Space Trilogy: The different race perspectives

By: Amy Stello

One interesting element of the Space Trilogy is the outside view of life which it gives the reader. Lewis seems to be making the point that the human race prides itself on being sophisticated in its technological advances, but from the perspective of a planet which might be overall better morally, Earth is truly a disastrous place. Lewis writes of Ransom entering into the hrossa community, "...as a result of his tentative efforts, he found himself being treated as if he were the savage and being given a first sketch of civilized religion= a sort of hrossian equivalent of the shorter catechism" (Lewis 69). Ransom is entering into a society that sees in terms of morals, not technology. One of the biggest evidences of that is when Weston is trying to explain the wonders of the human race to Oyarsa. It all comes out sounding ridiculous and the human race is given perspective on all the tools that have been thought of to help better do her work. The way in which Weston patronizes Oyarsa and the hrossian community ultimately makes him appear to be the ridiculous one. Once again, Lewis is looking to the true substance of people rather than their "sophisticated" intellect. Weston is jumping around like a fool, yelling at an old hrossa because he "knows" the ways of ancient tribes. Weston is a scholar and prides himself as such. Lewis turns all Weston's complex intellectualizing on its head by allowing Weston to both act the fool and speak like a fool. Ransom must continually apologize for the actions of both his companions and explain to the Malacandra that the human race is very "bent." Oyarsa's wisdom stands in sharp contrast to the wisdom of humanity.