The Passengers

“‘I don’t like not being in control,’ she’d told him […]. ‘That’s because you’re a control freak,’ he’d replied. ‘You need to learn to start putting your trust in things you’re not in charge of.’”

This dialogue between Claire and her husband, Ben, establishes the novel’s central thematic conflict. Ben’s dismissal of Claire’s concerns is an example of irony, as the technology he trusts is about to fail. Claire’s statement foreshadows the Passengers’ subsequent loss of agency and thematically introduces The Illusion of Control in a Technologically Saturated World.

“‘Rupert, you sneaky little devil, you did it, didn’t you? You got me on that programme.’ […] She balled her fists to contain her excitement—her comeback was imminent; she could feel it.”

Actress Sofia Bradbury misinterprets the life-or-death hijacking as a career opportunity, believing that she has been cast on a reality TV show. This use of dramatic irony critiques a media-saturated culture in which the line between crisis and entertainment is blurred. Sofia’s reaction introduces the theme of How the Digital World’s Hypervisibility Drives Public Performance, as her primary concern is public image rather than her own safety.

“The environment was fast becoming another casualty of the race for driverless cars that Libby had grown to hate.”

This line of internal monologue from Libby Dixon establishes her critical perspective on autonomous technology before the main crisis unfolds. By characterizing driverless cars as having environmental “casualties,” the text positions Libby as a counterpoint to the era’s prevailing techno-optimism, grounding her animosity in observable negative consequences.