Characterisation of Zaphod Beeblebrox
In the following text we will describe
the character of Zaphod Beeblebrox from the book “Hitchhiker’s Guide
to the Galaxy”.
Zaphod Beeblebrox is an alien. He is actually
humanoid, but he distinguishes by his appearance from the earthmen. Beeblebrox has two
heads, a third arm and he is two hundred years old. He also has wild hair, blue eyes and
unshaven arms (see page 35).
The reader doesn’t know anything about
Beeblebrox family, only it is mentioned that Ford Prefect is
his semi- cousin (see page 91). Trillian, an earthwoman,
is his girlfriend, who Beeblebrox took from earth. Beeblebrox is the president of the
Imperial Galactic Government – and he steals the star ship “Heart of Gold”.
By reading his relationship to the
other characters in the book, he is nasty and selfish. He only cares about himself:
“Well, maybe someone else might have picked them up later.” (see page
77). This sentence Beebelbrox says to Trillian as they pick up Arthur Dent and
Ford Prefect. It shows that he doesn’t care about other people and that
he would have let them die in space.
Instead of this behaviour, Beeblebrox
only thinks in this situation at himself, because he knows that the police are
after him. That he steals the star ship “Heart of Gold” is actually
not the right behaviour of a president. Perhaps this shows that Beeblebrox is
not able to do this job, because on the one hand he doesn’t treat his job
like a president and on the other hand doesn’t he know enough. “Mmmm”,
said Zaphod, “ ZZ 9 Plural Z Alpha. ZZ 9 Plural Z Alpha?” “Well?”
said Trillian. “Er…what does the Z mean?” said Zaphod. “Which
one?” _ “Any one.” (see page 85). This dialogue between Beeblebrox
and Trillian shows that he doesn’t know anything about technology and perhaps
that he is not interested in Trillian's work.
Trillian: “ Hey, have you any idea what
these strange symbols are?” “I
think they’re just strange symbols of some kind.” (see page 121). This show,
too, that Beeblebrox doesn’t respect the interests of Trillian and that he
doesn’t care about it.
But his relationship is in some kind different
to other relationships, because Trillian is allowed to say what she thinks or she can
critique him; Beeblebrox let her do this. “Can we drop your ego for a moment? This is
important.” (see page 85). This sentence from Trillian is an example for the precious
named assumption.
At the end you see Zaphod Beeblebrox doesn’t change in the whole story. He is the same one at the end like at the beginning.
( by Julia & Martina )