1. Darwin's Legacy and Grosvenor's Odyssey

Who was the iconic Charles Darwin, and what epic voyage did he undertake? Is there a parallel drawn by van Vogt between Grosvenor's celestial journey and Darwin's historic expedition? Investigate the ambitions of both Darwin and Grosvenor, and uncover the achievements realized during their respective travels.

2. Elections and Motives in Space

The democratic elections aboard the Space Beagle seem more akin to votes held on pirate vessels in the Caribbean and South Seas than to the rigid hierarchies of British naval ships. Are the explorers aboard this cosmic craft mere privateers in pursuit of treasure and personal gain, or do they behave as soldiers on a mission of reconnaissance? Delve into this conundrum.

3. Grosvenor's Ideal and Reality

Grosvenor aspires to be seen as a dedicated scientist and scholar, eager to disseminate knowledge and absorb wisdom. Does he embody the idealized persona he seeks to project? Are his intentions as noble as he portrays them? Examine the discord between his deeds and his professed objectives.

4. A Tale of Two Authors: Vonnegut vs. van Vogt

Compare the science fiction elements in Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions with A. E. van Vogt's The Voyage of the Space Beagle. Evaluate the significance of technology in these tales. What insights into human nature are imparted by each author? Reflect on your reaction to their narrative voices. Does the style of Vonnegut or van Vogt enhance or hinder your comprehension of the stories?

5. Encounters with the Unknown

How does the crew of the Space Beagle react whenever they encounter an alien entity on their voyage? What does this reveal about the crew's culture and leadership, irrespective of their stated missions? Is this truly a scientific expedition of discovery, or does it mirror Columbus's journeys more than Darwin's?

6. Bringing Aliens to Life

Choose an alien from The Voyage of the Space Beagle. Examine passages that vividly describe its physical traits, such as color, limbs, and sensory organs. Create an illustration of the alien, either in its natural habitat or aboard the Space Beagle. Will you include human figures for scale? Prepare your artwork for display, accompanied by excerpts from the novel.

7. Human and Alien Portrayals

In The Voyage of the Space Beagle, A. E. van Vogt meticulously describes the aliens while offering scant details about the humans aboard. All characters, save for the neuter Anabis, are referred to with male pronouns, covering a spectrum from humans to non-breeding aliens. Terms like "red devil" and "Black Destroyer" appear. Is van Vogt crafting a pulp sci-fi narrative, or something more insidious? Consider the roles of racism and sexism in the novel. Is van Vogt writing within the norms of his genre and era, or does his work reflect a specific cultural agenda? What can readers deduce about the author and his context?

8. Sociological Experimentation in Space

Van Vogt mentions that interstellar missions from Earth, akin to the Space Beagle's journey, serve as "proving grounds for sociological experiments." Nexialists, elections, and divided command are among the innovations explored to make humanity's expansion into space less perilous. With half of the ships never returning, if engine explosions were to blame, engineers would rework the designs. What sociological challenges are under scrutiny, who is behind these investigations, and how effective are the solutions?

9. The Art of Manipulation

Compare Grosvenor's verbal manipulation of his comrades, bolstered by hypnotic gas and technological aids, with the linguistic prowess in Suzette Haden Elgin's Native Tongue series. Why do Elgin's linguists wield such influence over emotions, while Grosvenor's conversational impact pales in comparison?