The Food of the Gods · Chapter
II: The Giant Lovers explained
Young Redwood meets the giant Princess in a park at dawn, and they fall in love.
What happens
Young Redwood meets the giant Princess in a park at dawn, and they fall in love. Their secret meetings are discovered, causing scandal and political tension. The lovers discuss the hostility of the small world toward giants, the constraints on their lives, and the inevitability of conflict.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Rebellion Against Social Norms
The giant Princess and young Redwood defy royal expectations and social hierarchy, becoming lovers despite the scandal and political consequences.
Class and Social Hierarchy
The Princess is of royal blood, while young Redwood is the son of a common professor; their relationship challenges the established order.
Inevitability of Change and the New Order
The lovers represent a new race of giants, and their union foreshadows the inevitable conflict between the old world of small people and the new giant order.
Characters to notice
- Young Redwood
The giant son of Professor Redwood, who meets and falls in love with the giant Princess.
- The Giant Princess
A giant princess from a foreign kingdom, affianced to a Prince for state reasons, who becomes the lover of young Redwood.
- Caterham
Campaigns against the Boom-children before the General Election, providing the political backdrop to the lovers' story.
- Dr. Winkles
Mentioned as having played a great part in the early nutrition of the giant Princess.
- Cossar
Referenced by young Redwood as one of the Brethren who has thought about the coming conflict.
- Professor Redwood
Young Redwood's father, a common professor of chemistry, mentioned in the scandal about the Princess's lover.
Key passages
“She looked up, and in that moment she was mated.”
At the moment she saw him, she knew he was her destined partner.
Describes the instant recognition of love between the giant Princess and young Redwood.
“They set foot side by side into the wonderful valley of love, with its deep and quiet places.”
They entered together into the profound and peaceful experience of love.
Metaphor for the deepening of their romantic relationship.
“We are stronger, man for man, a hundred times, but we are disarmed; our very greatness makes us debtors.”
Though each of us is far stronger than any ordinary person, we have no weapons and our size puts us in debt to the small people.
Young Redwood explains the paradox of giant strength without power.
“All that is reasonable and desirable in life they make out of bounds for us.”
Everything that is sensible and worth having, they forbid us to do.
Expresses the restrictions imposed on giants by the small society.