Content Connections:
In The Future of Us, Emma and Josh are two teenagers living in 1996, and they can see themselves 15 years in the future. As a result, Emma and Josh begin to change their present lives to make sure their future lives are happy. Below, you can find connections that can be made to this novel and allusions the novel makes to the pop culture of 1996. We hope through these connections, students will be better able to relate to the text.
- The Butterfly Effect (2004). In this film, Ashton Kutcher finds that if he concentrates hard enough, he can travel back in time. Although he is trying to make the future better by "fixing" the past, the hero finds that the future remains grim. Something similar occurs in The Future of Us. Emma removes Tampa State from her college choices; and thus, never meets Jordan Jr, but by doing this she finds herself now married to Kevin Storm (and not much happier). In The Butterfly Effect, the reason every future was bad was because the protagonist was doomed. In The Future of Us, Emma’s future unhappiness is related to who she is now. A word of caution is provided: the film is rated "R" and is a downbeat story.
- In the classic It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), George Bailey (James Stewart), finds himself in a depression after believing he has let family and neighbors down. George wishes he had never been born. George is then shown what everyone's lives would have been like had he not existed. As a result, George comes to realize that he does have an important role to play in the world. This film is unrated, but appropriate for all audiences.
- In Mr. Destiny (1990), Jim Belushi gets to see what his life would have been like had he won his team the winning baseball game as an adolescent (he had in fact struck out). Although a success with a high paying job and a very attractive wife (shades of Josh from The Future of Us), the character comes to realize that he liked his “average” life better. Rated PG-13.
- Another film which did something similar, was A Sound of Thunder (2005). In this science fiction story, based on a Ray Bradbury story, people go back in time to hunt dinosaurs but find they have altered their future. Rated PG-13.
- Finally, in the Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" (1967), Dr. McCoy goes back in time and changes history. Because of this, almost all of his fellow crew-mates have ceased to exist. Unrated, but appropriate for junior high audiences.
Style Connections:
The Future of Us tells its story through switching first person narrations; shifting from chapter to chapter between Emma and Josh. This writing technique adds to the book and allows the reader to get inside the heads of two characters as opposed to one. However, this is not a new technique. Here are a couple of examples, more appropriate for older high school students (Juniors and Seniors).
- As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner- A poor, Southern family makes a pilgrimage to bury the matriarch and have many problems along the way. The novel is narrated by all of the main characters through a shifting first person process.
- The Kill-Off by Jim Thompson- A gossipy, mean old lady is murdered. Just about everyone in the town has a reason for committing the crime. The mystery is told via multiple narrators which change with each chapter.
Connections Made Within the Novel:
The following are just a few of the many connections to pop culture this novel makes. This can be very helpful to review with students since most of the students will be very unfamiliar with the 1990s time period.
- Ultimate Frisbee is mentioned in the novel on page 2. This is an outdoor game that is rather popular today, but some people don't know what it is.
- Friends the T.V. series is also mentioned in the novel on page 5. This was a very popular show in the 90's and it is still a personal favorite (I own all the seasons!).
- Tuck Everlasting is a novel that is mentioned within the novel. This is a great opportunity for students to be introduced into other literature.
- A Wrinkle In Time is a young adult novel that is mentioned in The Future of Us.
- The song "Crash Into Me" by the Dave Mathews Band is mentioned a few times within the novel. Since students today may not know the song, or perhaps the band, we provided a YouTube video of the song so students can hear the kind of music that was popular in the 90's.
- Toy Story was a very popular movie back in the 1990s and it is mentioned in the novel. Below is a YouTube clip to the trailer of the first movie that was made in 1995.
- The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was a very popular T.V. series that was on in the 1990s. This is still on T.V. on Nick at Nite, so we think students may know about the show. Below is the catchy theme song of the T.V. show.