# III: Starkness explained — A Voyage to Arcturus

> Chapter companion for A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay.

## What happens

Maskull and Nightspore arrive at the deserted Starkness Observatory. After breaking in, they discover a library with a cupboard containing bottles labeled 'Solar Back Rays' and 'Arcturian Back Rays.' One bottle accidentally activates and vanishes, leading to a discussion about Krag's mysterious intentions and the nature of the rays.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Search for Ultimate Truth

Maskull and Nightspore's quest for Krag's message and the mysterious back rays reflects a search for hidden knowledge.

### The Futility of Human Endeavor

The deserted, filthy observatory and the cryptic, nearly indecipherable labels suggest the difficulty and potential pointlessness of their mission.

## Character check-ins

### Maskull

Arrives at Starkness with Nightspore, breaks into the observatory, and discovers the mysterious bottles.

### Nightspore

Accompanies Maskull, seems to have prior knowledge of Krag's message, and explains the back rays.

### Krag

Referenced as the orchestrator of the journey; his message is found in the form of the bottles.

## Key lines

> Unless light pulled, as well as pushed, how would flowers contrive to twist their heads around after the sun?

Nightspore suggests that light must have an attractive force, otherwise flowers couldn't turn toward the sun.

_Explains the concept of 'back rays' as light that pulls rather than pushes._

> The valve became unfastened. The contents have escaped through the open window toward the sun, carrying the bottle with them. But the bottle will be burned up by the Earth’s atmosphere, and the contents will dissipate, and will not reach the sun.

Nightspore explains that the bottle's accidental activation released its contents toward the sun, but the bottle itself will be destroyed in the atmosphere.

_Demonstrates the dangerous and volatile nature of the back rays._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_voyage_to_arcturus_se/chapters/iii-starkness
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_voyage_to_arcturus_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_voyage_to_arcturus_se/chapters