← Back to Concept Index
cross-cultural-encounter
The dialogue between Ponter and the humans highlights the cultural and ethical differences in attitudes toward nature and species preservation.
1 chapter across 1 book
Hominids (2002)Robert J. Sawyer
Chapter 47
In this chapter, Ponter, a Neanderthal from a parallel Earth, learns from Mary and others that many large animals, including mammoths and other megafauna, have been hunted to extinction by humans on this Earth. The conversation culminates in the painful revelation that Neanderthals themselves were likely wiped out by Homo sapiens, causing Ponter emotional distress. The chapter ends on a hopeful note as Ponter recovers from distemper and prepares to explore this world.