Miller book reviews: Noah Meites

A Lesson in Intergalactical Maturity

The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Reviewed by Noah Meites


When in Douglas Adams' book The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy we meet Arthur Dent, we find him not really able to deal with the world he lives in. For one thing he can't even help his home from being demolished by the government! Luckily, however, while on earth he at least shows signs of maturity. Then everything changes when his alien friend Ford Perfect (who has been stranded on earth for fifteen years assuming the identity of a human) saves him from death at the hands of aliens who destroy the earth.

Here we again see Dent reduced to a quibbling child. For a while he seems not to comprehend that his world is gone. When he finally does, he is hardly able to deal with it. But oh how the mighty hand of fate moves. Arthur and Ford are picked up by Zaphod Beeblebrox and his assistant Trillian, an acquaintance of Dent on earth. Arthur immediately gains self-confidence and again is able to deal with situations put before him (a large sign of maturity).

With his new-found confidence Dent is able to save his comrades from sure death. So as you can see, in this book Arthur Dent finally grows up.




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