The Star And The Celestial Omnibus Analysis

“The major task of the twentieth century will be to explore the unconscious, to investigate the subsoil of the mind” (Henri Bergson). During the twentieth century, the world wars were playing out so one can see why authors at the time would choose to focus on celestial settings instead of their violence-driven home. In Arthur C. Clarke’s, space odyssey short story, “The Star,” a Jesuit astrophysicist priest’s faith has been shaken with the discovery of an obliterated race deep in outer space. Likewise, in E. M. Forster’s, insightful short story, “The Celestial Omnibus,” a young boy ventures out and locates a bus to heaven. Despite everyone’s mocking on Earth, he is crowned king for his innocence and humility. In both texts, the protagonists
In the beginning of the story, a nameless boy was carefree and adventurous, with “desires for something just a little different,” (Forster 263). He questioned his surroundings and wanted to learn from those around him. He discovered an omnibus that provides transportation to Heaven that everyone else considered to be a joke. The boy is so naive and innocent that he wants to buy his parents presents from Heaven to convince them to accompany him next time. However, once he returns to Earth, his family punishes him for believing that he actually went to Heaven. From here on out, the boy starts doubting himself, even when he convinces an adult he considers “the wisest person alive” (Forster 263) to go to Heaven with him. Instead of admiring the journey back up to heaven, he beats himself up for the way he acted on his previous trip. At the very end, when the boy is crowned king for his humility, he still doubts himself, thinking that the honor was for Mr. Bons instead of him. The boy’s thoughts and actions show his diminishing confidence as the short story plays
The short story reads like a letter; the priest is speaking to the reader about his discovery at the Phoenix Nebula. The Jesuit priest had a strong faith in God on his expedition to a nebula and pondered why there so many atheists in the scientific field: “I believed that space could have no power over faith, just as I believed that the heavens declared the glory of God's handiwork" (Clarke 517). As someone who devoted his life to God, it would seem that his faith would be strong under any circumstance, but this is not the case. As he explores outer space, he discovers the remains of an alien race that was destroyed by the nebula explosion. The Jesuit priest is also concerned with how others may react to his discovery that the star that guided the three kings to Jesus, is the same star that eradicated a whole alien race. In a critical essay on “The Star,” Nedelkovich notes, “The Jesuit, seems to be a very quiet and composed person. He is primarily concerned with the broad moral and theological implications of his discovery. That discovery he still does not share with anybody.” "On the book you are holding the words are plain to read. AD MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM, the message runs, but it is a message I can no longer believe. Would you still believe it, if you could see what we