Structure

The short story “Time capsule found on the dead planet” by Margaret Atwood does not follow a traditional narrative structure. The text is separated into five sections which makes it easier for readers to follow the “ages” that have defined humanity.

The information found in the time capsule is told in chronological order and mirrors the relationship between humanity and the natural world. In the first age, for example, humanity and the natural world are in harmony: “A million birds flew over us then, a million fish swam in our seas (…) We smelled the earth and rolled in it; its juices ran down our chins.” As time goes by, humanity’s relationship with the natural world changes. 

In the fourth age, for example, the landscape is barren and toxic: “At last all wells were poisoned, all rivers ran with filth, all seas were dead; there was no land left to grow food.” The two contrasting descriptions of the natural world show how the apparent evolution of humanity translates into the destruction of the environment. 

The story also takes the form of a parable, which is a narrative that has a moral lesson. As a parable, the text draws attention to the importance of preserving the natural world...