51 pages • 1 hour read
Samantha HarveyOrbital
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Las Meninas
The 1656 Spanish Baroque painting Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez recurs throughout the novel as a symbol for the vanity of humankind. Shaun struggles to make sense of the painting during his time in space. Although the question of its meaning was posed to him as a student, its relevance did not become clear to him until the events of the novel. On the other hand, the lecture made a strong impression on his wife, who was his classmate when they were children. She has replicated the content of the lecture on a postcard of Las Meninas for him.
Per the lecture, Shaun believes that if he can identify the subject of the painting, he can make sense of what it really means. Pietro identifies that the dog is the subject of the painting because it is the only figure in the scene who isn’t looking at anyone, nor is it attempting to draw anyone’s attention. It is free from what Shaun refers to as the “matrix of vanities” occurring in the painting (160). All the human figures, on the other hand, are either trying to call attention to themselves or insist on devoting their attention to others. Once Shaun sees this, it inspires the insight that humankind is fundamentally vain, which resonates with his constant gaze upon the Earth from the space station. Although the dog isn’t vain per se, Shaun recognizes that the vanity of humankind is an attempt to assert themselves over the other animal species of the Earth. Without that attempt, both human and animal are merely trying to survive in a hostile universe. This diminishes the importance of the new moon mission by making it seem like a futile endeavor.
The Typhoon
The typhoon is one of the novel’s primary motifs, driving The Human Cost of Climate Change as a theme. The typhoon progresses over the course of the day that the novel covers in the astronauts’ lives. In the first chapter, the typhoon first forms over the Pacific Ocean. By the last chapter, the typhoon has flooded the island of Samar, putting the life of Pietro’s friend, the fisherman, and his family at great risk.
The typhoon isn’t directly related or caused by the space exploration program. However, the novel draws an implicit connection by showing how the nations that usher humanity’s endeavors in space are also the ones responsible for reshaping the Earth to enact their goals. This results in what the station crew thinks of as the “politics of want” (111), the paradigm that reshapes the physical features of the Earth to secure the fuel and other resources required to send astronauts into space. Actions like deforestation and urbanization undermine the ability of less privileged countries to sustain themselves against natural disasters like the typhoon. Pietro thus feels conflicted about his hope for the fisherman’s evacuation because he knows how difficult it would be for the fisherman to leave his whole life behind to be consumed by floods. The end of the novel finds the fisherman and his family praying for a miracle because no human power on Earth can guarantee their safety otherwise.
The Voyager Probes
The Voyager probes recur as a motif for The Cosmic Insignificance of Humanity as a theme. Launched in 1977, the probes were designed to carry identical golden records, each one containing sounds recorded on Earth. Veering into interstellar space, they symbolize humanity’s hope for finding other intelligent life forms on other planets and solar systems. After nearly 50 years since their launch, the chances of encountering extraterrestrial civilizations have become increasingly thin. The lack of a response to the probes signals the possibility that humanity is alone in the vast, ever-expanding universe.
This insight shakes the foundations of modern philosophy, which de-centers humanity as the protagonist of reality and material existence. The probes were intended to prove that humanity was not the only species in the universe capable of insight and critical thinking. Without any sign of proving otherwise, it raises the question of what it means for humanity to be the only species of its kind within its vicinity. Moreover, the inevitable end of the Earth and the solar system in which it resides poses the question of whether humanity is destined to fulfill some kind of purpose before its original home is destroyed. For some, the silent response to the Voyager probes emboldens them to venture further into space, which is what the lunar and eventual Mars missions hope to accomplish. For others, it is the ultimate form of humbling and a reminder of the miraculous circumstances that allowed civilization to develop from a seemingly random string of events.
