Spoilers
I haven’t seen this theory talked about, but I don’t think the guards were human.
Reason #1, the title: “I Who Have Never Known Men”. If the guards were “men”, technically, she did know men. Right? That might be a stretch, but here’s my other reasons.
• the women and author are clearly familiar with the plights of being a vulnerable woman under control of men. You’re telling me there were multiple bunkers full of women & none of the men killed/raped them in this dystopian world? Sure we don’t have all the details, but from our original bunker we know there was no taunting, no creepy leering, no interaction or interest at all.
- If this book is about the human experience, and we assume the guards are human, there was nothing human about them. Their uncanny silence, lack of uncomfortableness with the staring, perfect consistency in routine, and ability to fully detach from the suffering happening to the humans in the bunkers. No slip ups, all the bunkers were consistent and monotonous.
• the lack of suicide in all the bunkers and the guards uncanny control and precision of the whips. early in the book it’s described that they have all thought of suicide, but the guards can snatch a knife out of someone’s hand with a whip before they can do anything. It’s safe to assume all the bunkers had people trying to commit suicide, but none were successful until after the guards had left.
• the guards didn’t understand human nature. Ex 1: Sleep. Early in the book the MC is warned to close her eyes and pretend to sleep otherwise she would get a pill. Why? She has nowhere to go and nothing to do, she would fall asleep eventually regardless. Ex 2: clothes. They talk about being given the modesty of clothes, but for no logical reason. But they weren’t given the modesty of a private toilet. Ex 3: periods. They had abundant supplies of everything, some things for comfort, and no thought to provide pads/tampons?
* it appears the guards want to keep the humans alive and healthy as much as possible, but isn’t considering human things like mental health and intimacy. they don’t have anything to do, and aren’t allowed to touch each other at all.
- The guard’s work schedule was weird. This was highlighted earlier on when counting heartbeats and the women comparing them to their old work schedules. The women couldn’t wrap their heads around it.
- Guards disappeared. Some people have mentioned portals, we can assume there was some sort of advanced tech that helped them.
- Lack of humanness in all the guards quarters. Despite the guards leaving in a rush, there were no signs of human like items in a work place. Think cards, snacks, pictures, personal items.
- The bus. I think, might have been humans. Why only one bus? Why only one shitty road? So many bunkers that all needed guards, but one bus full of dead men whose gear and uniforms didn’t match the bunker guards. Despite the many bunkers, no other transportation is mentioned. If the bunker guards aren’t humans they clearly didn’t need buses.
- I could keep going, there’s other things like lack of trash, human things lying aliens, lack of communication (did they even know English?)
by Acceptable_System389