Noel Gough An Accidental Astronaut (1991)

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NOEL GOUGH_ _ _ ____ _ ___ _ _ _ _ __

An Accidental Astronaut: Learning

with Science Fiction

Many of my favortte stories ar e lrnown popularly as -science

fiction" (sf), I an d some of them have also become very sig

nificant in my work as a teacher educator an d curriculum

scholar. The value I place on certain sf stortes, an d my fondness

for-the genre -as-awhole;--has-resulted from a succession of

fortunate accidents, each of which has predisposed me to take

advantage of th e next.

Childhood Dreams

One of th e more plausible stories of modern biological science

suggests that our inherited characteristics and the circumstan

ce s of our conception result from many chance occurrences. If

that is so, then chance ha s it that I was born a boy in England

in 1944 an d that I have a brother six years older than me. A result

of the latter accident is that my brother's reading preferences were

an early influence on my own tastes. Thus, at th e age of six I was

not only following th e adventures of Rupert Bear (and other

favorites of my agemates) bu t also sampling books an d comics

preferred by older readers. Among these was the boys' weekly

paper Eagle with its lead comic strip, "Dan Dare: Pilot of th e

Future." Da n Dare's colorful exploits were the stuff of many aboy's dreams in the drabness an d depression of postwar Brttain.

He took th e values of ou r heroic Royal Air Force into space and,

more importantly. hi s adventures were se t in a future from which

science and technology ha d eliminated many of the most

demoralising aspects of ou r existence. When I embarked with

Dan Dare's Interplanetary Space Fleet to venture to Venus an d

beyond I escaped from th e food shortages an d rations. th e cold

and damp houses (coal was rationed too). an d th e runny noses

and congested lungs that were endemic to England's soggy,

smoggy atmosphere.

An Accidental Astronaut: Learning with Science Fiction 31 3

My brother an d I were lucky to be acquainted \vith Dan Dare.

because in 1951, only a year after hi s comic strip debut. ou r

family emigrated to Australia. where Eagle was not widely dis

tributed. This brief acquaintanceship was enough to whet my

brother's appetite for sf. which grew steadily in th e ensuing years.

My own literary tastes were more diverse, bu t my brother's

collection of sf formed alarge proportion of

our shared library an dthe Grand Masters of th e genre- Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury.

Arthur C. Clarke, an d Robert Heinlein-soon became familiar

names. However, my knowledge of their work an d of sf in general

remained superficial for many years. Indeed. between 1950 an d

1967 I read nothing which appreciably altered the impressions of

sf that I ha d formed on my flights of fantasy with Dan Dare. The

only value I attributed to sfbeyond that of escapist entertainment

was it s celebration of the virtues of science per se. -During my high school years I began to reject qUite conscious

ly the Christian theology of my parents an d to put my faith in

science. By the time I ha d completed my undergraduate degree

in biology I was confident that the meaning of life resided inneo-Darwinian evolutionary theory. Had I been asked to do so, I

could have defended assiduously the SCientific optimism of my

Dan Dare daydreams. But I ha d no reason to articulate such a

defence, an d I certainly did no t recognise th e complementarities

between my faith in science an d my childhood dreams.,

Childhood's En d

One day in 1967, when browsing in the Education library at the

University of Melbourne. I came across a small collection ofnovels

on educational themes - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Black

board Jungle, To Sir With Love an d the like. Among them wasChildhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke (1953). I ha d read an d

enjoyed several of Clarke's short stories in the anthologies of sf

that I occasionally ha d borrowed from my brother, an d I thus

recognised th e incongruity of his novel in this collection.

Childhood'sEnd is not about schooling, an d I suspect that it came

to be in the Education library by accident. perhaps on th e

strength of it s title alone. Whatever the reason for its presence,

my curiosity was aroused an d I took a chance on reading

ChilElhood's End. It is no exaggeration to say that doing so

changed my life.

30NOEL GOUGH__________________________ _______

An Accidental Astronaut: Learning


Many of my favortte stories are lmown popularly as -sCienceftction- (sf}, l an d some of them have also become very sig

nificant in my work as a teacher educator and cU rriculumschola r. The value I place on certain sf stones, and my fondness

for - the genre "as - a-whole;--fias -resulted from a succession offortunate accidents. each of which ha s predisposed me to takeadvantage of the next.

