Consider the two long lists of topics people were speaking about in the squares. In the first instance, the list consists of things like the end of the world, the revindication of darkness, the power of exorcism, the blood of the black cat, the sleep of the shadow, and divine tattoos. In the second instance, the list consists of things like private property, the stock exchange, production and distribution, communication, pharmaceutical research, and the price of priests and funerals.

In both cases, the speakers and their audiences are described as attending to one another with interest. Compare and contrast the two lists. What do the items each have in common? How do the lists differ from each other? What do these lists suggest about human behavior after a society has completely broken down? Which list seems to have more potential for addressing topics of importance to human survival? What might the author have meant by ending both lists with the death of the word?

Teaching Suggestion: Ask students to recreate the lists from memory before turning to the book for reference. See if they can recall which of the items go on each list. Discuss which list items they find more interesting and which they find more valuable.