"The journey, not the arrival matters" Frankenstein and On Giants' Shoulders

University Degree Historical and Philosophical studies

“The journey, not the arrival matters”

Journey is a multilayered process which is inevitable in ones lifetime. Whilst journeys can be inner or physical it is our imagination that enables us to escape into new worlds and visualise new possibilities. These imaginative journeys occur in the realm of the mind where fantasy is created and reality is considered. The human capacity to dream and transcend actual existence often opens amazing possibilities. It is through imagination, speculation and inspiration that the exploration of new worlds, possibilities and human potential is achieved. In their own ways imaginative journeys often have a connection with our lives and the practical world. In some cases journeys are even used as parallels to reality and to comment on social and human traits. However in all texts, one element prevails; that is that the journey is of greater significance than the arrival.

It is those journeys that transcend reality, inspire an intellectual quest, challenge previously held conceptions and comment on society that are explored in texts such as Melvyn Bragg’s On Giant’s Shoulders, The Jaguar by Ted Hughes, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Journeys Over Land and Sea from the Smithsonian Libraries Exhibition. In all of these texts, emphasis is placed on the process of the journey rather than the arrival. In some cases there is no defined point of arrival, rather just a quest to challenge the conceptions previously held and the discovery of new possibilities.

On Giants’ Shoulders is a radio transcript that explores the journey of science. It demonstrates the way in which scientists were inspired by the work of previous scientists. It also attempts to pay homage to science and its exceptional minds. On Giants’ Shoulders is set out in chronological order as it portrays the process and steps in science that have lead us to our current position. The text also conveys Bragg’s intellectual quest and his desire to comprehend the language of science as well as fuelling the responder’s imagination about science and its popular names.

Imaginative journeys allow some to transcend reality and challenge previously held conceptions. This is the case with Albert Einstein whose work spawned after questioning the conflicting theories of Newton and Maxwell. Einstein demonstrated that the imagination was a powerful tool. Einstein speculated when he said “let us consider the possibility that Newton was wrong.” This allowed him to break free and explore the untouched and “when he did that, he found you could make a match between his version of mechanics and Maxwell’s equation of light.” It was only during a thought experiment that Albert Einstein developed his special theory of relativity. “Einstein imagined what it would be like to ride a wave of light at the speed of light.” This demonstrates the ability of the imagination and the amazing possibilities that it creates. However the possibilities that Einstein’s theories have created have not been the focus of On Giant’s Shoulders. Rather it was the process in which Einstein got to his theories and the idea that his journey has “completely changed the way we look at the universe”. This indicates that the process of the journey is of greater significance than the destination.

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It is also important to note that it is not only scientists that transcend reality but also composers and responders. Melvyn Bragg as a non scientist undergoes an imaginative journey into the unknown world of science. Bragg went on a quest to discover “the most dazzling intellectual pleasure-garden of the late twentieth century”. Bragg transcended reality and allowed his world and understanding of science to be reinvented and reshaped. Bragg also sought to make science accessible to the non scientists in society by using everyday language so that the general public “no longer felt left out”. In the same manner that Bragg has transcended reality to be able to comprehend science and its amazing achievements, so to is the responder given the opportunity to transcend actual existence and attempt to understand and comprehend science. Bragg invites the responder into the world of science by making it interesting and relevant through the use of rhetorical questions such as “The First Scientist?” and anecdotal stories such as Newton and his discovery of gravity by an apple falling on his head. By transcending reality in this way both the composer and responder are on a journey of discovery that has no defined arrival point. It is the knowledge gained along the course of the journey that makes the journey itself more significant than the destination.

Likewise, Ted Hughes is another composer that transcends reality through the Jaguar in his poem The Jaguar. In stanza three Hughes alludes to the fact that the jaguar is held captive in the zoo – “at a cage where the crowd stands,” however he then explains, “he spins from the bars, but there’s no cage to him.” This shows that the jaguar is boundless in its mind, the jaguar sees no limits, it is a “visionary” that has not been defeated by captivity. Just like Einstein, the Jaguar has used the power of its imagination to escape its physical confines and discover new possibilities. Again, it is what is learned through the imaginative process that is of greater importance than the arrival.

In a similar way, Archimedes also transcended reality. He was able to see beyond the norms of life and make an intellectual discovery. Archimedes was seen as an obsessive person, he had an obsession with making an intellectual discovery and he was constantly theorising – “a deep thinker with the mad person, the utterly possessed artist, the completely engrossed child.” It was Archimedes’ obsessive nature that led him to his destruction. Archimedes was “killed by a Roman soldier…while working on a complicated equation.” Archimedes reached no final destination, he was working on his theory when he was killed, this theory was left for someone else to complete. In a similar fashion “Einstein came up with a lot of theory…then basically scarpered off and left other people to prove them.” This continuous, fragmented nature of the journey shows that the arrival is of less significance than the theory that is left for future giants to work with.

