The Man Who Belonged on Earth
Why do you think you think?
The book was written by Dr. Ferris and published by the the State Science Institute. Here are some of the quotes from the book:
“…That grey matter you’re so proud of is like a mirror in an amusement park which transmits to you nothing but distorted signals from a reality forever beyond your grasp…”
“The giants of the intellect, whom you admire so much, once taught you that the earth was flat and that the atom was the smallest particle of matter. The entire history of science is a progression of exploded fallacies, not of achievements.” To me, discovering the atom an achievement, along with the achievement of discovering the parts of the atom, the discovery that their is something smaller than the atom? To Dr. Ferris, the discovery of something smaller simply meant that science was wrong.
“Do not expect consistency. Everything is a contradiction of everything else. Nothing exists but contradictions.” Compare this with what Francisco and Akston believe.
“Don’t argue. Accept. Adjust yourself. Obey.”
Wyatt’s Torch
“One well, on the crest of the hill, was still burning. Nobody had been able to extinguish it. She had seen it from the streets: a spurt of fire twisting convulsively against the sky, as if trying to tear loose. She had seen it at night, across the distance of a hundred clear, black miles, from the window of a train: a small violent flame, waving in the wind. People called it Wyatt’s Torch.”
Discussion questions/Journal Entries
1. Compare and contrast Dr. Ferris’ view of contradictions with Francisco/Akston’s view. Do they have ulterior motives in spreading these ideas?
2. Discuss the following quote: “Don’t argue. Accept. Adjust yourself. Obey.”
3. What do you think Wyatt’s Torch symbolizes?
The English Student 