Stranger In A Strange Land

9 Pages 2152 Words

rent times, a book involving multiple sex partners, with unusual views of religion and politics is not considered abnormal because modern society is much more culturally open in varied ways. But one can imagine why the work caused such a stir in the early sixties. The decade of the sixties itself was a revolutionary time in American history and “Stranger in a Strange Land,” was a novel that was simpatico with that motif.
Heinlein tells us the story of a man born on Mars, Valentine Michael Smith, whose parents were astronauts and participated in the first human expedition to Mars. There were eight original astronauts on the maiden voyage to Mars, all exceptional, some geniuses. Two of these astronauts produced a child who, born out of wedlock, was by agreement of the astronauts and the standards of the culture in which the book was written, actually the legitimate heir of all of the astronauts. What makes this so incredible is that Valentine Michael smith was genetically exceptional and financially wealthy beyond an ordinary human’s dreams. Yet, he was by no means an ordinary human being.
Imagine if you will, an alien being brought to earth for the first time. A being from another atmosphere, from another culture from another world might find earth difficult to assimilate. Compound that “imagining” by making that alien genetically human and you have the premise of “Stranger in a Strange Land.” Here is the story of a human being introduced to humanity with all it’s strengths and weakness. Upon arrival on earth, this “Martian” man would be appear to be an infant; physically, mentally, culturally etc. But, as is often the case, appearances can be deceiving, and upon learning the appropriate techniques, this creature we find is a being that can teach us incredible things about ourselves as a species and about universal truth.
By some strange fluke of law...