Feedback for Tuesday, 3/30/2026

 

Gabe’s “The Factory”

What worked:

This story describes a documented legacy of power over humanity through the vehicle of a factory, which resembles a human body. Obtaining that power or control seems to be what the narrator describes as heaven, yet it has consequences. As a result, the story has an underlying implication: that hosting Atom’s power brings destruction to people. 

The revelation that powering the Atom is the reason for humanity’s failures is dark. Thus, I personally think the number of technical explanations reflects that nicely. The numbers and architectural descriptions completely exclude warmth or safety that humans are supposed to have, making the narrator’s decision to destroy the Atom a lonely one. Therefore, the story effectively sets a tone that represents this wasteland caused by destruction.

Recommendations:

While the technical description of the factory adds intricacy to the story, the plot would function better if the reason for the factory’s existence was tied to events in the past. It’s true that real events are referenced in flashbacks. It’s stated that many other factories were created in other countries, among another called Eve. However, including something like governmental decisions to create those factories or a conflict between leaders might help the reader understand the Atom, eve, or the other factories’ purposes.

Kira’s “The Survivor”

What worked:

I thought it was unique that the zombies imitated innocent people, which actually makes enemies harder to kill because they’re easier to sympathize with. For a person like Kim, who lost her entire family because of the zombies, seeing them imitate people reminiscent of them and having to kill them must be traumatizing. In the story, Kim picks up a hardened and austere personality, choosing not to dwell on her previous experiences for the sake of survival. This attribute of the zombies makes the story more intriguing as opposed to your average apocalyptic universe, and creates an environment for a complex character. 

Recommendations:

Due to the strong devotion to her memory of Timothy, it would’ve been interesting to see more interactions between them, or at least a moment where she deliberates on why he is significant to her other than the scene where he becomes infected. Out of all her family members, she is most resentful about her brother’s loss.