Childhood Dreams

On e of th e more plausible stones of modern blologtcal sc ience

suggests that our Inherited charactertstlcs and the circumstan

ces of our concepti on result from many chance occurrences. Ifthat is so, then chance has i t that I was born a boy in England

in 1944 an d that I have a brother six years older than me . A resul tof the latter accident Is that my brother's reading preferen ces werean ea rly influence on my own tastes. Th us , at the age of six I was

not only following the adventures of Rupert Bear (and other


preferred by older readers. Among th es e wa s the boys' weeklypaper Eagle with it s lead comic s trip, ~ D a n Dare: Pilot of the

Future .M

Dan Dare's colorful exploits were the stuff of many abo y's dreams in th e drabness an d depress ion of postwar Britain.

He too k the values of ou r heroic Royal Air Force into space and,

more importantly, his adventures were se t in a future from which

sc ien ce and technology ha d eliminated many of th e mos t

demoralis in g aspects of our existen ce. When I embarked with

Dan Dare's Interplanetary Space F1eet to venture to Venu s an d

beyond I escaped from the food shortages an d ra tions, the co ldan d damp houses (coal wa s rationed too) , an d the nmny noses

an d congested lungs that were endemiC to England's soggy,smoggy a tmosphere.

An Accidental Astronaut; Leamlng with Science Fiction 3 13

My brother and I were lucky to be acquainted \vith Dan Dare.because in 195 1. only a year after his comic strip debut. ou r

family emigrated to Au stralia, where Eagle was not widely dis·

tributed. This brief acquaintanceship was enough to whet my

brother's appetite for sf. which grew steadily in the ensutngyears.


collection ofsffonned a large proportion of ou r shared library an dthe Grand Ma sters of the genre - Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury.Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinletn-soo n became familiarnames. However, my knowledge of their work an d of sf in generalremained superllclal for many years. Indeed, between 1950 and

1967 I read nothing which appreciably altered the imp ressions ofsf that I had fonned on my fligh ts of fantasy with Dan Dare. Theonly value I attributed to sf beyond that of escapist entertainment

was Its celebration of th e virtues of sc ience per se. .

During my high schoo lyears I began to reject qUite conscious·

Iy the Christian theology of my parents an d to pu t my faith in

science. By the time I had compl eted my undergraduate degree

in biology I was confident that the meaning of life reSided inneo-Darwinian evolutionary th eory. Had I been as ked to do so, Icould have defended assidu ously the sc ientific optimism of myDan Dare daydreams. Bu t I had no reason to articulate such adefence, an d I certainly dJd no t recognise the complementaritles

between my faith in sc ience an d my childhood dreams.•

Childhood's End

One day in 1967, when browsing 10 the Education library at the

UniversityofMelboume, [came ac ross a small collection of novels

on educational themes-The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Black·

board Jungle, To Sir With Love and the like. Among them wasChildhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke (1953). I had read and

enjoyed severa] of Clarke 's sh ort stories in the anthologies of sf

that I occasionally had borrowed from my brother, and I th usrecognised the Incongrui ty of his novel in this collection.Childhood's End Is n ot about schooling, an d t suspect that it came

to be in the Education libra ry by acc ident, perhaps on the

strength of its title alone. Wh atever the reason for its presence,my curios ity was aroused and 1 took a chance on reading

ChiLEfhood's End. It is no exaggeration to say that do1og so

changed my life.

30NOEL GOUGHL-______________________________ _

An Accidental Astronaut : Learning


Many of my favo rtte stories ar e lmown popularly as -science

ftction- (sf), l an d some of them have also becom e very sig

nificant in my work as a teacher educator and cUrriculum

sch ola r. The value t place on certain sf s tones, and my fondness

for th e ge nre 'as - a whole;-has -resulted from a success ion offortunate accidents. each of which ha s predisposed me to takeadvantage of the next.

Childhood Dreams

On e of th e mor e plaus ible storie s of modern bIological sc ience

suggests that our inherited characteristics and the circ um stan

ces of our concepti on result from many chance occur rences. Ifth at is so , then chance ha s i t that I was born a boy In England

in 1944 and tha t I have a brother six years older than me. A res ul t

of the latter accident is that my brother's reading preferences werean early influence on my own tastes. Thus , a t th e age of six I was

no t only following the adventures of Rupert Bear (a nd other


preferred by older readers. Among these wa s the boys' weekJypaper Eagle with it s lead comic s trip, ~ D a n Dare: Pilot of the

F u t u r e Dan Dare's colorful exploits were the st uff of man y abo y's dreams in th e drabness an d depress ion of pos twar Britain.

