h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

hi everyone,
I'm doing this thing for school about Douglas Adams' World and basically the first Hitchhiker's novel.
I've been looking for information about women's role in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1st novel) the whole afternoon, but I simply can't find anything relevant.

I know, that the only major female character is Trillian and that DNA himself said the following about creating female characters:
"And I always find women very mysterious anyway - I never know what they want. And I always get very nervous about writing one as I think I'll do something ternbly wrong. You read other male accounts of women and you think, `He's got them wrong!' and I feel very nervous about going into that area."

My teacher wants me to interpret the women's role and their relevance to the book, but I don't really know what to write about. I'm quite sure that there is not much more importance attached to them. DNA basically stated everything there is to say in the quote above.

Am I missing something? Any thoughts?

Thanks a lot for your help!

I think one of the ship's computer personalities is female - the irritating 'mothering' voice.

I suppose Trillian is one of the few characters who is vaguely competent. Arthur is out of his depth most of the time (to be fair, it's easy to understand why), Zaphod is nuts, Ford is a hitch-hiker in all senses. There's a case to be made for saying that Trillian is Marge to Zaphod's Homer.

However... it's been a long time since I've read the book, and I get confused between the book, the radio series, the TV series, the film, and, of course, the towel.

DNA didn't really try to get to grips with characterisation until Life, The Universe And Everything, anyway. The "characters" are there just to get all the jokes in.

RF

Yeah, I get muddled a bit too. Trillian's pretty darn smart and isn't appreciated properly by Zaphod I think. Arthur's having a hard time keeping up at times and Zaphod takes advantaqge of her knowledge to take him places. There's no way he could work the Heart of Gold on his own.

IMO, Douglas Adams wasn't very comfortable with women. The complete lack of women in his books, is one of the reasons, one mind you, that I find them quite second rate.

He was associated with Monty Python, and they have the same basic habit of ignoring women.

Vicky

female characterisation in science fiction (yes i know, h2g2 isn't really sci fi) is THE biggest failing of the genre. DNA was wise to simply avoid the problem.

the cringe factor in the depiction of women is what made sci fi largely unreadable for me much past adulthood.

and yes, i am aware there will be exceptions. and no, i do not not want anyone posting me recommended reading lists of their favourite sci fi works. if life is too short for bad wine and learning german, it can't be so long as to allow the admission of reading sci fi either.

>>i do not not want anyone posting me recommended reading lists of their favourite sci fi works.<<

One Authoress who specialises in females is Anne McCaffrey, often to the Male's detriment!!!

MMF

Do you really think so, MMF? IMO, she writes *romance*, utter bilge, and I find her quite unbearable, but certainly not detrimental to males! As with all *romance* authors, her males are stereotypes, but so are her women...

I can accept that, as I read her as a 'brain disassociation' style of writing but, being honest, I am more into Sci-Fan rather than Sci-Fi, but see a fair amount of crossover, especially being an Arthurian Fan!

MMF

<>

So am I to be honest, but I avoid Anne McCaffrey, and also those 78 volume series about a poor but honest young man with a Destiny... Why, oh why, 78 volumes?

(Mercedes Lackey for one... It's impossible to follow her series as I wouldn't know where to start!)

I haven't read her's so can't comment, and to prevent topic drift, feel free to use my PS for further discussion...



I'm away to as work beckons!!!

MMF

Well I've always thought Trillian fits into the geeky woman fantasy: intelligent, someone who might share your interests (if your interests were physics, maths, computers), but still very much a woman.

Its not something that's been said explicitly anywhere I've seen though, so maybe don't overdo it. The film, of course, played upon all that relentlessly.

Other than that, she's obviously generally capable, but also a bit 'spontaneous', remember she did go running off with Zaphod...

Depends how much information you need? Is it a presentation (reckon one short bullet point per 30 seconds) or written work?

Since the main thing you've found is the absence of women, why not talk about that? You know why he's done it, but what effect do you think it has on the book? Vicky's said she thinks it takes away from it, but do you, and why (or why not)? There's all good stuff you can discuss there.

In the fourth book there's the female character of Fenchurch, Arthur's girlfriend. Her feet don't touch the ground, as I recall.

From the film As Good As It Gets -

Secretary: "Mr Udall, how do you write women so well?"

Jack Nicholson: "I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability."

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Ha. Ha. Ha.

Imagine the testeria from someone like Hoo, if a woman said that about men! :shock:

They do all the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxTyuFBPJsk

I don't get your point! Are you saying that advert is anti-male? Or that it was made by women? Or both?

Or did you simply get the URL wrong? I simply don't get where that's in any way similar to the piece of egregious piggy nastiness you posted before.

We call it humour.

Nope. It's not humour. The advert is funny. Your point, whatever the heck it is, is not, because it's utterly unfathomable.

I think it was humour Vicky.

But it was a bit woosy of Christopher to unsub in a flounce...