Hg Wells The Star Analysis

A few weeks back we had read a short story by H.G. Wells called “The Star.” This story is about the anticipation and consequences of a comet or “star” collision with Earth. On its way through the solar system, the comet also struck other planets. A mathematician after studying the occurrence makes a few predictions about how the encounter with the star will be fatal for Earth and its inhabitants. Some of these predictions were ice in Greenland melting, colder English winters and typhoons in the Pacific. Despite the catastrophes and chaos, Earth manages to survive. Even though a mathematician made the predictions, there is not much of a scientific base behind them.

Another story with the same title written by Arthur C. Clarke shows a little

more scientific approach but with some religious intent. In this story, a group of space explorers from Earth return from an expedition to a remote star system in which the studied the effects of a supernova. In this expedition, they discovered the remnants of a destroyed small planet similar to Pluto. As the group observed the planet, they found an artifact with encapsulated information about the deceased civilization. As they study this information, the realized that the destroyed planet's culture was very similar to Earth's. This realization provokes a deep crisis of faith in the group's chief astrophysicist, a Jesuit priest. He was the most afflicted by these artifacts, as they found themselves identifying closely with the dead race's peaceful, human-like culture and the profound grace they exhibited in the face of their cruel fate.
Since Well’s story was written in the latter part of the nineteenth century and Clarke’s by mid-twentieth century one might think that Well's work inspired Clarke.

We can certainly state that a star for both authors represents a sign of destruction, so both stories share the same apocalyptic theme. Both contemplate the seemingly meaningless destruction of civilization, and both finally are about whether the universe can be understood. In each story, the main character is worried about Earth’s fate and tries to find an explanation of what is happening. The part where both authors differ is where they find answers. The mathematician in Well’s story relies on mathematic calculations to predict what will be when the star passed the Earth. Clarke addresses religious faith for answers.

Although we read in both about catastrophe, life in all its forms seems more disposable in Clarke’s story. The trivial significance of life and the way we leave is what causes the priest to doubt his faith. In Well’s story, we find hope at the end. What seemed to be the sad end of civilization resulted in another test of endurance. Despite I find Well’s story more pessimistic, I think is more conclusive. At the end of this story I know everything will be fine. This is not the case for Clarke’s version. I stay to wonder if Earth’s fate will resemble that of that small

planet.