He took th e values of ou r heroic Royal Air Force Into space and,

more importantly, his adventures were se t In a future from which

sc ience an d technology ha d elimina ted many of th e mos t

demoralising aspects of ou r existence. When I embarked with

Da n Dare 's In terplanetary Space F1eet to venture to Venu s an d

beyond I escaped from the food s hortages an d rations, the coldan d damp houses (coal was rationed too) , an d the nmny noses

an d congested lungs that were endemiC to England's soggy,smoggy a tmosphere.

An AccidentaJ Astronaut: Leamlng with Science Fiction 3 13

My brother and I were lucky to be acquainted \\rim Dan Dare.because in 1951. only a year after his comic strip debut. ou rfamily emigrated to Australia, where Eagle was not widely dis ·

tributed. This brief acquaintanceshJp was enough to whet my

brother's appetite for sf, which grew steadily in the ensulngyears.


collection ofs f fo nn ed a large proportion of our shared library an dthe Grand Ma sters of £.he genre - Isaac Asimov. Ray Bradbury.Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinlein-soon became familiarnames. However, my knowledge of their work an d of sf n general

remained s uperficial for many years. Indeed, between 1950 and

1967 I read nothing which appreciab ly altered the impressions ofsf that I had formed on my flights of fantasy with Dan Dare. TheonlyvaJue I attributed to sf beyond that of escapist entertainment

was Its celebration of the virtues of science per se. .

During my high schoolyears I began to reject quite consciously the Christian tileology of my parents an d to pu t my faith in

sc ience. By the time I had completed my undergraduate degree

in biology I was confident that the meaning of life reSided inneo-Darwinian evolutionary th eory. Had I been asked to do so, I

could have defended aSSiduously the sc ientific optimism of myDan Dare daydreams. Bu t I had no reason to articulate such adefence, an d I certainly dJd not recogruse the complementarities

between my faith In sc ience an d my c,hi1dhood dreams .

Childhood's End

One day in 1967, when browsing 1n the Education library at the

Urtivers ityofMelboume, I came ac ross a small coUection of novelson educational themes-The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Black·

board Jung le, To Si r With Loue and the like . Among them wasChildhood's End by Arthur C. Clar ke (1953). I had read and

enjoyed severaJ of Clar ke's sh ort s tories in the anthologies of sf

that I occasionally had borrowed from my brother, and I th u s

recognised the incongruity of his novel in this collection.

Childhood'sEnd Is not about schoo ling, an d t suspect that it came

to be in the Education library by aCCident. perhaps on the

strength of its title alone. Whatever the reason for its prese nce,my curiosity was aroused and 1 took a chance on reading

Chilflhood's End. It is no exaggeration to sa y that doing so

changed my life. S o u r c e : G o u g h , N o e l . ( 1 9 9 1 ) . A n

a c c i d e n t a l a s t r o n a u t : l e a r n i n g w i t h s c i e n c e f i c t i o n . I n G e o r g e W i l l i s & W i l l i a m H . S c h

u b e r t ( E d s . ) ,

R e f l e c t i o n s f r o m t h e H e a r t o f E d u

c a t i o n a l I n q u i r y : U n d e r s t a n d i n g C u r r i c u l u m a n d T e a c h i n g t h r o u g h t h e A r t s ( p p . 3 1 2 - 3 2 0 ) . A l b a n y N Y : S t a t e

U n i v e r s i t y o f N e w Y o r k P r e s s . T H

I S B O O K I S N O W O

U T O F P R I N T .



