The Night Land · Chapter
The Night Land explained
The Narrator is awakened by the Home-Call and warned by Master Monstruwacan via brain-speech about a Great Grey Man stalking him.
What happens
The Narrator is awakened by the Home-Call and warned by Master Monstruwacan via brain-speech about a Great Grey Man stalking him. He hides and prepares to confront the beast. Later, he continues his journey beside the Plain of Blue Fire, observing strange creatures and eventually emerging to see the Great Redoubt again. He is greeted by the emotional thoughts of the Millions, but must quiet them to avoid attracting the attention of the House of Silence.
Themes in this chapter
Isolation and Community
The Narrator is physically alone in the Night Land but feels the emotional support of the Millions and Master Monstruwacan.
The Sublime and Terrible Nature
The vast, dark landscape, the Plain of Blue Fire, and the monstrous creatures evoke both awe and terror.
Hope in Despair
Despite the constant danger, the Narrator finds hope in his mission to find Naani and in the distant light of the Great Redoubt.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Awakened by the Home-Call, hides from the Great Grey Man, and continues his journey beside the Plain of Blue Fire.
- Master Monstruwacan
Sends brain-speech warning the Narrator about the Great Grey Man's movements.
- The Diskos
Held by the Narrator as his companion and weapon; used to salute the Great Redoubt.
- The Beast-Man
The Great Grey Man that stalks the Narrator near the fire-hole.
- Naani
The Narrator dreams of her and thinks of her as the purpose of his journey.
Key passages
“And it was from a sweet and lovely sleeping, such as this, that I was waked suddenly by a great and mighty sound; and I came instant to a possessing of my senses; and I knew that the mighty Voice of the Home-Call did go howling across the Night.”
I was peacefully asleep when a loud noise woke me instantly; I realized it was the Home-Call echoing through the Night Land.
The Home-Call alerts the Narrator to danger.
“And I did discover a new power in the night; for the machine did point no more directwards unto the Great Redoubt; but was a point unto the Westwards; so that I had knowledge that some Great Power afar in the Darkness of the World did sway upon it.”
I found that the compass no longer pointed directly to the Great Redoubt but westward, indicating a powerful force in the darkness was affecting it.
The Narrator realizes the Northward Force is influencing his compass.
“And it was a strange thing to stand so utter far off in the Night, and to look back to that Everlasting Hill of Light, that was grown something small by the distance, and to have surety that I was lookt upon through the Great Spy-Glass, maybe by the kindly eye of my dear friend the Master Monstruwacan.”
It was surreal to stand so far away and see the Great Redoubt as a small point of light, knowing that Master Monstruwacan was watching me through the Great Spy-Glass.
The Narrator feels connected to home despite the vast distance.