The Last Murder at the End of the World

The novel highlights this theme by exploring the difference between willing and unwilling sacrifices. Niema teaches the villagers that sacrifice is important, especially for the good of the community. However, Niema shows that she does not understand the true nature of sacrifice because she does not believe that those who are sacrificed, such as the participants in her experiments, must give their consent. In contrast, the villagers understand that sacrifice is both selfless and voluntary and must be made for the communal good.

When Emory challenges Niema’s lack of care for human life, Niema says that the sacrifice is necessary because she is “gambling a solitary life for the chance to make a better world in the long run” (36). Although Niema proves her point by eventually sacrificing herself for the benefit of the future, Emory sees Niema’s logic as flawed because she gambles a life that is not her own. While Niema believes that this is a sacrifice, Emory sees it as murder. Niema fails to understand that sacrifice is only meaningful if given willingly and without coercion. However, Niema finally makes this connection at the end of her life when she puts the memory extractor on herself to provide guidance for the simulacrums in the future.