Homework: Genre and Narrative analysis

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Genre:

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a Sci-Fi Comedy, and is an adaptation of Douglas Adams’ book of the same name.

Characters:

Hero: Arthur Dent – A clueless middle-aged man drudging through life. He is portrayed as both ineffectual and cowardly on several occasions, and is possibly the epitome of mundanity, having worn a dressing gown and pyjamas for the entirety of the film.

Villain: Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz – As with all Vogons, “Not actually evil, but bad-tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous” according to the Hitchhiker’s Guide. He is responsible for the destruction of planet Earth, thus killing every human on it at the time, and intends to kill Arthur and Ford. However, as he is just following orders, the Vogon dogma, it could be interpreted that it is not directly his fault.

The Helper: Zaphod Beeblebrox – President of the Galaxy, and an fool of epic proportions. He is vain, self-centred, and almost perpetually in a state of drunkenness (even if he is not drunk), especially after the detachment of his second head.

The Helper: Ford Prefect – An alien from the planet Betelgeuse, and Arthur’s best friend. He saves them both from the Earth’s destruction, by teleporting aboard a Vogon ship. He is Arthur’s main source of support through-out, as the other characters are often too self-absorbed or hostile to care.

The Helper: Marvin the Paranoid Android – A constantly depressed robot, he hates pretty much everything.

Princess: Trillian (Tricia McMillan) – She and Arthur met at a fancy dress party, but she grew bored of him and instead left with another man, later revealed to be Zaphod. She has since been following him, and appears to be in some sort of relationship with him. This creates tension between her and Arthur, who is still in love with her.

Villain: Humma Kavula – A rival of Zaphod’s, and his almost extreme opposite. While Zaphod is portrayed as stupid, charismatic, and overly gifted in the body parts department, Humma is very intelligent, not particularly charismatic, and has no eyes, nor legs. Humma seeks revenge on Zaphod for becoming President of the Galaxy, “proving that good looks and charm win over brilliance and the ability to govern.”

Villain: Phouchg and Loonquawl – The Magratheans responsible for overseeing the extraction of the Question to the Answer of Life, the Universe, and Everything. They attempt to do so by cutting out Arthur’s brain, in which it resides.

Narrative:

Equilibrium: Arthur Dent lives a mundane existence on Earth, completely unaware of most things around him, such as the fact that his best friend is an alien, his house is scheduled for demolition, and the planet Earth likewise.

Disruption: Thankfully, his alien best friend saves Arthur from suffering the same fate as the rest of planet Earth (demolition), by taking him with on a series of close shaves with death while trying to find the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. The answer turns out to be 42, but more importantly, the question whose answer is 42 is revealed to be inside Arthur’s mind. The Magratheans, Phouchg and Loonquawl, attempt to learn it by removing Arthur’s brain, but he manages to break free and kill them.

Restoration: A backup planet Earth is created, exactly as it was a second before the Vogons destroyed it, but Arthur remains in space with the others, and leave for Milliways, the restaurant at the end of the Universe.