Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S Lewis, is an exciting tale of one man’s unintentional adventures in space. A philologist by the name of Dr. Elwin Ransom accidentally interrupts the plans of two scientists, Professor Weston and his partner Devine, and as a result is kidnapped and taken to Mars. The criminal pair intend to offer Ransom as a sacrifice, unbeknownst to their victim, but Ransom eventually discovers their evil plans and is determined to fight for his life. Ransom manages to escape from his captors once they land on the planet, but then finds himself alone on a strange planet that he knows nothing about. Ransom’s honor, curiosity, and bravery aid him throughout his journey in a terrifying but fantastic new world, leading him to discover …show more content…
things about the universe and his own planet that he never dreamed of. Ransom’s honor can be seen early on in the book, when he is travelling the English countryside and is stopped by a distressed woman. After obtaining directions for a place to stay, he also listens to her concerns about her son who has been gone for a long period of time. Even though he is exhausted and still far away from a place to stay, Ransom feels compelled to help her and does the honorable thing, going out of his way to make sure her son returns. Later, when he is on the Hnakra hunt with the Hross, Hyoi is killed by Weston and Devine. Ransom is deeply troubled because he believes he has brought Hyoi’s death to him unnecessarily, causing not only him but his whole village to suffer needlessly. He tries to apologize, and even after Hyoi makes it known that he is forgiven Ransom does his best to make up for what he perceives to be his fault by obeying Whin and travelling to see Oyarsa. Near the end of the story, when the three men are preparing for the impossible journey back to earth, the idea that Weston and Devine might still attack him does not occur to Ransom until Oyarsa tells him that the weapons have been removed from the spaceship, but that one shall be given to him in case he must defend himself. Being an honorable man himself, the idea of harming or killing others does not come easily to him. Aside from his honor, Ransom is also incredibly curious.
When he first wakes up on board the spaceship after being kidnapped, he is fascinated and also terrified by the odd occurrences caused by being in space. After overcoming his initial fear, Ransom asks Weston many questions regarding space, such as what star they are heading to. His curiosity overcomes even his own anger at being kidnapped, as he asks Weston why they have taken him but is much more interested in his current situation. Later, on the planet Mars, Ransom encounters an alien species known as Hross. Although initially fearful, his curiosity soon leads him to come closer to the creature, and Ransom is able to see that the creature is not merely animal but also intelligent. This leads to him travelling with the Hross to his village and befriending many of the strange seal-like creatures. Finally, during his journey with the Sorn Augray, Ransom asks many questions. He asks about the history of the planet, its species, and Oyarsa, showing his curious mind and his eagerness to learn …show more content…
more. Lastly, it is Ransom’s bravery that is perhaps the most notable.
Although he is initially fearful, his experiences in Malacandra nurture the growth of his courage and help form him into a better person. His bravery is seen to be lacking in the beginning of the story, such as when he attempts to stop Weston and Devine from harming the boy Harry. Even though he tries, his attempts are weak and lack conviction, as he merely shouts at them. On Malacandra, he lives in almost complete fear for the first part of the story, running and hiding from creatures he knows nothing about. It is only his meeting with the Hross that convinces him that not all the inhabitants of this strange world are hostile towards him. In befriending the Hross, Ransom begins to form a more open mind towards Malacandra, still somewhat fearful but now beginning to see it more and more as a home. He later encounters the creatures he feared most, the Sorns, and learns that they too are not hostile. Gradually, Ransom becomes acquainted with all three species, and in talking to them and seeing their viewpoints on things begins to lose his fear. He even comes to care for Malacandra and its people, to the point where he tells Oyarsa he should kill not only Weston and Devine but himself to protect it. Ransom’s suggestion shows that his courage has blossomed to the point where his willingness to defend is much stronger than it was when he tried to defend the boy Harry, the valuable lessons learned from the
Malacandrian people playing a major role in the growth of his courage. Throughout his journey into space and on Malacandra, Ransom’s honor, curiosity, and courage help him to understand things about the universe and his own planet on a much deeper level than before. His honor shows in the way he tries to do the right thing, such as finding the boy Harry for his worried mother. His curiosity helps him to have a naturally open mind, and this helps him to learn about the universe and grow as a person, whether it be from befriending the Hross or simply asking questions. And finally, his transition from a weaker courage to real bravery give him the strength necessary to make it through his adventures while taking many valuable lessons with him. Overall, Ransom’s character traits help him to appreciate the wonders of God’s beautiful universe, instead of looking only for materialistic gain like Weston and Devine.
Dr. Daniel K. Richter is the Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Professor of American History at University of Pennsylvania. His focus on early Native American history has led to his writing several lauded books including Before the Revolution: America’s Ancient Past, and The Ordeal of the Longhouse: The Peoples of the Iroquois League in the Era of European Colonization. Richter’s Facing East is perhaps, a culmination of his latter work. It is centered from a Native American perspective, an angle less thought about in general. Through the book, Richter takes this perspective into several different fields of study which includes literary analysis, environmental history, and anthropology. Combining different methodologies, Richter argues Americans can have a fruitful future, by understanding the importance of the American Indian perspective in America’s short history.
The Novel House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski uses two characters of his own creation to construct the book in its entirety. The first contributor, Zampano, who is the author, who may or may not be trustworthy of the interpretation of The Navidson Record, because he is blind. Early on in his efforts to finish the book he dies under suspicious circumstances. At this point, Danielewski employees another to contribute, Johnny Truant, who composes the introduction and notes for the book. Zampano documents the Navidson Record which is about Will Navidson and his family. Navidson calls his brother Tom and a family friend, Billy Reston, to investigate a hallway that appears out of nowhere between two rooms. Once a labyrinth appears in the house,
In the book The Chosen the four main characters have different views on how children should be raised. Danny Saunders was said to be raised in silence. Danny was raised in silence in that communication was cut off between Danny and his father, except when they were studying Talmud. The reason Danny’s father did not speak to his son is because Rabbi Saunders wanted to have Danny think things through himself. Reb Saunders also wanted Danny to grow up in the same manner he himself was raised.
