Out of the Silent Planet discussion 10/20/08
1.  Objective, “scientific” observations as spiritual metaphors (c.f. pages 33-34).  Find some examples and discuss their effectiveness.  Americans of 2008 tend to see science and religion as contradicting—does Lewis’s approach work?  Or not?
p. 110: seems Biblical, like Genesis.  “…a face with wings…” the flames (God is portrayed as fire in the Bible)  seven days of creation.  Origin stories.
It’s not as allegory, but rather as alternate explanation or parable.  Ransom’s discovery isn’t an exact parallel to Christianity, but parable.  Science and religion seem opposed to each other but then tend to wrap back around each other.  The only way ransom can explain some experiences is by going back to his actual physical experience and religions terminology.  Physical/spiritual—the only words he has are spiritual ones.  
2.  Metaphors of light and darkness.  There are a lot of these metaphors in this novel.  Identify a few of them, discuss their significance.  Compare Ransom’s perceptions of light/darkness to those of his human companions.  What do these differences in awareness reveal about the characters?
When R left earth it was dark, but Malacandra was bright (earth is the dark planet)
The eldil are faint to us, but we look faint to them because of the differences in perception.  R can eventually see the eldil but his companions can’t—they’re not able, or don’t take the time.
Spaceship is always in light and dark; R likes to choose—feels good in the light.
To the sorns, when he reaches the harandra, the part below is brighter than above—going into unknown territory.  (but the sorns end up being good after all.)

3.  Out of the Silent Planet was published in 1938, while Sirius was published in 1944. These two novels, published a year before and at the end of WWII, both written by British professors, should reveal something about that culture during this dreadful time in history.  What do you see, related to education, science, religion, war, politics, and whatever else you can think of, when you consider these two books together?
Education: both academic and ethnocentric.  (“human” is the point of reference)
Science (fear of): scientists lack foresight.  
Religion: spiritual but not theological (dogmatic)—there’s something God-like but exactly what it is isn’t clear.
Alienation, everyday changes, destruction, alien landscapes.