Out of the Silent Planet Blog #3- Chapters 7-12

Each week I would like you to comment on the following themes. How do you see Lewis speaking through the story about these themes? Be specific.

Destiny- Who controls one’s destiny?
I think that Lewis is going more towards the idea that everyone controls their own destiny, since Ransom is now living with the Hrossa.

The value of life- How does Lewis show his opinion on this?
Lewis shows through the story that the value of life is very high. The hrossa do not know what war is, and they all respect eachother.

Spiritual Battles- How is the spiritual battle between good and evil shown?
Lewis shoes this by describing how respectful and peaceful the hrossa are, and how they only have one mate for an entire life time. This is so unlike our human culture, we have wars all the time and kill eachother over stupid things, and we often have several wives in one lifetime as well.

How does Lewis have to compensate for the fact that the reader is unfamiliar with the setting of this story?
Well by this point in the story we are getting familiar with the races of Malacandra, and with the environment, and the language.


Please answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1. Ransom willingly works with Weston and Devine. Although Ransom wants to escape in what ways does he still need his captors?
He still needs his captors because he has no idea what Malacandra is like, and is afraid that if he runs away too soon he might die. Plus, his colleagues have all the food and water, as well as supplies.

2. What happens that allows Ransom the chance to escape?
The Sorn, which is one of the races of Malacandra, come to take Ransom, but as they approach Weston and Devine start firing their pistols at something in the sky, and in doing so they let go of Ransom, and as soon as they did he bolted for his life.

3. Why does everything on Malacandra appear abnormally elongated?
Things appear elongated because the gravity there is much less than on earth, which allows things to grow towards the sky more. Also, it’s just how things are there.



4. Ransom’s first encounter with the inhabitants of Malacandra gives him great fear. Later, his fear turns to fascination. What causes this change?
He becomes incredibly fascinated with the fact that the hrossa can speak, and he wants to learn their language. Shortly after his fist encounter with the hrossa, he realizes that it doesn’t want to harm him, and is very curious about him as well, which sparks his curiosity even more.

5. Although Ransom’s escape apparently put him back in control of his life, are there any factors outside his control that impact his life?
Yes, the fact that he has no idea where he is, and what kinds of creatures inhabit Malacandra. Also, he has no idea what kind of things he can safely eat and drink. Plus he is hundreds, maybe millions of miles away from earth. (or so he thinks)


6. Read Philippians 4: 12-19. Is the apostle Paul himself able to me his own needs? How are Paul’s needs met?
No, he is not able to meet his own needs, but his belief in the Lord, and his belief that his strength is in the lord, was able to get his needs provided for by the Philippians.


7. Paul writes, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” What is that secret? How can you put into practice Paul’s words?
The secret to being content in all situations is by trusting, and believing in God, and believing that he loves you and will take care of you. I could put into practice Paul’s words by learning to not trust so much, and worry so much about our worldly situation, because God is the one in control, not the president, or anybody else.


8. Are independence and freedom of choice, in themselves, good, bad, or neutral? Again, explain your answer.
I believe that they are good, but their needs to be a limit to these because as we see in the world these days people abuse these rights, and end up hurting themselves, their nation, or other people.

9. In what ways does Ransom underestimate the intelligence of the hrossa?
He thinks their tools to be primitive, and their ways of cooking to me restricted and strange. For instance, though they could cook using other ways, they either eat raw vegetables, or boil things in water. He also things of their ways of transportation to be primitive.

10. What similarities do you see between Malacandrian theology and Christianity? Are there differences? What might account for the differences?
I see that we both want to avoid war, and that we both agree with having only one woman in your life, for your whole life. We also agree that though we have certain skills, the one who knows all is God. Also, they believe that when they die they get to go live with their God, as we believe.


11. What appears to be the Malacandrian attitude toward death?
They don’t mind dying at all, because they know that when they die they get to go see their version of God.


12. Why do you thing Ransom was unable to see the eldil?
I simply think that he was not able to see the eldil because he does not know how to look for them, and because the eldil did not want Ransom to see them at that moment.

13. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-20. How do the different races of Malacandra exemplify this scripture?
Because some races are good at some things, and others are better at other things. For instance, the hrossa are the best at poetry, and fishing, and swimming, but the Seroni are better at knowing things, and reading the stars, and knowing things that happened way in the past.


14. Lewis writes that the instincts of the hrossa “resembled the unattained ideals of humanity.” What are some of the ideals Lewis is talking about here?
The fact that the hrossa don’t go to war with other tribes, and they happily share food with the other tribes. In other words they all get along, and live their own lives peacefully.

15. Why does Ransom get uneasy answering questions about the human race?
He gets uneasy because he does not want to tell the hrossa about the wars that humans have, and how we are very industrialized. Plus, he does not want to tell them that he was running from two men who tried to kill him, and who were going to hand him over to the Sorn.