Outline

The ability to create custom made planets by using white holes in the “glorious days of the Former Galactic Empire” already give a clear indication of genre this passage taken from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy belongs in the category of Science fiction. The reason why this can already be seen only within the first sentence is the use of conventions. Just as in any other genre in any written piece the conventions in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy serve the codes, such as theme and characters to create a humorous science fiction radio play. The themes such as the insignificance of mankind and the relation of past and presence are enforced through a row of literary devices ranging from intertextuality to irony and sarcasm, which often create absurd scenarios, all for the humorous effect.



Paragraph 1:
Thesis: In this passage one of the main themes of the radio script on the big scale takes its beginning, the probability of the improbable.

Examples: Invention of the improbability drive
Examples: Jargon, logical fallacy

Paragraph 2:
Thesis: Furthermore another theme plays a vital role in the paragraph, the distinguishing between the cool and trendy objects and pastimes in the universe in contrast to the uncool part of the universe
Convention Examples: Irony, Juxtaposition, Physicists-uncool

Paragraph 3:
Another theme of the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy finds it origin in this passage, the power of a cup of tea and motif of the cup of tea is a red thread though the whole book

Examples: Invention, it is ubiquitous


All of these themes, as well as other codes such as the characters and the plot built the base to define the genre of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. The themes of the probability of the improbably, the power of a cup of tea and the argument what is cool and what is not keep on recurring throughout the whole script. Together with the use literary conventions of irony, logical fallacy, etc. to create humour through language it creates this parody of the genres science fiction and serial, which is highly successful in evoking amusement in the reader.