Simulation – 1988 is set in a drastically changed world where time is stuck in an eternal loop of September 1, 1988. Each day at dusk, everyone’s consciousness is “shuffled” into a new body. The story follows Ben and Ella, a married couple determined to find each other every day, recognizing one another only by their eyes, regardless of the body they inhabit. Their enduring love is contrasted with the despair of Keith, known as “the angel of death,” who believes the simulation is a “sick joke” and tries to kill one person each day to reduce the population. The narrative explores profound questions about the nature of reality, the power of connection, and what it means to be human when your physical self is fleeting.
The text suggests several possibilities for the “glitch”: unconscious bodies connected to computers, a programmed afterlife, or characters in simulation software. Which of these possibilities do you find most comforting, and which is the “most feared”?
Ben firmly believes the simulation is “by design” and proves the existence of God, or at least a creator. Do the events of the story support or challenge his belief?
The world is stuck on September 1, 1988. How does the lack of modern digital comforts like the internet and cell phones affect the characters’ ability to connect, survive, and investigate their situation?
People who were “lost in the glitch” are theorized to be non-player characters (NPCs). How does the idea that many former people were “not real” impact the main characters’ perspective on their own existence?
Ben recognizes Ella solely by her eyes, regardless of the gender, race, or age of the body she is in. What does this suggest about the core of human identity in the novel?
Ben says the shared pain of the glitch made his and Ella’s love “even stronger”. Do you think their bond could have survived if there was not a glitch?
The concept of the glitch family is explored when Ben finds a body with an infantile consciousness and tries to care for it. How does the necessary “village” approach to survival change the definition of family and responsibility in this world?
Rosie, who was born during the glitch, struggles with her original gender identity. How does the daily body shuffle influence the way characters view or present their gender and self?
Keith’s murderous quest is driven by the traumatic loss of his family, leading him to conclude that “nothing was real” and his love was “wasted”. Does this trauma and resulting nihilism make his actions understandable, even if unforgivable?
Keith is seen inhabiting bodies of various extremes, including an extremely obese man rigged with explosives and a frail old white woman driving a semi truck with a snowplow. How does his ability to weaponize any body reflect the nature of power and vulnerability in the simulation?
The community has developed an unspoken rule to protect young bodies from “sickos”. How do the characters’ attempts to maintain morality and decency in the simulation contrast with the necessary survival acts (like breaking into houses or taking cars)?
Mapping: Trace the various meeting points Ben and Ella mention (Rockport, Boston, Little Tokyo, Corn Palace in South Dakota) and discuss how geography plays a role in their relationship and safety.
The “Rosie” Memory Challenge: Rosie claims to remember every body she has inhabited for over sixteen years. If you were a consciousness in the simulation, what single object or place would you choose to tie your identity to, and why?
