“Two Boys’ Trip to an Unknown Planet” Claire Wells and Jordan White Dr. Alison Rukavina ENGL 3308 April 6, 2017

Intro -Pluck and Luck Complete Stories of Adventure series. -Pluck and Luck was the longest running dime novel with issues from 1898-1929 ("Pluck and Luck | Nickels and Dimes.”). -It is #174 out of 1605 issues. -Francis W. Doughty, or “Richard R. Montgomery”, wrote this story along with about 1500 others for Pluck and Luck (“Doughty, Francis W.).

-Adventurous American men board a hot air balloon that takes them into uncharted outer space. -They encounter aliens on a flying boat, which takes them to an unknown planet. -The Americans take over the boat and must learn how to control it. -They roam the diverse planet, persevere through adversity, and eventually return home to Earth. SUMMARY

Theme -The story deals with fear and anxiety surrounding science and technology. -It is a two-fold, contradictory fear of progressing technologically and of not progressing technologically. -Bert fears getting in the balloon, and they face many scientific challenges throughout. Fred is unafraid, and Dr. Adamson must race against time to get them off of the planet. -These contradictory fears reflect the complicated view of science and technology at the end of the 19th century.

Fred Sawyer: “Man couldn’t live on top of [the highest mountain], I suppose, on account of the rarity of air.” Professor Hudson: “So scientists say; but let me ask you, young men, who knows anything about it? Who has ever been there to find out?” (3) Fear of the Unknown

Fear as the Driving Force -Fear of death in the fire pushes Fred, Bert, and Lish to take control of the flying boat. -Fear of being killed by the natives motivates them to continue circulating the unknown planet. -Fear of never seeing Earth again drives the Americans to figure out how to operate the flying boat and ultimately navigate through space to find home. -Also present is the underlying fear of Americans that technological advances and discoveries in other places threaten their status as a global superpower.

Character Engagement with Anxiety Bert Monroe: begins with reasonable doubt and anxiety but becomes bold and fearless when faced with the challenge of mastering technology for survival Fred Sawyer: originally daring and unafraid, thereby vulnerable to the power of technology, and is humbled when his life depends on the flying boat Lish Sniffins: learns to reverence technology when his life is on the line alongside Fred; must be rescued by Bert

Positive or Negative? -Overall, “Two Boys’ Trip to an Unknown Planet” portrays science and technology, and even the anxiety surrounding them, in a positive light. -Although technology is what gets them stranded in space, when used correctly and more thoroughly understood, it is ultimately their salvation. -Because fear is the characters’ driving force, this story displays the good that can be achieved through harnessing fear and anxiety and using it for adaptation and progress, thus portraying the theme positively.

Illustration -The dime novel has no illustrations besides the front cover. -It emphasizes the positive depiction with the cheering boys as they’re rescued by the illuminated space craft. -It implies the theme of anxiety and fear surrounding technology in the fact that the boys have to be rescued at all. -By doing so, the front cover creates the effect of a two-fold theme before the first word of the text is even read.

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise On the contrary, however, certain nationalities are said to be “kindness itself” (6) and speak “a soft, agreeable- sounding language” (6). Even the city is described with respect: “The city was enormous beyond all power of description” (7). Also, the flying boat made by the aliens is deemed superior to the American- made hot air balloon. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise The fear of the unknown does not translate into discrimination against the aliens.

Works Cited "Doughty, Francis W." SFE: The Science Fiction Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 24 Feb. 2017. Web. 04 Apr. 2017. Montgomery, Richard R. “Two Boys’ Trip to an Unknown Planet.” (New York: Pluck and Luck, 1901). "Pluck and Luck | Nickels and Dimes." Pluck and Luck | Nickels and Dimes. Northern Illinois University Libraries, 2016. Web. 04 Apr. 2017.