Rendezvous with Rama

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination.

The novel’s protagonist is the commanding officer of the spaceship Endeavour, Commander William Norton. A distinguished serviceman in the field of space exploration, Norton was born and raised in Australia and holds dual citizenship on Earth and Mars. Each of these planets is home to one of Norton’s two families.

The novel traces the restoration of Norton’s sense of wonder in a mysterious universe, thematically exemplifying The Mysteries of the Universe. As a seasoned spaceman in his work and personal lives, he regards interplanetary travel as a natural part of life. He records duplicate messages of his travels for his wives, signaling his disillusionment with the wonders of the solar system. Rama’s arrival presents the first opportunity to rekindle his awe, especially since he has no idea what to expect when he ventures inside Rama.

Some aspects of his mission resemble the archetypical hero’s journey. In Chapter 4, Norton is called to adventure when his ship, the Endeavour, is identified as the closest one to Rama upon its detection. Norton doesn’t refuse the call outright but is reluctant to fulfill it: “A thousand scientists on Earth […] [were] thinking how much better they could do the job.