# XI: The Mooncalf Pastures explained — The First Men in the Moon

> Chapter companion for The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells.

## What happens

Bedford and Cavor, lost on the lunar surface, crawl in terror through alien vegetation as they hear the bellowing of mooncalves and glimpse Selenites herding them. They observe the gigantic, slug-like mooncalves and the armored Selenites, and narrowly avoid falling into a hidden abyss when a flat plain turns out to be a sliding lid. After eating a strange fungus, both become intoxicated and recklessly charge at a group of Selenites, leading to their capture and imprisonment beneath the moon's surface.

## Themes in this chapter

### Colonialism and Exploitation

Bedford's intoxicated talk of annexing the moon and the 'White Man's Burden' directly invokes colonialist ideology, treating the lunar environment and its inhabitants as resources to be exploited.

### Alien Encounter and Communication

The explorers' first extended observations of Selenites and mooncalves highlight the challenges of understanding alien life forms and their behaviors.

### Human Nature and Irrationality

The fungus-induced intoxication leads to reckless, irrational behavior, causing the capture that sober reflection would have avoided.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Bedford

Crawls in terror with Cavor, observes mooncalves and Selenites, nearly falls into an abyss, becomes intoxicated by fungus, and is captured.

### Mr. Cavor

Leads the crawl, shows anger at the mooncalves, becomes intoxicated by fungus, and charges at Selenites before being captured.

### The Selenites

Seen herding mooncalves with spiked helmets and clanging arms; later capture Bedford and Cavor after the fungus-induced attack.

### Cavorite

The abandoned sphere is sought after by the explorers but remains lost throughout the chapter.

## Key lines

> So we two poor terrestrial castaways, lost in that wild-growing moon jungle, crawled in terror before the sounds that had come upon us.

Bedford and Cavor, stranded on the moon, crawled fearfully through the alien vegetation as strange noises approached.

_Establishes the desperate and fearful tone of the chapter._

> We must annex this moon. There must be no shilly-shally. This is part of the White Man's Burden.

Bedford, intoxicated, declares they should colonize the moon, invoking the colonialist concept of the 'White Man's Burden.'

_Highlights the theme of colonialism and the absurdity of applying Earthly imperialism to the moon._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters/xi-the-mooncalf-pastures
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_first_men_in_the_moon_se/chapters