Setting: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is set in several parts of space, on Earth, Damogran, Magrathea, the home planet the mice, and "vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big" vacuum of space itself.
Themes:
Absurdity - The entire book may briefly be described as one long-winded, satirical, ironic, philosophically-inclined, ramblingly digressive bad joke. Adams holds nothing sacred and nothing in the book can really be taken seriously. Absurd situations abound like missiles being turned into whales, men flying by throwing themselves at the ground and missing, and a pile of eggs dropping on the planet Poghril simultaneously feeding the last Poghrilian and killing due to high cholesterol. Adams goes beyond social commentary and instead talks about the absurdity of life itself through his colorful host of characters who collectively have 11 arms, 3 shoulder mounted rocket cannons, a bachelor's degree in astrophysics, and not a single brain between them. He paints their lives in a colorfully eventful and ridiculous manner that is meant to reflect the unpredictability and extreme coincidence inherent in life.
Depression - Each of the characters also exhibits depression at one point in the novel. Arthur is initially homesick when aboard the Heart of Gold. He attempts to cope with the melancholy by preparing his favorite tea. His blunder nearly kills everyone on board. Zaphod too tries to cope with his inner sadness by employing an over the top persona and acting out in an immature and irresponsible fashion. Each character's response to difficulty and sadness defines them, and we can empathize with each. Who never threw a tantrum as a toddler? Although, I doubt your tantrum had the power to destroy 12 city blocks. The theme that sadness can be overcome in a myriad of ways is exhibited by the development of these and other characters throughout the book.
The Nature of Life - The tale of Arthur Dent and his travels is as philosophical as it is nonsensical. Throughout the novel, we are subject to parodies, satire, and ironic commentary directed at human nature and the unpredictability of life itself. Throughout the novel, it is circumstance that drives the plot more so than the actions of any major character. Each character is subject to a seemingly random string of events that has shaped them into the individual they are resulting in their journey together. Due to this fact, they've all garnered differing views on life from Marvin's own brand of pessimistic and nihilism to Arthur's belief in an ordered world. These views evolve over the course of the novel. For example, Arthur broadens his horizons and learns to embrace life in all its unpredictability, danger, and opportunity. Zaphod too changes his tune from one of blissful narcissism to that of an individual who cares for the lives of those around him. One thing's for certain: though the answer to life may be quantified down to the mere number 42, there are an infinite number of ways to enjoy, dislike, and live life as exhibited in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Symbols:
Heart of Gold - This is the ship stolen by Zaphod and used to rescue Arthur and Ford when they nearly suffocate. The Heart of Gold actually symbolizes the unpredictable nature of life. The ship itself is powered by a device known as an improbability drive. This piece of advanced alien technology somehow allows the ship to do anything and everything. The way it works is that once the ship reaches maximum improbability it travels through every point in the universe at the same time. The ships actions are nearly completely random and have included traveling across vast parsecs of space in seconds (several times the speed of light), turning a missile into a sperm whale, and turning Ford into a penguin. The ship is a material personification of the random nature of life.
The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The Guide is meant to be a compendium of the massive repository of knowledge gathered by everyone in the universe. However, it's opinionated and lopsided with more information on how to prepare a stiff drink and alien parakeet glands than anything else. The fact of the matter is that even with the vast amount of workers at their disposal, the creators of The Guide will never have enough man power to completely record a guide to the universe. In that respect, it is a symbol of our ultimate defeat in the face of the unknowable vastness of space.
Arthur Dent - Arthur is the average Joe we're meant to identify with. He's an ordinary human being who's been plucked from a fairly quiet life alone and thrust into the middle of an intergalactic war. Obviously, he's upset, and you would be too if you had to face such an adventure in nothing but your nightgown and without a cup of real tea. Arthur serves as the straight man in most situations by questioning some of the other characters and often times inadvertently sets himself up as the butt of a joke. His plight is relatable because after all he's just your average ordinary everyman. He likes tea, not getting blown up, and breathing. He's insignificant when compared to the massive size of space but greatly important to it because of the uniquely human perspective he offers it. Arthur Dent as one of the only tow surviving members of the human race is representative of humanity itself.
