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Chapter 12 Study

An archived study of the first book in Lewis' theological science fiction Space Trilogy.

Chapter 12 Study

Postby Kanakaberaka » April 10th, 2006, 12:40 pm

Synopsis: As Ransom helps Hyoi prepare for the hnakra hunt, Ransom wonders if the hross ever go to war against the other hnau. This changes the whole conversation with Hyoi into a profound philosophical one. Ransom learns remarkable things about the virtures of the Malacandrians. The conversation ends with Ranson's question about not being able to view an eldil.
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News about the hnakra cut short Ransom's debriefing with the hrossa elders. Ransom was relived because he did not want to say much about things like war on Thulcandra. However, his curiosity about whether or not the hrossa go to war is sparked by the preparations Hyoi makes for hunting the hnakra. In spite of his military precision, Hyoi does not know what Ransom is talking about. Soon it becomes obvious that the hrossa find the idea of attacking a fellow hnau incomprehensible. From there the conversation goes on to reveal that the hrossa only have physical love for a year or two during their lives in order to keep the population steady. I'm not sure if I can sympathize with the notion that sex is strictly for procreation. Even my own Catholic Church allows natural family planing so that married couples can continue intimacy without neccessarily having more children.

The whole point of this talk is to show that the Malacandrians follow a moral lifestlye as animals follow their insticts. It simply comes naturally to them. This reminded me of the fourth voyage in "Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift. On his final voyage Gulliver encounters intelligent horses who call themselves "Houyhnhnms" (pronounced "hwinnim"). Not only are the Houyhnhnms sapient, they are highly moral as well. They share the Hrossa's ideal of abstaining from sex in order to control their own population. Through their own morality they have created an equine Utopia. I wonder if Lewis was inspired by Swift's famous work? Is it just a coincidence that most of the Houyhnhnms' words begin with "h", just like the hrossa? I have a feeling that Lewis built apon Swift's notion of a totaly moral non-human society. Lewis left it up to Devine and Weston to play the part of the "Yahoos", the devolved, ape-men.

But the Hrossa are not weaklings. Hyoi lets Ransom know that that he is unafraid to risk death by encountering the hnakra. He even says that the presence of the deadly beast makes life worth living. This is quite different from the pastoral island of Swift's Houyhnhnms where the only adversaries are the lothsome Yahoos. And their only offense seemed to be throwing their own excrement.

Finally Ransom asks Hyoi who was it he was talking to when they first met. It was an eldil of course. And it disturbs Ransom that he cannot discern such creatues as the hrossa can. Since the cub, Hrikki had no trouble doing so, could this be a reference to our need to become like little children in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

Lewis also added quite a few additional Malacandrian liguistic notes in this chapter. I will leave those for Stanley to write about since he's better on it than I am.

so it goes.
so it goes...
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Kanakaberaka
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Original Chapter 12 Comments

Postby Kanakaberaka » April 23rd, 2006, 2:58 am

so it goes...
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Play it again Hyoi

Postby Kanakaberaka » April 24th, 2006, 3:12 pm

so it goes...
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