Why did CS Lewis write Out of the Silent Planet?

Why C.S. Lewis Wrote Out of the Silent Planet

C.S. Lewis’s Out of the Silent Planet isn’t just another sci-fi novel; it’s a thought experiment wrapped in a cracking good story. Published in 1938, it’s a book with a mission. So, what drove Lewis to write this thing? Turns out, quite a lot.

Think back to the 1930s. The world was changing fast, and not always for the better. One key factor was a conversation with his pal J.R.R. Tolkien. They both felt modern fiction was missing something, a certain spark. They decided to do something about it: a friendly competition to write their own stories. Lewis would tackle space travel, and Tolkien, time travel. While Tolkien’s project remained unfinished, Lewis’s blossomed into the Cosmic Trilogy, with Out of the Silent Planet leading the charge.

Lewis wasn’t just aiming to write a page-turner, though. He wanted to “redeem” science fiction, to inject it with genuine imagination and, dare I say, spirituality. He admired H.G. Wells, especially The First Men in the Moon, which gave him the initial nudge. But Lewis wanted to go deeper than ray guns and aliens. He wanted to explore bigger questions.

And here’s where it gets interesting: Lewis was seriously concerned about “scientism.” What’s that, you ask? Well, it’s basically the idea that science is the only way to know anything. Lewis thought that was a dangerous road to go down. He worried that we were letting science dictate everything – our morals, our beliefs, even our religion! You see this fear played out in Out of the Silent Planet with the character of Weston. Weston’s a scientist who’s convinced that humanity needs to colonize other planets, no matter the cost to the locals. He embodies that cold, calculating, materialistic worldview that Lewis just couldn’t stand. Lewis was deeply troubled by the ideologies that fueled horrors like the pogroms and concentration camps. He saw social Darwinism, aggressive materialism, and moral relativism as incredibly dangerous ideas.

So, Lewis used his novel to wrestle with these big ideas: Christianity, morality, the battle between good and evil. The story follows Dr. Elwin Ransom, a Cambridge professor, who gets kidnapped and whisked away to Malacandra (that’s Mars, in Lewis’s universe). There, he discovers a society of intelligent beings living in harmony, ruled by a benevolent Oyarsa who serves the ultimate boss, Maleldil (basically, God). Through Ransom’s eyes, Lewis contrasts this idyllic Malacandra with Earth, the “silent planet,” cut off from the rest of the universe because of its rebellion against the divine.

You could say Out of the Silent Planet is a kind of allegory. Malacandra is like a utopia, living according to God’s plan. Earth, on the other hand, is a mess, riddled with sin and conflict. The novel shows what happens when you ditch traditional religious beliefs and embrace a purely materialistic view of the world. Ransom’s journey teaches us the importance of accepting those who are different from us and recognizing the value of every living creature.

Lewis was sneaky about it, too. He thought he could “smuggle” theology into people’s minds through a good story. Ransom is just an ordinary guy, but his journey shows us that anyone can strive to live a better, more virtuous life.

And let’s not forget the literary scene at the time. Lewis was definitely in conversation with writers like H.G. Wells. He respected Wells, but he wanted to challenge his vision of a future dominated by technology and devoid of spirituality. Lewis offered an alternative: a universe where science and faith could coexist, where both are part of a larger, divinely created order.

In a nutshell, C.S. Lewis wrote Out of the Silent Planet to push back against the growing influence of scientism, to explore deep theological themes, to critique the dangerous ideologies of his time, and to offer a Christian take on the science fiction genre. He used Ransom’s adventure on Malacandra to show us the importance of faith, morality, and recognizing the inherent worth of all beings in a universe created and governed by God. It’s a powerful message, wrapped in a thrilling adventure.