HitchHikers Guide To The Galaxy?Your help and thoughts!?

Question

These are a few quesitons I'd like you to answer about the book.Im 13 and I just read it, it was confusing but eventually I got it.
1)What did you think of it?
2)Was the ending dissapointing to you?
3)Why was Arthur so.. normal.. after the destruction of his planet?
4)Was the destruction of his house and then the destruction of his planet that immediatly followed some kind of metaphore?

Thanks for you help :]

Answer 1

At 13, I'm actually glad this book leaves you puzzled.

This book takes a sarcastic view of bureaucracy laden governments, heavy handed business practices, and the limitations of closed-minded thinking. Examples include the accidental destruction of the Earth during a "public works" project, the desert where you get smacked in the face every time you came up with an idea, and mankind's ego in the failure to recognize that intelligence can lie anywhere else because we never sought it out (dolphins).

As you enter the world, you'll (unfortuantely) see the things the author is poking fun at, and you'll remember this book fondly.

1. I liked it, 2. Yes, just a little (but I think it was intentional), 3. A metaphor to how easily we accept stupidity every day of our lives, 4. Yeah (see discussion above)

Answer 2

To the one person who's glad you're puzzled,
I was thirteen when I read it, and I understood it completely.
It just depends on how your mind works and what you care and think about i guess.

I LOVE it. It's been one of my favorites EVER since I read it.
No, the ending was not disappointing; but i seriously suggest reading the next book.
There are five total; but I think my favorite were the first two.
The second one, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is really good and funny.

Well, about Arthur being normal, there are several reasons.
For one, he was probably in shock. I mean, if you were in his shoes, what would you HONESTLY do?
Also, it's a science fiction comedy.
Douglas Adams did that on purpose. It IS strange that Arthur seems so normal after having everything as he knew it destroyed, and that's what makes it funny.
Another thing, is that, NORMAL is part of Arthur's character. Arthur is pretty much defined as a "normal" englishman.

And yeah, absolutely.
His home, seemingly significant at first, is demolished. But all of a sudden, his HOME, the entire earth as he knew it, is also demolished.
And suddenly his house means nothing.
You can see similarities between the two events, and between the demolisher guy and the vogons.
I think the biggest thing is the foreshadowing. Douglas Adams used the demolishing of Arthur's house to foreshadow the demolition of earth. I think it does a lot for the story, actually.

I love this book.
It is a lot deeper than it appears at first.
It is a science fiction comedy about an englishman and his adventures through the galaxy, but it is really much more than that. It says a lot about very important and deep issues about life.
Notice, it talks a lot about philosophy; it happens to be a very philosophical book. It says a lot more than what immediately catches your eye.
My suggestion?
Read it again.
It really does make more sense the second time.
And I think that it's such a good book, that it's still funny.
I'm 15, it's one of my favorite books ever.
Also,
DON'T watch the movie.
It does it no justice.
You may however watch the miniseries from 1981 though. :]
Be warned, it's cheesy. Lol. I hope I helped. :)

Oh, btw, you seem cool. :)
Do you have a myspace?
If you do, add meh. Maybe? Yes?
myspace.com/thedragonfae

Answer 3

Some other galaxy-related books:

"Galaxy Gate" (vol. I and II), Colton and Murro;
"Climb the Highest Mountain" and "The Soulless One," Mark Prophet;
"Toward a Solar Civilization," O. M. Aivanhov;
"The Great Divorce," C. S. Lewis.

cordially,

j.

Answer 4

I have found that title in many books to read on the net. I hope to read it soon. Good luck in trying to figure out what it means, i always have a hard time in modern lit.

Answer 5

1.loved it
2.not at all
3.shock most likely
4.definitely