In the next 20 minutes you are to form groups of 4 people. Each group is given two tasks (See below: Background and Symbolism).
When an author writes a novel or play, he often uses the first few chapters to set the scene. This is true about Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids dream of electric sheep".
By reading between the lines, speculate about the world in which the novel takes place. THe following are example things you may address, but you may create your own list.
In each group, write a 100-250 word essay about the "Do Androids ..." world. The goal is to speculate about concrete details that are only hinted at in the first two chapters. Nothing is too bizarre, as long as you can point to evidence in the first two chapters that support your claim.
The essay could read like a travelogue, vacation brochure, encylcopedia entry, journal entry, synopsis, or whatever the group decides, but use a consistent voice.
Symbolism, in literature, is the use of an ordinary thing or object to stand for another more important concept.
Authors often invoke symbolism to set the mood for novel or play. This often is especially true in the first few chapters of a book, or the first few scenes in a play.
By carefully analyzing what you read in the first two chapters, make a list of possible symbolic images. Each item in the list should include the "ordinary item" and the concept it is symbolic of.