How does Connie meet or not meet the genre expectations of a science fiction protagonist? What does this say about Piercy’s reasons for writing in the genre?

What is the relationship between race/ethnicity and culture in Mattapoisett? How does this coincide with the novel’s depiction of Connie’s Chicana heritage? Does the novel suggest that Mattapoisett is right to decouple culture from ethnicity?

Consider the novel’s use of religious imagery, particularly in conjunction with women’s oppression. How does that usage develop the work’s overall meaning?