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Essay about Saturnian and Micromegas in Space

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In Voltaire’s Micromegas. The Saturnian and Micromegas then set out in space to gain more knowledge of the universe. The pair arrives on our puny little planet, earth. They reflect on the mere impossibility of finding any form of life on such barren, uneven terrain. During their visit, Micromegas’ diamond necklace breaks and he uses a diamond as a microscope. He eventually chances upon a ship of wise men. In further examining the small species, Micromegas finds that the humans become more and more complex. Starting from simple non-verbal creatures to the ones that the universe was made for. Before his return to the earthlings Micromegas and the Saturnian attempt to define non-material things such as the soul and the reason for existence,…show more content…
Micromegas’ book provides the puny earthly beings with an opportunity to learn about themselves, about earth, about life. Micromegas tells them that “if human existence is to have a purpose, human beings must write it” (50). The humans have the ability to change what is written about them. I agree with what Micromegas says about humans. We need to write our own history we can’t take one that has already happened. If we truly are supposed to be here we have to prove it. The story hints towards humans destroying earth and their existence. Humans tend to only think about themselves and not of others. One point that I think Micromegas and Voltaire missed was that humans should be understood for their ignorance and not their wisdom. Humans make mistakes and aren’t perfect. The blank book is for the humans to understand themselves rather than Micromegas understanding humans. “He promised to make them a beautiful philosophical book, written very small for their usage, and said that in this book they would see the point of everything. Indeed, he gave them this book before leaving. It was taken to the academy of science in Paris, but when the ancient secretary opened it, he saw nothing but blank pages. "Ah!" he said, "I suspected as much"(60). I believe that there is no point of everything. It is up to each of us to write our own meaning in our life into our very own
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