Short Fiction · Chapter
The Polite People of Pudibundia explained
Marlow learns about the extraordinarily polite alien species known as the Puds from a briefing officer, who explains their customs of never looking directly at others, using color-coded glasses, and speaking in elaborate circumlocutions.
What happens
Marlow learns about the extraordinarily polite alien species known as the Puds from a briefing officer, who explains their customs of never looking directly at others, using color-coded glasses, and speaking in elaborate circumlocutions. Marlow, a homicide captain, reveals he is investigating why no old pilots return from Pudibundia. Upon visiting, Marlow is hosted by the One-Million-Times-Lesser-Marlow, who gives him a deferential ball to maintain politeness. Marlow explores the planet's nightlife with Mitzi, who hints that he will not return. In a final meeting, Marlow demands to see OMTLM's eyes, believing the answer lies there.
Themes in this chapter
Social Politeness and Repression
The Puds' elaborate politeness—using color-coded glasses, circumlocutions, and deferential balls—masks a system of control and hidden violence, as Marlow suspects it covers up murders.
Knowledge and Its Limits
Marlow struggles to uncover the truth about Pudibundia despite the Puds' seeming openness, highlighting the limits of understanding when faced with an alien culture.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“They say the people there are very polite.”
The inhabitants are known for their extreme politeness.
Marlow's initial understatement about the Puds.
“None of the Puds, you see, may ever gaze directly on another. That would be the height of impoliteness.”
Direct eye contact is considered the ultimate rudeness among the Puds.
Explains the Puds' use of colored goggles.
“But they are not really people. They are metamorphics. They become people only out of politeness.”
The Puds are shape-shifters who take human form as a courtesy.
Reveals the true nature of the Puds.
“What in gehenna is a captain in Homicide on the Solar Police Force going to Pudibundia about?”
Why is a homicide detective visiting such a polite planet?
The officer questions Marlow's purpose.
“What I am going to find out is why there are no old pilots around telling those stories.”
Marlow suspects the Puds are responsible for the deaths of previous visitors.
Marlow's mission to uncover the fate of earlier pilots.
“When you leave, you will not return here, or anywhere else.”
Mitzi warns Marlow that he will be killed after his visit.
A hint that the Puds eliminate visitors.