” both rely on the comically outrageous subject matter of Harry Purvis. Overall, Clarke takes care to weave something funny into most of his stories, maintaining a sense of perspective and creating a persistent motif of social satire.