Notes on The Sparrow
[Please note that these are somewhat casual reading notes, the kind of thing that i
type out either while reading or immediately after reading a novel. As we work
through the novel, I will try to add information to my comments on each character.]
Setting:
Opens in Rome on December 7, 2059 at Jesuit residence of Number 5 Borgo Santo Spirito.
Sandoz is the last surviving member of the Jesuit mission to the planet Rakhat.
Events at Aricebo Radio Telescope occurred in 2019 or so[Ch 4; 28].
Cleveland, Ohio--Sandoz's first meeting with Sofia Mendes in 2014-15 [Ch 5; 33].
Aricebo--Radio telescope located in Puerto Rico. Japanese ownership as partial evidence
of growing Japanese power--conquest of Asia, developing conquest of space [28-29].
Cleveland and San Juan, 2015-2019--Chapter 7 [51-61]: Re-establishing the clinic with
Anne & George, beaten by his brother, Sandoz's past begins to surface.
Casually presented details of 2059 slowly reveal the nature of the Earth society: fireplaces
illegal, private cars restricted in Rome, Japan's power, Sofia's indentured servitude legal,
Chapter 16 [153-160] is central to one of the deeply personal conflicts in the novel: Vows
and promises and how or whether to keep them, whether they be vows of marriage or of
celibacy. Anne's comments on change and the necessity of revising one's vows and
promises seem central to the novel's conflicts of conscience.
Gender Confusion Dominates Chapter 23 [241-64]: Sandoz and others think Chaypas a
man and Manuzhai a woman based on Earth-governed gender assumptions, but the reverse
is true. This causes Sandoz some language confusion with gender references because of the
assumptions that they have made.
Issues:
 Jesuitical thinking [casuistry] vs. binary logic is fore-grounded early in the novel:
Voelker's Us vs. Them thoughts about Sandoz as better to them as a dead martyr
[11]; Jimmy vs. Peggy on striking against Aricebo for incorporating AIs to do the
work of humans and his, "Things don't have to be one way or another" [14].
--This idea appears directly again during the discussion of where to land, when
Sandoz says, "I agree with Marc and Anne about a cautious approach, but there are
logical arguments either way and no empirical means of choosing between them"
[185].
--Consider also Anne's comments on the similar foundations sustaining love and
faith--the notion of feeling a presence instead of logically reasoning a position;
note that this comes at the ironic moment when Sandoz overcomes his agnostic
tendencies and feels the presence of God as he gazes for the first time on Rakhat
[179].
 Community, place, home: Sandoz's crisis of conscience and faith is in part a function
of his never having resolved conflicts between celibate faith and personal desires?
Recall that Anne and George Edwards created for him a sense of "the first real
home he ever had" [38]. Consider his relationship with Sofia, with other crewmembers. Consider how the theme of family and connection runs throughout the
novel, including Anne and George's tender love for each other, but their
childlessness.
 Consider the formal structure of the novel: omniscient narration, breaks within
chapters. How do Russell's choices impact the narrative?
 Why does Russell incorporate the painful practice sessions with Sandoz's artificial
hand servos? [44, 48, ]. Are these sessions somehow linked to thematic concerns
developed in the novel? To issues of faith and conscience?
 How does Russell incorporate social criticism into the novel? Consider Sofia
Mendes and her relationship with Jean Claude Jaubert [§8]. His selling her for a
profit [116].
 What is the specific nature of Sandoz's spiritual crisis? See his interaction with John
Candotti in Naples ["God will break your heart." 49-50]; See the tablet memo to
Sandoz on reconsideration of Mary Magdalene [50] and Guiliani's admission [in his
thoughts] that he, not Voelker, wrote the memo [77-80].
 How would you, through attention to casually provided details, construct a
description of Earth culture in 2059?
 How does this novel address the classic SF notion of the definition of humanity,
what it is to be human? [Intuition on 68 and 93?]
Characters:
Father Emilio Sandoz--At the opening, the Puerto Rican Jesuit priest is sequestered under
suspicion of having committed crimes on Rakhat. He is bruised and maimed, unable to
handle a closed -door room. Relativity of light speed travel renders him about 45 years
old, but in Earth time, he would be in his late 70s [8]. 40 years old at lift off [145].
--He is of mixed Indian, Spanish ancestry. Described as Father-What-A-Waste [16].
--Becomes consumate linguist [Spanish, English, French, Italian, Polish, Arabic, Inuit
dialects, Portuguese, etc...] and is ultimately recruited to quantify his language learning
skills through an AI "for the greater glory of God" [21].
--His tortured hands described [26-27].
--Tossing rocks on the beach [76].
--Singing with Sofia [86].
--Believing that they are destined [by God?] to go to Rakhat [99]; Sandoz desires a
"mission" and when asked if it is "science or religion," says "yes" [96].
--How does Emilio's believe that this mission is fated, directed by God, prepare us to
understand how broken he is upon his return in the early chapters? How does it fashion
the philosophical emphases of the book grounded in spiritual guidance vs. fate? [98100].
