Not Wanted on the Voyage

Science is the product of freedom of thought and freedom of speech. The ideal world that God had created was for humans to solely follow and believe in Him without any questions or doubts. In the novel Not Wanted on the Voyage, Timothy Findley shows how Science and Religion cannot coexist. Through wisely chosen characters and events that symbolizes science and religion, Findley was able to show how they cannot co-exist without harm done. First, science is a word that was derived from Latin “Scienca” which means knowledge. Ironically, the beginning of humans suffering came from Adam and Eve eating the fruit of the tree of life/knowledge. The main character that symbolizes science is Ham, and is also the husband of Lucy who is otherwise known as Lucifer. In other words, Science is associated with those who question or disobey God such as Lucy and Adam and Eve. Similarly to Eve, Mrs. Noyes earlier in the novel also ate apples during her time of despair to rebel against Noah. She is then also associated with those who disobeyed God especially when she said “Even if it takes a thousand years –we want to come with you. (Findley, pg.284)” which was addressed to Lucifer.

With the ongoing conflict of Noah and the lower deck, it is obvious that they were not able to co-exist as they had to be segregated into upper and lower decks. In addition, throughout the novel we had been exposed to the idea of ape children. Noah, a dedicated follower of Yaweh, fathered two ape babies. He disturbingly fathered Hannah’s child and instead of helping her deliver the child, he prayed. “I will pray for you, now –and you will deliver the child. (Findley, pg.340)” Ape babies in the novel refer to Charles Darwin’s human evolution theory. As both of his ape babies were denied, dead or killed, Findley is showing that religion will keep their eyes and minds close and would not pay further attention to the cause of these “unnatural” events that Ham, ironically witnessed. Lastly, in relation to Hannah’s baby, Lucy was also another character to witness her throw the ape baby in the water.

“Just as they will go on throwing all the apes and all the demons and all the Unicorns overboard for as long as this voyage lasts. . . (Findley, pg. 349)” All science theories, supernatural beings/events and beliefs aside from God, had all been murdered by the followers of God/Noah/Yaweh. FIndley clearly states throughout the novel that science and religion will always have conflicts; as faith in God will overpower anything and can only see what best interests them. Whereas those who believe in science will only believe in what they see such that Mrs. Noyes refused to pray to the “absent” God. In conclusion, the idea that science and religion can perfectly co-exist with eachother is next to impossible as long as “the voyage lasts.”, in which it is also stated that the voyage will last forever.