Journal for Station Eleven

“The conductor's orchestra had run into Gil’s company of Shakespearean actors… and they’d

combined their operations.” (Page 34). I chose this quote because I thought it was interesting

that the author waited to tell us this information. Waiting for this information kept me engaged

because I was anticipating the part where they told us how the “traveling symphony” came about.

“And this collection of petty jealousies, neuroses, undiagnosed PTSD cases, and simmering

resentments lived together, traveled together…” (Page 44). I thought this was an interesting

part of chapter ten because it shares how all of them have some sort of “beef” with another

person, but still spend almost every moment with each other. 

The phrase “because survival is insufficient” somewhat means that there is more to life than

just surviving. For example, traveling from town to town to show off a play. For principal characters

like Kirsten, life has changed drastically. For example, Kirsten was an 8-year-old girl before the

pandemic and now she is 28 and a part of a traveling symphony. The prophet is an interesting

character. He compared him and the people of the town to Noah and the ark. He seemed to be

the leader of the town and seemed religious.