--His personal history--Jesuit school, his brother's arrest, etc...[106] see 56-58 for beating
administered by his brother.
--His dreams & his speaking the lines of the father of the epileptic who doubted Christ [10708]--recall "The quest for St. Aquin." Note that the dream of being in a dark room when a
door opens to light foreshadows his experience on Rakhat [108].
--Sandoz, in conversation with John Candotti, suddenly realizes why they altered his hands-as an honor, to make his hands like the ivy plant that was beautiful but dependent on
another--Hasta' akala [210-212]. since he gave his consent to Supaari, he know feels
even greater guilt as the cause of Marc R's death.
Sofia Mendes--[first mention 18]: the "vulture" who "did" Sandoz earlier in his life.
"Vulture" as in one who creates AI programs out of human behaviors. 32 yrs. old at lift off
[143].
 First appearance [34]--her desire for Turkish coffee [33].
 A Sephardic Jew of Spanish ancestry, Sofia is locked into indentured servitude to the
man who bought her and educated her at 15 years of age. She must pay off the debt
before she will be free.
 For the first time as an adult, she feels at home and safe during George and Anne's
dinner [85]; She sings an intimate Ladino duet with Emilio [86-87].
 Losing the wager and tripling her debt, Sofia contemplates Hubris, her foolish risk
[93]; she arrogantly believed that she would win, that intuition could be
programmed.
 Thinks her sold contract a joke perpetrated by Peggy Soong, but then discovers that
she is now a free agent, although she does not know who had freed her [117-118].
 Freed, she returns to Israel, experiences a mikveh, and contemplates religion, hers
and Sandoz's Catholicism, which she abhors for historical and other reasons [12425]. Did George and Anne purchase her freedom? [132].
Vincenzo Giuliani--Father General of the Society of Jesus; has known Sandoz for 60 years,
ever since they were both novices. He was one year behind Sandoz in the process.
 His belief in "Romanita"--the Roman spirit in which, for Italian Catholics, the church
is all, the individual is nothing. Also implies a military sense of obedience, in this
case to the Church [6].
 He tells Emilio that the Jesuit superiors are responsible for the effects of the mission,
not Emilio [80], which is prelude to our learning that Emilio himself saw his
superiors as responsible for the mission decisions when he himself felt uncertainty
during the planning [111].
 Giuliani reveal's D.W.'s comments on the first contact and Sandoz as "a saint" to
Sandoz--Is this Giuliani's motive? To canonize Sandoz as a martyr and reclaim the
Society? [237].
Johannes Voelker--Austrian private secretary of Giuliani [7].
--Believes everyone would be better off if Sandoz were dead, a martyr [10-11].
--Proposes a "retreat" to get Sandoz away from snooping reporters and suggests that he
should conduct "spiritual exercises" with Sandoz [44-45].
--What is the point of Voelker's Mary Magdalene memo to Sandoz in Naples? [50]. See
Sandoz's "Not Magdalene..Lazarus" [77]. NOTE THAT GIULIANI ACTUALLY WROTE
THE MEMO [78].
--Throughout Chapter 17 [161-171] Voelker is Sandoz's antagonist, once more blaming
Sandoz for the decline of the Jesuit Society because of the leaking of his behaviors on
Rakhat to the media. Voelker represents a binary reasoning that is anti-thetical to Jesuit
thought and casuistical reasoning.
Brother Edward Behr--English Jesuit caretaker of Sandoz.
 His protecting Sandoz from the interrogation by an illegal entry reporter places us
inside Behr's thoughts; he is a "short, fat, asthmatic" [§6: 43].
Father John Candotti--A Chicago priest who chose a parish in the "publish or parish" [7]
Jesuit scenario. He is called in to defend Sandoz in the formal hearings [8-9].
--Still thinking in terms of logic regarding the mission [12].
--Brought in by Giuliani to promote Giuliani's good cop/bad cop routine, pitting him against
Voelker? [46].
Peggy Soong--Employee at Aricebo who wants to promote a strike.
Jimmy Quinn--Astronomer working at Aricebo, about to be fired because AIs are replacing
the workers. 28 years old at lift off [145].
 He is tall, awkward, not handsome, but interesting [14]. See 67 for his height relative
to Sofia.
 Proposes to Yanaguchi that they do a comparative study of an AI's performance vs.
the human on which the AI program is based [30-31].
 Jimmy first hears a Rakhat message while working with Sofia [85], then realizes
later that evening what it actually is [88] because Emilio and Sofia's intimate song
gave him the clue to decipher it and he thinkls of the future and the past (Futurity
and Ruins as in Clute?) [89].
George and Anne Edwards: They give Emilio Sandoz "the first real home he ever
had"[38]. Anne and George both 64 at lift off [145].
 George is a retired engineer employed as docent at Aricebo
 Anne is a doctor working at the San Juan clinic and community center established
by the Jesuits at La Perla, a slum outside San Juan. In her late 50s, Anne meets
Sandoz as his Latin 101 student [36].
