The Book That Saved the Earth

The twentieth century was called the ‘Era of the Book’ because there were books about everything, from anteaters to Zulus. Books taught people how to and when to and where to and why. Books were illustrated, punctuated, and even decorated.

Martians tried to invade the earth in the twenty-first century.

The Think-Tank initially guesses that the books are sandwiches. Noodle corrects him and says that he thinks that books are some sort of communication devices. Then he thinks that the books are used for ear communication. Finally, he concludes that they are used for eye communication.

Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank, but at the same time, he corrects his mistakes. Each time he thinks that Think-Tank is wrong, he first adulates Think-Tank and then presents his own thoughts saying that they are just insignificant pieces of data in his head. In this way, he lets Think-Tank know what is correct and does not make him feel that he is being corrected.

If I were in Noodle’s place, I would try to politely correct Think-Tank’s mistakes and suggest corrections.

Yes, books are being replaced by electronic media with the emergence of digitization. We now have e-books and online classes, which do not require paperback books.

No, I don’t think that we can do away with books altogether because although there is a tendency to move towards electronic media, books still have their own importance. There are millions of people who love to read books. The feel and satisfaction of reading a book while holding it in your hands and turning its pages is altogether a different experience that e-books will never be able to replace.

Books are referred to as a man’s best companion because they guide us, teach us, make us laugh, make us cry, make us introspect and help us to become a better version of ourselves. Books are companions who will never leave us. They impart knowledge and wisdom. We can learn from them, enjoy them and get inspired.

Think-Tank misinterprets innocent nursery rhymes as threats to the Martians in the following ways:

• Mistress Mary: Listening to the lines about “silver bells” and “cockle shells,” Think-Tank thinks that people on Earth are so advanced that they can actually grow crops of rare metals and high explosives.
• Hey Diddle Diddle: Hearing “the cow jumped over the moon” and “the little dog laughed,” Think-Tank concludes that Earthlings have taught their domesticated animals musical culture and space techniques, and even their dogs have a sense of humour.
• Humpty Dumpty: When he sees the picture of Humpty Dumpty, who resembles his own balloon brain, he gets frightened. He thinks that the Earthlings have seen him and are planning to capture Mars Central Control and him. He infers that “Humpty Dumpty had a great fall” means his own downfall.

No, I don’t think that English is their language because they are not able to understand what is written in the book Mother Goose. They think the words are codes written in little lines and squiggles and dots. As these aliens are Martians, they might have a Martian language.