314 GOUGH

Childhood's End begins just as humans ar e about to take th eir

first steps into s pace. The space race an d th e anns race are halted

by th e arrival of extraordinarily powerfu l alien beings who become

known th e O v l o r d s - . At first th e Overlords ar e a mysterious

presence. an d they hide their physical form from humans for fifty

years (it turns ou t that they resemble medieval conceptions of

Satan). During th a t time they take benevolent contro l of th e world

and eliminate ignorance. poverty. disease. crime. and th e fea r ofwar. Bu t th e children of this new golden age are strange. They

begin to dream of floating among distant SWlS an d wandering on

alien planets and, eventually, all they se em to do is dream. The

Overlords reveal that their purpose on earth can be likened to·midwives attending a clifficult birth, - theLr duty being to super

vise and protect th e children through a metamorphosis which will

-brtng something new an d wonderful into th e world. - Eventually

th e children ar e al l that remain of humankind an d , in th e book's

powerful metaphysical climax, they dematenalise -along with

th e earth Itself-to become what their dreams prefigured: th e

children are at on e with an omnipresent cosmic "Ovemtind. - TheOverlords observe this final stage of human evo lution with a

deeply ambiguous sens e of loss: for all of their technological

sophistication, tlley ar e incapable ofJo1n.ingthe Overmind. As one

of th eir number says: "'Yes, we ar e the mitlwtves. But we ourselves

ar e barren- (C larke 1953. 153).

I recall befng fascinated an d oddly exhilarated by my first

reading of Childhood's End.. I wa s s urprised by the apparent

paradox that a story about th e en d of th e world could seem so

hopeful. but 1 felt myself empathlslng with Clarke's aspirations

for what humankind might become. I wa s also surprised that a

story founded on th e mystical concept of human transcendence

could remain within the bounds of scientific plausibility and,moreover , be told u s ing such stereotypica l props of sf as extrater

re strial beings and spaceships an d other wonderful machines.

I ha ve revisited Childhood 's End many times since that first

reading, an d it s literary flaws have become more apparent.

Hwnan characterisation is minimal an d th e dialogue Is often

stilted, but I am still moved by th e predicament of the Overlords

and share Clarke's sense of wonder as he 1maginatiVely docu

ments th e marvels of the universe and dramatises hi s beliefs in

th e possibility of human transcendence . Clarke is at hi s best

when his mind's eye Is on th e big picture, as It is in his depictiOn

An ACCidental Astronaut: Learning with Science Fiction 3 15

of th e las t moments of th e earth·s existence (as seen by th e

departing Overlords);

In a soundless concussion of light. Earth·s core gave up ilShoarded energies. For a llttle while the grav1ta t..ional wavescrossed and re-crossed the Solar System. disturbing ever soslightly the orbits of the planets. Then the Sun's remaining

children pursued their ancient paths once more, as corksfloating on a placid lake ride oul the tiny ripples set In motionby a falling stone. (Clarke 1953, 188-1891

It is no t ju s t th e metaphoI1c reference to wa te r that reminds me

of th e climactic lines of Herman Melville's Moby Dick r .. . then

al l collapsed, and th e great shroud of the sea rolled on as it roUed

five thousand years ago-I. Clarke's lines ma y lac k Melville's

nmdity- and economy, but both writers know how to put

humankind into perspective-against vistas of such magnitude

an d magnificence that events like the sinking of the Pequoo an d

th e dematerialisation of th e earth appear as InfinitesimaJ flu ctua

tions in vast sweeps of time an d space. However, through theirrespectlve central characters, each writer also demonstrates that

such events are by no means trivial. Thus , th e sombre tone of th e

conclud1ng passages of Childhood's End does not invite us to

mourn for the earth but reflects th e tragic meaning of it s destruc

tion for th e Overlord Karellen:

There was nothing left of Earth. They had leeched away the lastatoms of its substance. It had nourished them, through th efierce moments of their inconceivable metamorphOSiS, as rbefood stored in a grain of wheat feeds the tnfant plant while Itclimbs towards the SWl . •.

Six thousand million kilometers beyond the orbit of Plulo.Karellen sat before a suddenl y darkened screen. The record wascomplete, the mission ended; he was homeward bound for theworld he had left so long ago. The weight of centuries was uponhim, and a sadness that no logic could dJspel . . .

For al l their achievements, thought Karellen, for all theirmastery of the phYSical unJverse. his people were no better thana tribe that had passed its whole existence upon some []at anddusty plain. Far off were the mountains. where power and

beauty dwell, where the thunder sported above the glaciers and

'the ai r was clear and keen. There the sun still walked, transfiguring the peaks with glory. when all !.he land below was







320 GOUGH

NOTE

1. Most connoisseurs. critics. and creators of science fiction prefer

th e abbrE'<iation Msf". to Msci-fi." An advantage of Msf" is that it ca n also

be taken 1:0 denote ~ s p e c u l a t i v e fiction" (an all-embracing term which

includes an y stories se t in th e future, regardless of whether or no t they

are furnished with th e scientific or technological hardware of conven

tional science fiction) and/ or Mscience fantasy" (stories which are osten

sibly se t in th e future bu t which are characterised by magic an d fantasy

of th e faery sort).

