# After Some Tomorrow explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Mack Reynolds.

## What happens

In a post-apocalyptic clan society, Alan, the sole husband of the Wolf clan, faces a contentious assembly where he argues for radical social and reproductive reforms—including merging with rival clans and accepting sterile males as mates—to combat declining fertility and ensure the race's survival, while matriarch Sally and scout chief Vivian resist his interference in what they consider women's affairs.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Class and Caste

The clan's rigid hierarchy—warrior-workers, older women, sterilies, children—and the marginalization of sterile males reflect a caste system based on reproductive ability.

### Rebellion and Revolution

Alan's proposal to overturn traditional clan structures, including sharing husbands and integrating sterilies, represents a revolutionary challenge to the established matriarchal order.

### Identity and Self-Worth

The sterilies' low status and Alan's struggle for dignity as a man in a female-dominated society highlight themes of identity and worth tied to reproductive function.

## Character check-ins

### Alan

The husband of the Wolf clan, advocating for selective breeding and clan unification to address the decline of fertile men.

### Sally

Matriarch of the Wolf clan, who rebukes Alan for endangering himself in battle and resists his proposed changes to clan structure.

### Vivian

Scout chief of the Wolf clan, dismissive of Alan's ideas and assertive in her role, later demonstrating her authority with a captured tommy gun.

## Key lines

> I mean our present system can’t go on. It isn’t working.

Alan declares that the current clan structure is unsustainable and failing.

_Alan's central argument for reform, emphasizing the urgency of change._

> All of our women—except for two or three—might die and the clan would live on. The sterilies certainly might all die, and the clan live on. Even the children could all die and the clan live on. But if our husband dies, the clan dies.

Sally explains that the husband's survival is paramount, as his death would mean the end of the clan.

_Highlights the clan's reproductive dependency on a single fertile male._

> Mate with sterilies? ... And let fertile men be used expressly for attempting to produce additional fertile men.

Alan suggests that sterile men should be accepted as mates and that fertile men should focus on breeding more fertile males.

_Alan's controversial proposal to restructure social and reproductive norms._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se/chapters/after-some-tomorrow
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se/chapters