Still, they are converging into one goal and one place – they are willing to go deep into cyberspace, the term first coined by Gibson, to make a great deal of money doing something hazardous because they believe that striking it rich is the only way that they can be happy. Rikki, on the other hand, can be compared to a girl who came from the boondocks and content to enjoy life and focused not on the more severe side of life but in how she can buy the things that she believes are important to her.Īs is clear from William Gibson’s “Burning Chrome” summary, all came from different starting points. Although they have different backgrounds, Bobby seemed a true-blooded nerd who always loved computers while Jack seems the more adventurous type who also happens to like computers and its ability to make money without going through the rigors of the rat race. The main characters: Bobby, Jack, and Rikki, went through a significant change in their personality and in their worldview and how they tried to deal with the sudden transformation of their individual lives. In the end, they wanted to get rich quick because they know that they are getting older and slower, but more importantly, because they are in love with the same woman, but only Jack knows about it.

Interestingly, they were regular hackers who were content in making money but not more than the amount for which they will get caught. The story begins in Bobby’s loft, the two men huddling together in an attempt to hack into a system that will make them rich beyond their wildest dreams.Īt the end of their struggle, they were triumphant in the biggest score of their young lives, but they paid a terrible price for it. Bobby is an expert hacker specializing in software while Jack is the same but specializes in hardware.

The story is about Bobby, Jack, and Rikki. This story is the precedent of the author’s famous novel Neuromancer, which is followed by “Count Zero.” All his books represent similar ideas and themes. “Burning Chrome” analysis in this essay explores main characters’ traits, major themes, and symbolism of the story.

Gibson burning chrome