They work with two aliens, whom they nickname Flapper and Raspberry. Louise and Gary are assigned to 9 “looking glass” sites (that’s what humans call the sites where these spaceships have landed) and start to work with them to understand their language in order to be able to communicate with them. Banks and Gary Donnelly (who is a physicist) have been brought in to assist with the process.Īliens, whom people call ‘Heptapods’, because of their seven limbs and radially symmetrical appearance, communicate in a language that is nothing like any form of language (both written or verbal) that humans have ever known. (Photo Credit: Arrival Movie)Īliens initiate communication with humans and Dr. This image is a screenshot of the movie Arrival, which is based on this short story.

This is the alien spaceship which land in different parts of the world. These ‘devices’ serve as an audio visual link to the aliens. And not just one or two, a total of 112 gigantic semi-circular spaceships land all over the planet. The pivotal point in the story is the arrival of aliens in spaceships that land in different parts of the world, including the US, Russia, China etc. The story opens with a couple enjoying a romantic dance on a day which happens to be the one where their daughter was conceived. Louise is recounting the events of her life to her daughter and story alternates between glimpses into her past and future. The story revolves around Louise Banks, a respected linguist, who is also the narrator of the story. Story of Your Life: Summary and Plot Analysis Its most recent adaptation into a Hollywood movie – Arrival, starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner – is a testimony to its ever-growing popularity. Ted Chiang, in his short story “The Story of Your Life”, brings you some answers in a very humane sci-fi manner, traversing through the themes of language and determinism.įirst published in Starlight 2 way back in 1998, this story has received multiple accolades. Will that scare you, or will you be hopeful? Or both?

What would you do if you somehow chance upon the ability to be able to see your future? “Despite knowing the journey and where it leads, I embrace it and welcome every moment.” This story received many accolades and shot to immense popularity following the success of a Hollywood movie ‘Arrival’, which is based on this story. The story revolves around a renowned linguist and how she makes a breakthrough in communicating with the aliens that have landed all over the world in massive spaceships. Story of Your Life is a science fiction short story written by Ted Chiang.

Arrival by Ted Chiang