The Community

The Community is an underground city in which Zoe and most of the other characters live. It is controlled by the Uppers, who have inserted V-chips into all residents in order to maintain complete control over them, but maintaining that this is a good thing that protects them from the destructive urges and emotions that destroyed the Old World.

Although it is gray and drab, the Community functions much like a regular city. It has schools, a Market Corridor for buying groceries and other items, housing units and a subway system for transportation.

The Surface

The Surface is the world above ground. Although it has been devastated by wars and is regulated by the military, it has all the features that the Community lacks -- fresh air, plants and trees, tall buildings, cars and trucks for individual transportation, homes, etc. The Surface is also home to the...