 They return to San Juan with Sandoz in 2016 to re-establish the clinic and there
meet Jimmy Quinn [§7: 51-61].
 They hold the dinner for Jimmy, Sofia, Emilio where Emilio and Sofia, much to
Jimmy's dismay, intimately sing a duet together in Ladino [84-87].
 They argue about the proposed mission and Anne refuses to go [103-04].
 Anne's agnosticism in confrontation about belief in God or quarks [110] occurs just
after we learn about Emilio's own struggles with agnosticism [107], something she
does not know.
 Seeing how a woman in her 60s on vacation was reduced to a vegetable in a bus
accident causes Anne to change her mind [115].
 Did Anne and George buy Sofia's contract? [132].
 Anne's comparison of love and faith [179] identifies one of the novel's central
concerns, for her comparison is grounded in the idea of feeling the presence of
something rather than logically arguing, or reasoning a belief in either love or faith.
 Anne's anger with God over Alan Pace's senseless death provokes a reversal of the
God feeling that they all had upon landing [196-97] and further explores the
unfathomable nature of God's plan. See Marc's funeral oration [200-01] for
God's incomprehensible plan.
Masao Yanoguchi--Manger of Aricebvo under the gun to cut costs in the form of human
workers [29].
D.W. Yarbrough--Waco, Texas Jesuit who guided Sandoz throughout his development as a
Jesuit. Will arrive in San Juan in 2019 [112]. Appears on 118--Considered
unimaginably ugly by George and Anne.
 He will be the pilot for the excursion [121]. 59 years old [143].
 Revealed to be gay in a private conversation with Anne as they walk outside the
Kashan village [248].
 Reveals to Anne that he believes Sandoz might be a candidate for sainthood [251];
see also Giuliani's revelation of D.W.'s report on 237.
Tomas da Silva--31st General of the Society of Jesus, first appears on113. He believes the
transmissions are genuine, while also noting that all of the Earth music similar to that
of Rakhat is spiritual in nature.
Felipe Reyes--Visits Sandoz in Naples in 2060. He is the street kid that Sandoz taught to
swear in Latin and to serve mass [130-132]. He has lost his hands to an anonymously
sent letter bomb and had them replaced with Father Sing's designed mechanical
hands.
 His purpose is to demonstrate that Emilio's work has been successful, is still
affecting the La Perla community [132].
 But he has come as the request of the Father General to act as devil's advocate? [To
provoke Sandoz's confession? [133]. No. Not to act as a prosecutor [134].
 His conversation in the sailboat with Giuliani and the contrast of his and Sandoz's
personal histories to Giuliani's. As "scholarship boys," Reyes and Sandoz ultimately
are cut off from family and community by their education; ironically, Giuliani's
family made their money in drugs and mafia [camorra] activities [204-208]. Social
Criticism and Richard Rodriguez.
Marc Robichaux--naturalist crew-member, 43 years old. [144]. His childhood and early
leukemia described--universal health care in Canadian system saved him [198-200].
Alan Pace--British musicologist, 39 years old [145]. His death ironically before he even
gets to hear the music of Rakhat [195-96]. His decaying body will contaminate the planet
but their presence and biological functions have already done so--preparation for the
more dramatic effects of their presence on the social structure of the planet? [20001].
Isaac Jogues--17th Century Jesuit martyr who fingers were removed section by section as
he attempted to convert Native Americans. His story is parallel to Sandoz's [134-35].
Askama--The child who befriended Sandoz and who met the consortium members, Wu
Xing-Ren and Trevor Isley and led them to Sandoz on Rakhat [Introduced 166]. Meets
Sandoz during the first contact [226].
Supaari Gayjur--Jana'ta introduced on 166; he was somewhat dismissive of Wu and Isley.
Appears in chapter 23 [240-264] as a successful businessman and profiteer who
employs a Runa secretary [Awijan] and who predicts fashion trends and exploits the
Runa in the village of Kashan, where the Jesuit party makes first contact. He is a third
born and therefore unable to inherit his family estate.
Awijan--Supaari's Runa secretary, introduced on 214.
Hlavin Kitheri--The Reshtar of Galatna whose beautiful voice is heard in the transmissions
from Rakhat and who would destroy Sandoz [146]; his was the most powerful,
hypnotic, breathtaking voice among the singers. Sandoz meets him first on 390-92.
The Runa--first met outside their village and described in detail [224-25]. The connection
between their language [identifying the space and function of things rather than the
things themselves] and social structures evidences an SF as social criticism aspect of
the novel [232-33]. Their "herd" mentality and social structure is described [234].
This prepares us for the later revelation about the biological and cultural relation of
Runa to Jana' ata.
Chaypas--The VaKashani woman [but Sandoz and Sofia refer to Chaypas as "him" 246.]
whom Supaari saw wearing the ribbons that would increase his fortune [241-43].
VaKashani apparently means "from the village of Kashan," so she is Runa. She brings
coffee beans to Supaari, who is entranced by their complex aroma.