One good example of subtext in the book is the utter
futility of everyday pursuits: Arthur was trying to save his house, but the entire
planet is destroyed; Zaphod is trying to find the mythical planet Magrathea, but he
finds that he is being manipulated by super-intelligent mice; the mice have spent ten
million years waiting for the biological computer Earth to find the Ultimate Question
(the Answer to which is 42) but the planet is destroyed five minutes before it was due
to discover the Question.
"At this party," persisted Arthur, "was a
girl... oh well, look it doesn't matter now. The whole place has gone up in smoke
anyway...."
"I wish you'd stop sulking about that bloody
planet," said Ford.
(Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the
Galaxy, Google
Books)
Throughout the book,
there is the underlying theme that because of the enormity of the universe, life is
ultimately futile, and instead of spending time trying to make great and important
changes, people should focus on their own lives, their family, and their friends. While
this subtext is not primary, it persists through the series to the final book, which
Adams wrote while suffering depression; every main character is killed and their journey
ultimately means nothing.
No comments:
Post a Comment