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Chapter 13 Study

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

Chapter 13 Study

Postby Kanakaberaka » April 23rd, 2006, 3:06 am

Synopsis: The hnakra hunt is on and Ransom is chosen to play an honored part in it. He accompanies Hyoi and Whin in their boat. But before they can locate the hnakra, they receive an urgent message from an eldil to quit the hunt and send the hman off to see Oyarsa in Meldilorn. Shortly after the eldil leaves them they spot the hnakra comming straight for them. After a terrible fight, they defeat the monster and all three celebrate on the shore! Just then a gun shot rings out from the forest and Hyoi is mortally wounded. After making less than satisfactory amends, Ransom continues on to Meldilorn following Whin's directions.
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This chapter begins in classic pulp fiction style with the hero going out to hunt down a monster along with his new found Malacandrian friends. It almost ends that way too as Ransom wins the respect of Hyoi as Hyoi finishes off the hnakra by climbing onto it's back. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote such exciting tales about Barsoom, his version of Mars. But C.S. Lewis is not content to tell a simple adventure story. He has a deeper fable about obligation to tell.

There seems to be a theme here about Darwinian natural selection, illustrated by the deadly hunt of the hnakra juxtaposed against the unnatural death of Hyoi at the hands of Weston and Devine. The Hrossa accept the possibility of death while facing an animal enemy because the hnakra does not think. It just acts out of instict as all animals do. This has me wondering if God created the hnakra to cause a survival of the fittest among the hrossa. It sounds cruel, but it is the way things apparently work on our planet. I know, there is more about the attack of Thulcandra on Malacandra later in OOTSP and it's effects. Let's focus on the story so far. In contrast, the killing of Hyoi is a deliberate act, commited by one hnau against another. It's something unknown on Malacandra because the beings there are unfallen. There is no reason for one hnau to kill or hurt another. When a non-sapient beast kills it is more like a natural catastrophy rather than a deliberate act. Volcanos do not kill out of anger. Nor do hurricanes and eathquakes. It's just random acts of nature. And the hnakra is part of Malacandra's nature.

But even more importantly, there is Ransom's obligation to follow the eldil's advice to quit the hunt and travel to Meldilorn. At first he is relived to to so. Yet he has a pang of conscience (or so he thinks) and desires to continue the hunt. Fate plays a hand when the hnakra comes at their boat. I'm not sure if getting out of it's way would have been possible at this point. Hyoi fought the monster with Ransom and Whin's help and won. If they had just sent Ransom on his way to Meldilorn then and there, things may have gone for the better. But like all hunter's, they took the opportunity to celebrate. In their pride, Hyoi fell into the cross-hair's of an English rifle. Even though Hyoi forgave Ransom by proclaiming him "Hmân hnakrapunt", Ransom remained full of guilt not just because of his actions but because of those of his fellow Thulcandrans. This chapter goes beyond a boy's adventure to show us the profound effects of humanity's fall from grace. Nature may be random, but it is not cruel. Only a being with free will can commit cruelty.

so it goes...
so it goes...
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Kanakaberaka
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Original Chapter 13 Comments

Postby Kanakaberaka » April 23rd, 2006, 4:08 am

so it goes...
User avatar
Kanakaberaka
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Posts: 1030
Joined: Jul 1999
Location: Just outside of Rego Park, NYC


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