Themes:
Absurdity - The entire book may briefly be described as one long-winded, satirical, ironic, philosophically-inclined, ramblingly digressive bad joke. Adams holds nothing sacred and nothing in the book can really be taken seriously. Absurd situations abound like missiles being turned into whales, men flying by throwing themselves at the ground and missing, and a pile of eggs dropping on the planet Poghril simultaneously feeding the last Poghrilian and killing due to high cholesterol. Adams goes beyond social commentary and instead talks about the absurdity of life itself through his colorful host of characters who collectively have 11 arms, 3 shoulder mounted rocket cannons, a bachelor's degree in astrophysics, and not a single brain between them. He paints their lives in a colorfully eventful and ridiculous manner that is meant to reflect the unpredictability and extreme coincidence inherent in life.
Depression - Each of the characters also exhibits depression at one point in the novel. Arthur is initially homesick when aboard the Heart of Gold. He attempts to cope with the melancholy by preparing his favorite tea. His blunder nearly kills everyone on board. Zaphod too tries to cope with his inner sadness by employing an over the top persona and acting out in an immature and irresponsible fashion. Each character's response to difficulty and sadness defines them, and we can empathize with each. Who never threw a tantrum as a toddler? Although, I doubt your tantrum had the power to destroy 12 city blocks. The theme that sadness can be overcome in a myriad of ways is exhibited by the development of these and other characters throughout the book.
The Nature of Life - The tale of Arthur Dent and his travels is as philosophical as it is nonsensical. Throughout the novel, we are subject to parodies, satire, and ironic commentary directed at human nature and the unpredictability of life itself. Throughout the novel, it is circumstance that drives the plot more so than the actions of any major character. Each character is subject to a seemingly random string of events that has shaped them into the individual they are resulting in their journey together. Due to this fact, they've all garnered differing views on life from Marvin's own brand of pessimistic and nihilism to Arthur's belief in an ordered world. These views evolve over the course of the novel. For example, Arthur broadens his horizons and learns to embrace life in all its unpredictability, danger, and opportunity. Zaphod too changes his tune from one of blissful narcissism to that of an individual who cares for the lives of those around him. One thing's for certain: though the answer to life may be quantified down to the mere number 42, there are an infinite number of ways to enjoy, dislike, and live life as exhibited in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Symbols:
Heart of Gold - This is the ship stolen by Zaphod and used to rescue Arthur and Ford when they nearly suffocate. The Heart of Gold actually symbolizes the unpredictable nature of life. The ship itself is powered by a device known as an improbability drive. This piece of advanced alien technology somehow allows the ship to do anything and everything. The way it works is that once the ship reaches maximum improbability it travels through every point in the universe at the same time. The ships actions are nearly completely random and have included traveling across vast parsecs of space in seconds (several times the speed of light), turning a missile into a sperm whale, and turning Ford into a penguin. The ship is a material personification of the random nature of life.
The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The Guide is meant to be a compendium of the massive repository of knowledge gathered by everyone in the universe. However, it's opinionated and lopsided with more information on how to prepare a stiff drink and alien parakeet glands than anything else. The fact of the matter is that even with the vast amount of workers at their disposal, the creators of The Guide will never have enough man power to completely record a guide to the universe. In that respect, it is a symbol of our ultimate defeat in the face of the unknowable vastness of space.
Arthur Dent - Arthur is the average Joe we're meant to identify with. He's an ordinary human being who's been plucked from a fairly quiet life alone and thrust into the middle of an intergalactic war. Obviously, he's upset, and you would be too if you had to face such an adventure in nothing but your nightgown and without a cup of real tea. Arthur serves as the straight man in most situations by questioning some of the other characters and often times inadvertently sets himself up as the butt of a joke. His plight is relatable because after all he's just your average ordinary everyman. He likes tea, not getting blown up, and breathing. He's insignificant when compared to the massive size of space but greatly important to it because of the uniquely human perspective he offers it. Arthur Dent as one of the only tow surviving members of the human race is representative of humanity itself.