Similarly, the protagonist Victor Frankenstein from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was brought to destruction as a result of his obsessive imagination. Victor embarks on a quest for knowledge and then searches for an escape from the subsequent reality after the creation of the monster. The novel suggests that the potential of creative power can have monstrous outcomes when the focus is taken away from moral and ethical concerns. Whilst this is a disturbing imaginative journey for the responder, it raises important issues about humanity and serves as a social warning. The novel explores the evil and danger that can arise through the obsessive nature of the imagination. This can be seen through the lines, “I had worked hard for nearly two years…for this I had deprived myself of rest and health.” This shows the obsessive mind of Victor that lead him to create a monster that was originally a figment of his imagination which eventually led to chaos and destruction. Throughout Frankenstein there is no concrete arrival point. The book serves to fuel the responders mind to think about the moral and ethical concerns of Victor’s imaginative process and its consequences. It is this pathway to enlightenment that enables the responder to grow intellectually, thus pointing to the importance of the journey over the destination.

Another important element of the imaginative journey is the concept of the intellectual quest; both the way it begins and how it is continued. It was not only Einstein who embarked on an intellectual quest of discovery, but others such us Archimedes and Newtown, also had their moments of inspiration or ‘eureka moments.’ For each of these scientists it was these moments that inspired their intellectual quest; their desire to embark on an imaginative journey that continued the work of previous scientists. In this way they all metaphorically stood on the shoulders of giants and continued with work previously set out for them. There was no defined end point but a continuous journey of science.

It was Archimedes who began the idea that a scientific discovery is sparked from a moment of inspiration, and many other scientists have discovered things in this manner. Archimedes while sitting in a bath tub was able to see beyond the norms of water and discover his theory of buoyancy. Newton’s ‘eureka moment’ came while sitting under a tree. An apple fell and sparked off a chain of thoughts which led to the discovery of gravity. Einstein’s ‘eureka moment’ was his thought experiments where he was able to eliminate his physical confines and imagine. All of these scientists have one thing in common, that is their ability to actively challenge the worlds underlying assumptions. These scientists had no defined arrival in sight, rather they just sought to go on an intellectual quest, thus emphasising that the process is of more significance than the destination.

Furthermore, in reflecting on the significance of intellectual quests, it is also important to consider the position of the responder. On Giant’s Shoulders can be read using a feminist perspective. This is particularly evident in closer analysis of the chapter on Archimedes. In this chapter Bragg emphasises Archimedes’ historical context; insistent on pointing out that his world was one dominated exclusively by men. Archimedes is highlighted as a “man of science” and therefore Bragg implies that science is still a world exclusive of women. This idea is further emphasised by the use of experts throughout this chapter. It is evident that Bragg still subscribes to the view that science is exclusive of women. This can be seen as Bragg uses male experts throughout the chapter and sparingly allows the last quote to a female expert. Thus Bragg’s use of gender bias language clearly perpetuates the viewpoint that women still do not have an equal voice in the world of science. In using gender biased language Bragg influences the intellectual quest of the responder. He places the responder in a position whereby they either have to accept Bragg’s viewpoint concerning the place of women in science, or formulate reasons for challenging it. This creates a dilemma for the responder that becomes central to their journey over the course of the text. It is something that they return to repeatedly indicating that this intellectual journey – the process of thinking – is of greater value than the arrival point.

Finally, scientists and pioneers throughout history have gone on intellectual quests to open amazing possibilities. This is outlined in Journeys over Land and Sea from the Smithsonian Libraries Exhibition. A common thread between all intellectual discoveries is the fact that they search the unknown, they “chart new lands.” In this text there is no defined point of arrival, rather just a historical telling of past pioneers and their impact on society. In the same way that scientists have “stood on the shoulders of giants” so to have the pioneers in Journeys over Land and Sea. They have like Newton’s thought process, “compelled others to pursue the unknown farther from home.” This shows that the imagination often inspires others to go on intellectual quests of their own. It is therefore the knowledge that is gained along the way that has a greater impact than the destination reached.

It is evident that the above analysis shows that the imaginative journey is the vehicle for transcending reality and inspiring intellectual quests. It is this process that gives rise to a multitude of possibilities, thus leading to an expansion of human potential. This was certainly the case for the scientists, Archimedes, Newton and Einstein who discovered their potential by journeying into unexplored areas. It was their journey that also inspired others to embark on similar intellectual quests. Furthermore, The Jaguar, Frankenstein, and Journeys Over Land and Sea also emphasise the importance of the imagination as a tool for discovery and enlightenment. Clearly each composer has, through the use of the techniques of their medium and genre, been successful in drawing the responder into the imaginative journey. This allows the responder to expand the boundaries of their imagination. Consequently, each of these texts points to the power of the imagination as a pathway to knowledge and the achievement of goals, it is clear that the journey itself is of greater significance than the arrival.