Snow+Crash+(carter)

By Carter Hutchens  Author Background Born October 31, 1959, in Fort Meade, Main, Neal Stephenson writes speculative fiction novels. Being the son of an electrical engineering professor and a biochemistry specialist, Stephenson was immersed in science growing up. He studied physics and geography at Boston University until he graduated in 1981. Plot Summary Published in 1992, Snow Crash is author Neal Stephenson’s third novel. Snow Crash follows the exploits of Hiro Protagonist, a proficient hacker and sword-wielder whose skill in the “Metaverse” ( the internet incarnated as a virtual reality realm) has allowed him to seek out information for the large corporations that now control most of the U.S. While in the metaverse, Hiro finds a virus that acts as a drug in both the metaverse and reality, and must investigate it.

Futuristic Advancements Born October 31, 1959, in Fort Meade, Main, Neal Stephenson writes speculative fiction novels. Being the son of an electrical engineering professor and a biochemistry specialist, Stephenson was immersed in science growing up. He studied physics and geography at Boston University until he graduated in 1981. As the federal government faded into the background, giant corporations stepped in to fill the void. Run largely by the Mafia, corporations provide everything from police to postal services to blazing-fast pizza delivery. Meanwhile, the government has been reduced to living in isolated compounds, separated from the highly industrious and capitalistic society around them.
 * The Metaverse ** The next evolutionary stage of the internet, the metaverse is rooted in virtual reality while maintaining the vastness and informational abundance of the internet. Ones technical skill in regards to the metaverse is reflected in the avatars that appear while within.
 * The Mafia **
 * Corporation Controlled Society **

Characters 30 years old, Hiro Protagonist lives in the U-Store-It self-storage facilities and hacks for a living. A Black-Korean. At the start of the novel he works as a pizza delivery man until a catastrophic mishap forces him to quit. He helped design the metaverse, and his metaverse avatar is proportionately raw. Hiro is quite proficient with sword-fighting while in the metverse. Y.T., which stands for “Yours Truly”, is Hiro’s partner in working for CIC, was, before meeting Hiro, a “Kourier” who used a harpoon to latch onto cars and whatnot while riding on a skateboard. This is how she met Hiro, as she is one of the reasons for the initial mishap when he delivered pizzas. A friend of Hiro, Da5id helped Hiro found the “Black Sun”, a lucrative and exclusive metaverse club. Da5id is one of the first to fall victim to the snow crash virus. A Vietnam War veteran, Uncle Enzo heads the mafia in America. He was Hiro’s highest boss at the start of the book, and once Hiro crashes his
 * Hiro Protagonist **
 * Y.T. **
 * Da5id Meier **
 * Uncle Enzo **

Works Cited Cook, Steve. "Authorial Digression in Snow Crash." __Commentary on Stephenson's Snow Crash__ (1998). 6 Mar. 2009 . George, Jacob. "Stephenson's Mafia." __Commentary on Stephenson's Snow Crash__ (Spring 1998). 6 Mar. 2009 . Halenda, Greg. "Rat Things." __English 65 Brown University__ (Spring 2005). __Commentary on Stephenson's__ __Snow Crash__. 20 Mar. 2009 . Mazer, Adam. "An Unsettlingly Familiar Place." __Commentary on Stephenson's Snow Crash__ (2008). 6 Mar. 2009 . Pena, Bill. "Capitalism: The Great Cyber-[Un]Equalizer?" __Commentary on Stephenson's Snow Crash__. 20 Mar. 2009 . Schwartz, Lora. "The Heroes and The Masses." __Commentary on Stephenson's Snow Crash__. 20 Mar. 2009 . Xu, Ruiyan. "Representing Beauty." __Commentary on Stephenson's Snow Crash__. Spring 1998. 20 Mar. 2009 .