Setting:
The setting of the novel “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” begins on earth, but as you may be able to guess from the title this quickly changes. Upon the demolition of the planet earth, in make of an intergalactic highway, our main characters Arthur Dent (the now second last remaining earthling) and his friend Ford Prefect (a very human looking alien) hitchhike off of earth. At this point the setting changes from the very confining earth to a setting with infinite possibilities, the galaxy. This change is very important as it allows Douglas Adams to work in a setting where anything can happen, a place where he is not confined to realism.
Characters:
Character:
Arthur Dent
Background:
Arthur Dent is one of two known remaining earthlings (both of whom are from the same town in Britain) to escape the demolition of the planet Earth. He and Ford Prefect escaped the planet seconds before its destruction.
Description:
Arthur Dent is a follower in the least. He is essentially dragged along in the journey throughout the universe by Ford. He is still in quite a bit of shock from the destruction of his planet and is comparable to that of a lost sheep.
Character:
Ford Prefect
Background:
Ford Prefect also happens to be the last remaining survivor of his planets destruction. He met Arthur on the planet Earth during his unfortunate 25 year stay.
Description:
Ford travels the universe looking for nothing more than a good time, and uses his experience to fill the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (a most popular book amongst the universe). He like his friend Zaphod is quite air headed and seemingly both goalless and ambitionless.
Character:
Zaphod Beeblebrox
Background:
Zaphod before his turn into a criminal was the president of the galaxy. He with the help of Trillian (whom he helped escape from earth months earlier) has stolen the Heart of Gold a most formidable ship, the reasoning at this point is unknown.
Description:
Like Ford Zaphod is quite air-headed although is not without ambition. Zaphod seems to be able to accomplish his goals when he puts his minds to it (as he is two headed, and three armed for that matter). However, when he is goalless he acts more like our friend Ford and desires nothing more than a good time.
Character:
Trillian
Background:
Other than the knowledge of Trillian being an earthling most of her background is unknown with the exception of having met both Zaphod and Arthur Dent at the same party in her home town in Britain. She also owns two pet mice.
Description:
As explained before she escaped with Zaphod from Earth months earlier and is somewhat of a girlfriend to him. She, also having degrees in science and astrology, helps Zaphod run the Heart of Gold.
Character:
Marvin
Background:
Besides knowing that he was purchased or acquired by Zaphod somewhere Marvin’s origins are also unknown.
Description:
Marvin is undeniably the most miserable/intelligent being and most likely robot in the universe. He has no trouble in talking another robot into committing suicide.
Conflicts:
The conflicts so far seem to be chapter to chapter for both Arthur and Ford, for example a conflict such as Arthur and Ford being stuck on an alien ship is resolved by the end of the chapter or the following chapter. However, the big conflict at this point seems to be the displacement of Arthur from his home planet of Earth.
Active Reading:
Allusions:
The London Underground - An underground subway station in London.
Cape Canaveral - A city in central Florida. (I have been there!)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - A 1968 musical based off of the story of Joseph in Genesis.
Godspell - A musical based on the Gospel of Matthew.
QED (quad erat demonstrandum) - A phrase put after a mathematical proof or philosophical argument which means what was to be demonstrated. The abbreviation is meant to signify the completion of a proof.
Questions:
What is the ultimate question?
Is Arthur Dent ever going to live a normal life again?
What happened to Zaphod Beeblebrox’s brain? Why does he make such rash decisions?
What is the superior being on Earth?
What is so special about this lost planet?
What was the real purpose of stealing the Heart of Gold?
Vocabulary:
Bureaucratic - of or relating to bureaucrats; characterized by bureaucracy
Bureaucracy - A pyramid structure of business which contains many different levels of businessmen.
Quadraphonic - 4.0 surround sound - 4 speakers stationed in the four corners of your listening space.
fait accompli - French, meaning an accomplished fact.
What I like/dislike:
The main thing that I like so far about Douglas Adams’s writing is the upbeat and light-hearted nature of it. It is a nice break from reading very serious novels. However, I dislike the fact that the plot becomes hard to follow at some points. During the novel so far the setting has changed a number of times and with it the conflict. At this point in the novel I am still questioning which is the greater conflict. This however, is the nature of the novel and will take some getting used to. Overall I am very much enjoying Douglas Adams’s writing and will definitely continue on to read the rest of the series.
Theme:
I would say the main thing Douglas Adams is trying to teach the reader would be that life is short and therefore you should try to enjoy every minute of it. Also that enjoyment and fun can be found in sometimes the strangest of places. As said by Tim-Wynne Jones (and I will continue to use this quote because I love it) when summarizing Douglas Adams’s mindset:
"There seems no room in Adams's thinking for despair. So things are bad, what are you going to do, lie down in the mud? Well, that's not such a bad idea. As long as you keep your eyes open. There are things in the mud you probably should know about.”
This theme is communicated mainly through characters and literary devices. Both Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent are perfect examples of this ideology. Both of these characters have been through the destruction of their home planets, the destruction of everything they knew and loved, however they are able to make the best out of their situations. Ford and by default Arthur both chose to live the hitchhiker’s life and are trying to have the most fun they possibly can for 20 Altarian dollars a day. One would think that the destruction of everything would result in quite a more devastating outlook on life. Adams however also uses a lot of satire and joking in order to make light and joke about the most devastating of situations, also hitting home his theme. The best example I could find of this is as follows:
"So this is it," said Arthur, "we're going to die."
"Yes," said Ford, "except ... no! Wait a minute!" he suddenly lunged across the chamber at something behind Arthur's line of vision. "What's this switch?" he cried.
"What? Where?" cried Arthur twisting round.
"No, I was only fooling," said Ford, "we are going to die after all."
After reading this I find myself laughing at a situation which otherwise would be devastating and heart pounding, but Adams manages to find a way to make light of it. To conclude the main theme I will take away from this novel is that life is a gift made to be enjoyed, and as we only have one we should try to enjoy every second, millisecond, and nanosecond it provides.
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