C. S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet

Peter Schakel (Hope College)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.08: English Writing and Culture of the early Twentieth Century , 1900-1945.
Vol. editors: Chris Baldick (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Peter Childs (Birmingham Newman University), Louise McDonald (Birmingham Newman University), Andrew Radford (University of Glasgow)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1938

Places

Northern Ireland (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Allegory
Novel
Science Fiction/ Speculative

Resources

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C. S. Lewis's first novel,

Out of the Silent Planet

(1938), grew out of his love of early science fiction writing, especially “the 'scientifiction' of H. G. Wells” [

Surprised by Joy

, Chapter 2].

Out of the Silent Planet

is not, however, strictly (or mainline) science fiction itself. Because there is little emphasis on science or technology, it seems closer to “space fantasy” than “science fiction”. The story takes us out of our own world and enables us to live for a while, imaginatively, in a fantasy world; at the same time, it enables us to look back at our world from a fresh perspective and to reassess our familiar life and values.

In Out of the Silent Planet a middle aged professor, Elwin Ransom, who reminds one of both Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, is kidnapped by a

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1724 words

Citation: Schakel, Peter. "Out of the Silent Planet". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 27 June 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=12301, accessed 21 November 2024.]

C. S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet

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