영어로 읽는 고전 _ 제롬 빅스비의 튜브몽키
제롬 빅스비의 "튜브몽키"는 1940년대에 쓰인 공상과학 중편소설입니다. 이야기는 한때 뛰어난 조종사였던 리애넌을 중심으로 하는데, 그의 능력은 방사선으로 인해 심각하게 손상되어 어린아이 같은 정신력만 남게 되었습니다. 이 작품은 은하 간 갈등을 배경으로 영웅주의와 기만이라는 주제를 탐구하며, 리애넌이 반군과 부패한 의회가 관련된 비밀 전쟁에서 무의식적으로 졸이 되어가는 과정을 그립니다.
줄거리는 리애넌이 변화된 현실을 헤쳐나가면서 사악한 인물들, 특히 리애넌을 목적을 위한 수단으로 보는 카린에 의해 조작당하는 여정을 중심으로 전개됩니다. "튜브몽키"라는 별명을 갖게 된 리애넌은 일련의 배신과 대립을 겪으며, 이는 반군에 대한 은밀한 임무로 절정에 달합니다. 혼란 속에서 그는 과거의 뛰어난 능력의 순간적 회복과 씨름하며, 동료와 적의 운명을 결정하는 반전으로 이어집니다. 이 이야기는 유머와 비극의 순간들을 엮어내며, 궁극적으로 전쟁의 교전 중에 갇힌 순수함을 부각시킵니다.
Classics Read in English _ Tubemonkey by Jerome Bixby
Jerome Bixby's "Tubemonkey" is a science fiction novella written in the 1940s. The story centers on Rhiannon, a once-brilliant pilot whose abilities have been severely compromised by radiation exposure, leaving him with a childlike mentality. The narrative explores themes of heroism and deception against the backdrop of intergalactic conflict, depicting how Rhiannon unwittingly becomes a pawn in a secret war involving rebels and a corrupt council.
The plot focuses on Rhiannon's journey as he navigates his altered reality while being manipulated by sinister figures, particularly Karrin, who views Rhiannon as a means to achieve his goals. Adopting the nickname "Tubemonkey," Rhiannon experiences a series of betrayals and confrontations that culminate in a covert mission against the Rebels. Amid the chaos, he struggles with fleeting moments of his former brilliance, leading to dramatic twists that determine the fate of both allies and enemies. The story weaves together moments of humor and tragedy, ultimately highlighting the innocence caught in the crossfire of warfare.
Among the contents
Mountainous Rhiannon couldn't remember the last word. The clouded crystal, that was Rhiannon. He killed his buffing-ray and aimed a bellow that not only shivered the eardrums of its target but woke up Sergeant Atoms a hundred feet below, bringing him to his feet with an adoring bark.
"Hey, Stevie, what'sa last word?"
Steve Podalski swung his legs into view and slid carelessly down the dull metal roundness of tube fourteen, like a boy on a barrel. His magnetic boots thunked onto tube thirteen and took hold. He gave Rhiannon a look compounded of acid and pity. "Go to hell with your noise."
Off at the other end of Bed 52 a gong sounded its invitation to cease work and relax for a while. The twelve Navy spaceboats in 52, lined hip to hip like reclining madames on their slanting cradles, seemed suddenly to begin to shed their skins as a solid parasitica of out-ship workers melted in streams toward the upthrust frameworks of the lifts.
