Douglas Coupland's Player One

Player One: What is to Become of Us?

Only five short hours make up the timeline of this novel, but in such a short period of time the reader surprisingly finds themselves very involved in the story. In a small airport lounge on the outskirts of Toronto four people meet for the very first time. Luke the runaway pastor, Karen the outspoken ‘cougar’, Rick the unlucky bartender, Rachel the robotic beauty, and Player One the more humane alter ego of Rachel all tell their side of the story as it unravels. It may have seemed like a typical day for these people until the unthinkable happens and the life of everyone in that small airport lounge would forever be changed. What starts with a devastating oil crisis ends in absolute turmoil as

In the beginning of the novel, when everyone was still unknown to one another, the small lounge was uneasy and hostile. This can be felt during Rick’s absence behind the bar as Karen struggles through her date with her new online date, Warren: “Karen wishes he would come back and lighten the mood and get her another drink.” (Coupland 50) This quickly developed though when things started to go awry and the small group began discussing amongst themselves what could possibly be happening in the outside world: “Rick and Karen tried using their cellphones, without luck. Luke was entranced by the chemical cloud - he just kept looking at it, mesmerized, as if it were the face of God.” This tense mood has the reader feeling on edge and anxious, rooting for the characters now trapped within the airport. The ominous tone of the story carries through till the very end, making it a remarkably intense

Coupland has the capability of turning simple words into intense feelings: “He pours the drink down the sink, runs to the ice machine, and sticks his head inside, trying to cool the burning shame. The sub-zero mist enters his nostrils, freezer-burning his membranes. His sweat is cold.”(Coupland 59) Because of his attention to detail, the reader is taken deeper into Coupland’s world, sensing everything the characters are going through. “The carpet near Bertis’s foot resembles a run-over squirrel, but Karen’s seen worse.” (Coupland 138) The imagery in this novel keeps the reader engaged by prompting their own imagination to visual the setting. Without the author’s skillful choice of words the imagery in this novel would have greatly