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The Theme Of Fear In C. S Lewis Out Of The Silent Planet

Decent Essays

In the book Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S Lewis, the theme presented is that man’s pride, greed, and fear can blind him to the beauty and goodness that God has created. When Weston and Devine first arrive on Malacandra, their fear causes problems right away. They are blinded to Malacandra’s beauty, instead focused on how terrifying everything is because it is different. They misinterpret the intentions of the inhabitants, which are so different from their own, and kidnap Ransom to appease what they have assumed are hostile, sacrifice-demanding monsters. Their fear also prevents them from experiencing the wonders God has bestowed upon Malacandra, something that Ransom is fortunate enough to participate in because he is able to overcome his …show more content…

During his escape into the wilds of Mars, Ransom makes contact with one of the Malacandrian species. It is when Ransom meets Hyoi that his fear slowly begins to melt away, and his natural curiosity and desire to learn about the universe come forth. His mind, not polluted with greedy thoughts and crippling fear like Weston and Devine, is able to recognize intelligence in the eyes of the creature despite its strange appearance. His curiosity overcomes his fear, and after the two meet the creature kindly gives him nourishment and encourages him to get in a boat with it. This moment is poignant, showing that Malacandrians are not animals but a form of life created by God, intelligent and different from humans. This is something Weston and Devine are never able to experience, because their fear blinds them from seeing anything else but unintelligent monsters. From this point, Ransom is immersed in the Hross culture, learning much about the species and Malacandra itself that would never have been known to him had he not overcome his fear. He is amazed by their way of life, and it causes him to reconsider the attitudes held by

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