The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

 

           I recently read the first book of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, a short comedy sci-fi that follows the intergalactic travels of a very mismatched crew of aliens, humans, and animals.

The main character, Arthur Dent, is the only human aboard the ship. He’s joined by his friend Ford Prefect (an alien researcher for the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who’s been stranded on Earth for 15 years), Zaphod Beeblebrox (the two-headed, ex-hippie, President of the Galaxy), Trillian Astra (mathematician and astrophysicist), a guy named Veet Voojagig, Marvin the perpetually depressed robot, and two hyper-intelligent mice. Arthur and Ford escape Earth moments before it’s demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass, and from there, the story evolves into a quest involving a fabled planet and the meaning of life.

The humor is definitely the main component of this novel and is what keeps it going. The author’s narration is absurd, playful, and very funny (in my opinion). The plot moves quickly, but it’s the comedic voice that holds everything together. Without the witty humor, I think the story would feel incomplete, but with it, the book feels pretty unique.

A few examples of the style:

·       “In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”

·       “You know,’ said Arthur, ‘it’s at times like this, when I’m trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space, that I really wish I’d listened to what my mother told me when I was young.’ ‘Why, what did she tell you?’ ‘I don’t know, I didn’t listen.”

·       "Pardon me for breathing, which I never do anyway so I don't know why I bother to say it, oh God I'm so depressed.”

        If this kind of humor works for you, the book can be really fun. If it doesn’t, the plot alone will most likely feel slow and boring.

              Like much good comedy, Adams uses humor to poke at real political and social issues. For example, Arthur’s house is demolished due to bureaucracy, but his efforts to prevent that from happening are all meaningless because the earth is being demolished for the same reasons as his house. This parallel is intentionally ironic and pointed.

              This kind of satire is similar to what modern organizations like The Onion do: criticize real events and political figures using humor :)

    Overall, I’d recommend this book if you enjoy sci-fi, want to explore a foundational classic of sci-fi, or simply have an absurd sense of humor. This book is quick, clever, and fun to read :)

- Ana