Sentinel Vs Space Odyssey

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The Sentinel and 2001: A Space Odyssey: A Comparative Analysis 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Sentinel: A Comparative Analysis Space exploration has been a major theme for movies, books, and real life. The possibility of other intelligent life forms has intrigued audiences for ages and until it is discovered will continue to be a source of entertainment and fascination. Arthur C. Clarke’s short story, “The Sentinel,” and the film that is the film that is loosely based on it, 2001: A Space Odyssey, share a few similarities, but what is the most noticeable is the differences of the two. The main theme of both these works of art is first contact with another life form and the significance of this contact. How the first contact was made, when and where it was made, and the significance of the contact is, however, different between these two forms. The first contact was made unbeknownst to the life forms on earth in “The Sentinel,” and was only discovered by accident. The astronauts were exploring the moon’s Mare Crisium and were looking for proof of former life on the moon and happened upon a ridge that reflected oddly. In 2001: A Space Odyssey the first contact was made right before the rise of man and also on the moon. The transmitter that was placed on Earth was never uncovered but the one on the moon was. In both works the aliens never stayed on Earth to watch the outcome of the Earth life forms but chose instead to offer a means to communicate the evolution of these life forms into more intelligent beings. While how the first contact was made on with the Earthlings is very important to the plot of both the short story and the movie, it is also important to know when and where the actual contact was made. A more in-depth look at the discovery and interpretation is needed to determine the significance of the contact. In “The Sentinel” an alien

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