Although this novel has specific plot lines following the intersecting lives of two people who are united by circumstance, the true plot is actually much broader in scope. In a way, the plot follows the arc of human life on the earth, because as the title suggests, Continental Drift is a suitable antithesis for the narrative arc of globalization. In other words, the planet's land masses have historically migrated away, leading to cultural diversity across the earth, but in the present and future, technology is united us.
This process is called globalization, and the novelist treats it with circumspection. He is certainly not afraid to be critical. Among the criticisms is a kind of naivete about privilege. That naivete shapes the emotional thought life of Bob Dubois. Bob moves to Florida and is suddenly astonished by how many Black people there are. He doesn't realize that there is an systemic injustice in the South until he is forced to defend his brother's store from armed robbery. That is his first taste of chaos.
The criminal element adds another layer of complexity to the issue of globalization, because although the governments of the earth are typically hesitant to accept refugees and immigrants, there are criminals galore who will make that happen. Bob also participates in this aspect of cultural convergence—in a scandalous way that is intended to make him money illegally. This shows a criticism of globalization because the countries with the most money will tend to profit from globalization.