REFERENCES FOR CHAPTER TI-IIRTI

Clarke. A C. 1953. Childhood's end. New York: Ballantine. (Page refer

ences are to th e 1956 edition published by Pan Books. London.)

- - - . 1 971 . A Meetingwith Medusa. In ThewindJromthe SWl . London:

Victor Gollancz.

- - -. 1973. Rendezvous with Rama. London: Victor Gollancz.

- - - ~ . -1973. PiofilesoJ-theFi.iiUre. revised e d i t i ~ I l ~ London: VictorGollancz. -

Le Guin. Ursula 1969. The LeftHand o jDarkness. New York: Ace.

- - -. 1974. The Dispossessed. New-York: Harper an d Row.

- - -. 1985. Always Coming Home. New York: Harper an d Row. (Page

references are to th e 1986 edition published by Victor Gollancz.London.)

320 GOUGH

NaTE

1. Mos t connoisseurs. critics. an d creators of science fiction prefer

th e abbre'\iatlon · sf" . to ·sci-fl. - An advantage of ·sf" is that it ca n aJ so

be taken to denote · s p e c u l a t i ~ fiction· (an aU-embraCing term which

Includes any stories se t in th e future. regardless of whether or not th ey

ar e furnis hed W1tb th e scientific or technological hardware of conven ·

tional sc ience fiction) and/o r · science fantasy· (stories which ar e osten-

Sib ly se t In the future bu t which are characterised by magic an d fantasy

of th e faery so rt).

REFERENCES fOR CHAPTER TIUR1Y

Clarke, A. C. 1953. Childhood's end. New York: BaUantine. (Page refer·ences are to th e 1956 edltlon published by Pa n Books. London.)

- - -. 1971.A Meeting with Medus a . In Thewindfrom the sun. London:

Victor GolIancz.

- - - . 1973. Rendezvous with Rama.. London: Victor Gollancz.

-- - ..:.. ""T973. Projii"e:s-o j ~ t i d u r ~ s e d e d i t l L o ~ d ; ; - n VictorGoUanc:z. .

Le GUin. Ursula 1969. 171e Left Hand oj Darkness. New York: Ace.-- - . 1974. 171eDispossessed. New'York: Harper an d Row.- - -. 1985. Always Comfng Home. New York: Harper an d Row. (Page

references are to th e 198 6 edition published by Victor GolIancz,London.)

320 GOUGH

NCYrE

I . Most connoisseurs. critiCs. an d creators of science fiction prefer

th e abbre\1aUon ·s r , to -sd·fi. - An advantage of -sr Is that It can alsobe taken tD denote · s p e c u l a t i ~

fiction -(an all-embracing tenn which

includes an y s tories se t In th e future. regardless of whether or no t theyar e furnished wtth th e scientific or technological hardware of conven

tio n aJ science f!:ctlon) and/or -science fantasy- (stories which are osten

Sibly se t in !.he future bu t which a re characterised by magic an d fantasyof th e faery so n.).

REFERENCES FOR CHAPfER TI iIRI T

Cla rke, A. C, J953. Childhood's end. New York: Ballantine. (Page re fe r

ences are to th e 1956 edWon pubUshed by Pa n Books. London.)

- -- . 197 1. A Mee tlngwtth Medusa. In ThewindJrom the sun. London :Victor GoUancz.

- - - . 197 3 . Rendezvous with Rama. London: Victor Coliana.

-- - -. 1973. Profiles o T t i i : e " ~ s e d edition. L o ~ d ; n VictorGoUano::. -

Le Guill. Ursula 1969. The Left Hand oj Ja.rlmess. New York: Ace.

---. 1974. T1teDispJSsessed. New"York: Harper an d Row.-- -. 1985. A lways Coming Home. New York: Harper and Row. (Page

references are to the 1986 edition publlshed by Victor Coliancz.London.)

Documents

Noel Gough An Accidental Astronaut (1991)