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Introduction:
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction novel by Douglas Adams. It was first published in 1979. It was also made into a film in 2005. It is about a boy named Arthur Dent who hitches a ride on a fleet from another planet. He and the other crews who meet along the way venture to Magrathea and find Earth’s purpose and its answer. It is known for its science fiction factors in the plot of the book.

Plot:
Arthur Dent wakes up to find a demolition crew about to destroy his house for a new bypass. He tries to stop them but is interrupted by his friend Ford Prefect, who convinces him to grab a drink. Ford reveals he is from a planet near Betelgeuse and works for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. He informs Arthur that a Vogon fleet is on its way to destroy Earth for a galactic bypass. The Vogons arrive and demolish Earth, but Ford and Arthur hitch a ride on a Vogon ship. There, they are forced to endure the captain’s terrible poetry before being thrown into space. Just in time, they are rescued by the Heart of Gold, a ship captained by Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed Galactic President who stole the ship for its unique drive. Zaphod is accompanied by Trillian, a woman Arthur once liked, and a depressed robot named Marvin. The crew travels to Magrathea, known for creating custom planets. As they land, the ship is attacked by missiles, but Arthur activates the Infinite Improbability Drive, turning the missiles into a bowl of petunias and a sperm whale. On Magrathea, Arthur meets Slartibartfast, who explains that Earth was designed as a supercomputer to find the Ultimate Question of Life. After millions of years, the answer is revealed as “forty-two.” However, Earth was destroyed before completing its task. Meanwhile, Zaphod recalls being encouraged to steal the Heart of Gold. The group encounters mice who want to extract the Ultimate Question from Arthur’s brain. In the chaos, Zaphod and the others escape when police officers mysteriously die. They return to the Heart of Gold and leave Magrathea, heading to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe for a meal.

Analysis:
The author shows the fantasy and science fiction components using plots and twists. Some of the science fiction elements are the fleets from outer space and how Arthur hitches a ride to outer space with Ford Perfect. The author also puts his thoughts about Earth into the story, as Slartibartfast explains to Arthur that the Earth was designed to be the supercomputer to find the Ultimate Question of Life. He also explains that it took millions of years to find the answer. The answer was forty-two which the author doesn’t clearly state where the answer came from. The author also shows his thoughts about the end and the downfall of the Earth through the event when a Vogon fleet is on its way to destroy Earth for a galactic bypass. The details in the story also suggest that this is the future as Arthur once liked a robot and the fleets from outer space. It is also a significant coincidence that Arthur met the girl he once liked in a vast universe. Another interesting detail is the mice that came to steal the Ultimate Question. Because there is no air in outer space, they won’t be able to be on another planet. The ending isn’t peculiar with a unique setting; they go to eat a meal but to the End of the Universe.

Conclusion:
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a fantasy and science fiction novel by Douglas Adams, published in 1979. This book was made into a movie in 2005. The book is about a boy named Arthur who hitches a ride to outer space and goes on an adventure with the crew he meets along the way. He finds the purpose of creation of Earth and the answer it gave after millions of years. After escaping from mice who tries to drain the Ultimate Question from Arthur, they go to have a meal together. The book portrays futuristic and scientific components featuring space as the setting of the story. The author also presents his thoughts about Earth’s purpose.