Analysis of this novel obviously should begin with its title, which ties it to the tradition of apocalyptic literature. Discussion groups might choose to emphasize the ways in which this version of the apocalypse reflects the issues and concerns of the 1980s, but any examination must also include the novel's relationship to other postWorld War II versions of the end of the civilized world. Discussants should consider the implications of the obvious shift from destruction of the entire society to individual destruction.

A second area for the discussion is the novel's development of the age-old conflict between the forces of good and evil. Humans' efforts to overcome the temptation to evil and follow the path of virtue are the substance of much literature, especially saints' lives and morality plays. Discussants might analyze the parallels between this novel and various examples of those earlier genres. In addition...