Out Of The Silent Planet Analysis

What is the significance of the terminology of “bent” and “broken”?

Defining the terms: Bent: the plural form of bend. To take something straight and force it into a curve Broken: having been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or working order

These terms are used throughout the entirety of Out of the Silent Planet to describe the characters Weston, Devine, and Ransom. Both Weston and Ransom are described to be bent while Devine is broken. When an object is bent one sees a future hope that it can be straightened back out and become straight again. With broken there is a future sorrow knowing that the chances of it being fixed are very little to none with emphasis on the latter. Weston is the character who is willing to