In Orfield Laboratories, Minnesota there exists a room known as an anechoic chamber. Anechoic means free from echoes, the room measures at -9 decibels. 45 minutes marks the longest time anyone has spent in there alone. Lacking outside noises, the quietude of the room allows those inside to hear their own internal organs; occasionally hallucinations occur. The chamber amplifies an unknown fear, dead silence and extreme loneliness. Like many things, silence has a multitude of advantages, but extreme silence can prove devastation. In Chaim Potok’s The Chosen silence as a theme demonstrates destructivity. Devastation caused by silence is shown through Reb’s parenting methods, Danny’s silence between his father, and Reuven’s various experiences with silence.
Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front gives you detail and insight into the long, destructive “Great War”. Quickly, romantic illusions about combat are disintegrate. Enthusiastic teenage boys convinced to fight for their country by their patriotic teachers came back feeling part of a lost generation . This novel teaches us what a terrifying and painful experience World War I was for those fighting in the trenches on the front.
"A word is worth one coin, silence is worth two" (205). This passage from the Talmud is very confusing and strange. How is a word worth one coin? People use words to communicate and speak with others. Without words how could people say that they are suffering or are in need of comfort? Silence is worth two coins though. Silence can say things that words cannot. It can reach to the soul and say things that people are to afraid or unable to put into words.
Ransom, by the end of the book, is a virtuous man. He grew much during his time on Malacandra, gaining faith, hope, and a greater understanding of love through Oyarsa. He not only avoids evil, but seeks good, and seeks to share that good with others, shown in his writing of the book. “Out of the Silent Planet” emphasizes the fallenness of man, and shows a glimpse of what we would be without the fall. It offers
Silence teaches and creates things, it also leaves things bottled up inside and emotions running astray. In the book, The Chosen the characters didn't always know what was happening with others because they were silent many times. But some could know what each other were talking about like, Danny and Reuven. They could understand each other even when silent because of the close relationship they had Danny's silence is based on "Being raised in silence", "The technique and how it impacted Danny", and "How the method of raising a child can work out"
Just envision you were a soldier running, ducking, and dodging bullets. The heat from exploding grenades burning the back of your neck, having to hide in wet, smelly, muddy trenches in order to survive. The only way to keep in touch with your family and friends is by writing a letter, not knowing when they will receive it or if they will even write back. Imagine having to carry a large amount of weapons, for example: machine guns, pistols, grenades, flamethrowers, or rifles. Now, we are lucky that's only a vision in our minds, because in 1914, that was reality for the soldiers of World War I. the author Eric Maria Remarque used these visions and facts in hi novel titled All Quiet on the Western Front. The question to be answered is; did the characters and setting of this novel deeply portray the time period of World War I or did Remarque make everything up?
In the year 1625, Francis Bacon, a famous essayist and poet wrote about the influences of fear on everyday life. He stated, “Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other” (Essays Dedication of Death). Clearly, external surroundings affect perceptions of fear as well as human nature in general. Although C.S. Lewis published the novel, Out of the Silent Planet, over three centuries after Bacon wrote his theory on fear, Lewis similarly portrayed external surrounding to manipulate perceptions of fear. From the first chapter of the novel, Lewis revealed fear to be a weakness that leads to ignorance. It was this ignorance that apparently fueled the cycle of corruption and immorality on “The Silent Planet.” Using the character Ransom to reveal the effect of memory and morality on fear, C.S. Lewis demonstrates that fear is a quality of the “bent” race (humans), and only by eliminating fear in our lives can the human race become hnau.
WWI was a European war that occurred between 1914 and 1918 and took over 17 million lives. The war began after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand by a terrorist group fueled by nationalism. Countries entered the war as a result of contractual agreements with other nations and increasing competition for military power and imperialized colonies while individual soldiers felt inspired by the glorification of the war and a sense of pride in fighting for their country. The novel, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque explores the experiences and motivations of these soldiers and how it affected them emotionally and psychologically, specifically German soldiers fighting in the Western Front. Most individuals thought that WWI was
What does war do to a man? It destroys his inner being; it crushes hope; it kills him. Experiencing battle leaves only the flesh of a man, for he no longer has a personality; it leaves a wasteland where a vast field of humanity once was. Through the main character, Paul Baumer, the reader experiences the hardships and consequences of war. During the course of the war, Paul reflects on how the young men involved in the war have no future left for them, they've become a "lost generation." Paul feels that his generation has "become a wasteland" because the war has made him into a thoughtless animal, because he knew nothing before the war, and because the war has shown the cheapness of human life.
Chaim Potok uses many different types of silence in The Chosen. He utilizes many of them to facilitate illustrating the characters’ beliefs and emotions. The silence helps to buoy the imagery and strength of the emotions and assists in adding depth to the moment. Each silence also helps to clarify the messages that pass through the story, making them sharper and additionally refined.
In “The Great Silence” Ted Chiang presents the reader with the idea that humans and other intelligent species do live on earth. Communication between different species on earth can be difficult because they can’t express their thoughts to one another. According to a possible solution to fermi’s paradox, intelligent life would rather hide than to present themselves to potential enemies. Humans have a hard time trying to find other species to communicate with because they only focus on extraterrestrial life. Humans created the Arecibo observatory to send out signals into space and pick up any signals that could be sent by extraterrestrial life. Although Humans cannot speak directly to other species we are able to communicate with our actions and vibes.
in the play, is the character to fear. We don’t know the details of what