Eden Book Club: The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy Discussion
Only a handful of books have made me laugh out loud. I’m talking full-throttled, hands holding my belly, I-can’t-suppress-my too-wide-smile-even-though-I’m-in-public laughter. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Galaxy is one of those books.
Douglas Adam’s Sci-Fi novel is just plain fun to read. The plot is wildly absurd, interactions are over-the-top, and character (and planet) names are ludicrous. But The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy owns its ridiculousness and leans into it – that’s why I love this story.
Spill all your thoughts on this book in the discussion section below. I can’t wait to hear them!
Table of Contents
Book Club Discussion Guidelines
Discussion posts (like this one) will have a series of questions as starting points. But honestly, you can talk about whatever you want regarding the books. You don’t have to answer all (or any) of the questions. I’d still love to hear your thoughts!
You can join in regardless of whether you’ve read, not read, or DNF’d the book! I understand that not everyone has the time to read or finish the book so I try to include a general discussion question as well to make the discussions more inclusive.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy Discussion Questions
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy is widely referenced in popular culture. What references did you know of beforehand? What references were you surprised to learn about?
- How would you describe the humor in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy? Were there any scenes where the comedy clicked (or didn’t click) with you?
- How do you feel about the main philosophies presented in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy?
- Douglas Adams uses many rhetorical devices in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy. What rhetorical devices resonated with you the most? What rhetorical devices didn’t work for you? (side note: if you want a quick refresher on rhetorical devices, here’s a cheat sheet).
- Which characters did you like the most (or least)?
- What aspects of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy have aged well (and not so well)?
- If you updated the entry in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy for Earth (before its demolition), how would you describe it?
- Why do you think the primary villains (The Vogons) are only present briefly in the book?
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy was written in the third-person perspective. If The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy was narrated in first-person perspective, whose perspective would you be the most interested in reading about?
- Why do you think the answer to The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Of course, these are just starter questions. There are no right or wrong answers. Feel 100% free to discuss anything regarding the book (or otherwise). I’ll be jumping in and responding as well!
2 Comments
Mariel
July 31, 2023 at 10:05 PMI appreciated the book’s underlying philosophical themes, especially the exploration of the meaning of life. It’s fascinating how Adams can tackle such profound questions while keeping the story light and humorous. The blend of science fiction and comedy is brilliant.
For me, the highlight was definitely Marvin, the depressed robot. His constant pessimism and deadpan delivery were a riot! The interactions between him and the other characters, particularly Zaphod Beeblebrox, were pure comedic gold.
Demarcus
July 31, 2023 at 10:10 PMThe answer being 42 is a playful reminder that the search for profound meaning and understanding may not always yield the straightforward or comprehensible answers we hope for, and sometimes, the journey itself is more important than the destination.
Douglas Adams himself has said “It was a joke. It had to be a number, an ordinary, smallish number, and I chose that one. Binary representations, base thirteen, Tibetan monks are all complete nonsense. I sat at my desk, stared into the garden and thought ’42 will do.'”