Dispassion: (Out of the Silent Planet)

 

The beginning of chapter five starts with Lewis mentioning Weston’s “solemn scientific idealism” and expressing his lack of care towards the inhabitants of Malacandra. This is contrasted with the wonder that Ransom feels view the “celestial jewels.” Lewis goes on to explain how space travel is a spiritual experience for him while Devine and Weston are indifferent. Space is a magical place to someone like Ransom with his “exculting” heart compared to the scientific view that space is devoid of vivacity. He begins to recall myths involving the heavens since what Ransom’s is enthralled with what “cannot be caught in a net of words” and goes to quote Milton. Lewis uses this to comment on how spirituality and emotion enrich one’s outlook instead of the dispassion from his captors. 

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