Mickey7

The dome in which all the colonists live is a symbol of their isolationism. At the outset, the dome is a practical solution: Niflheim lacks the necessary oxygen in the atmosphere for humans to breathe outside on their own, and the cold, icy exterior is inhospitable. The colonists spent years trapped in a spaceship, and once they landed on Niflheim, they remained trapped within the dome. The dome also highlights how the colonists purposefully separate themselves from the planet; however, as the narrative of Mickey7 moves forward, the colonists’ isolation begins to erode. The creepers literally blow a hole in the dome, damaging the main airlock. The hole in the lock provides a more direct connection to the outside world, prompting Mickey7 and the others to seek greater understanding of the creepers and of Niflheim as a planet.

Mickey7’s willingness to step outside the dome and interact with the creepers, along with his refusal to bomb them, breaks the isolation of the colonists. His negotiations and peaceful agreement with the creepers open the landscape of Niflheim for further human exploration and engagement. The novel ends with Niflheim entering springtime, with warm weather that allows for the cultivation of crops outside the dome.