Literature in English (0475) | no. 37 J G Ballard, ‘The Man Who Walked on the Moon’

Welcome to J G Ballard's 'The Man Who Walked on the Moon'

Hello! This short story by J G Ballard is one of the more unique and thought-provoking texts on the syllabus. Don't worry if it feels strange or confusing at first—that’s exactly what the author intended! Ballard mixes science fiction ideas with deep psychological themes, making you question what is real and what is imagined.

In these notes, we will break down the plot, the characters, and the powerful techniques Ballard uses, helping you craft brilliant exam answers for Paper 1.

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Section 1: The Context and Plot Summary (AO1: Knowledge)

What is Psychological Science Fiction?

J G Ballard is famous for this genre. It's not about spaceships and laser battles; it’s about exploring the human mind under extreme conditions. He uses futuristic or strange settings (like a deserted beach near a launch site) to examine feelings like isolation, guilt, and the breakdown of reality.

Memory Aid: Think of Ballard's stories as a journey into the Beach and the Brain.

Key Details of the Setting

• Location: A remote, desolate beach area in Florida, close to the Cape Canaveral space launch sites.
• Atmosphere: Isolated, sterile, and haunted. The natural landscape is overwhelmed by the memory and presence of the space program.
• Significance: The beach acts as a boundary—the border between the normal world and the extraordinary, terrifying reality of space travel.

The Plot: Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. The Watchman: The story centres on Mallory, a NASA security officer tasked with watching an old, abandoned launching site on the Florida beach. His job is monotonous and isolating.
2. The Anomaly: Mallory spots a figure walking far out on the beach—a man in an old, archaic space suit. He is perfectly preserved but moving with a slow, moon-like gravity.
3. The Moon Man: The man introduces himself as Howard, claiming to be a survivor of a failed, decades-old mission to the moon, preserved by his suit.
4. The Confrontation: Howard’s presence forces Mallory to face the deep, hidden cost of the space race—the forgotten accidents and failures.
5. The Disappearance: The story ends ambiguously. Howard either walks back out into the sea (suggesting he is an impossible ghost or memory) or Mallory simply loses track of him (suggesting a psychological break).

Key Takeaway: The plot isn't a straightforward rescue story. It’s a puzzle. The lack of a clear ending is intentional; Ballard wants us to focus on the emotional reality, not the physical facts.

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Section 2: Characters, Relationships, and Situations (AO2: Understanding)

1. Mallory: The Isolated Observer

Mallory is the main character and our unreliable narrator. He represents routine and official control, but he is deeply affected by the isolation of his job.

• Role: He is the official gatekeeper, representing the world of NASA and factual science.
• State of Mind: He is prone to melancholy, boredom, and perhaps hallucinations. The heat, the isolation, and the weight of the abandoned history of the launch site weigh heavily on him.
• Response to Howard: He struggles desperately to keep his cool and apply logic, but Howard’s appearance shatters his sense of reality. He becomes confused and empathetic.

2. Howard: The Man Who Walked on the Moon

Howard is less a character and more a symbol of guilt, forgotten history, and the psychological burden of human ambition.

• Appearance: He is in an outdated (archaic) space suit, which suggests he is a remnant of a past era, literally a "ghost" from a failed mission.
• Movement: His movements are slow, deliberate, and strange—as if he is still moving in the reduced gravity of the Moon. This is the most unsettling detail.
• What does he represent? He is the physical manifestation of all the things Mallory (and NASA) has tried to forget: the failure, the danger, and the loneliness of space exploration.

The Relationship: Reality vs. Illusion

The relationship between Mallory and Howard isn't a friendship; it's a conflict between reality and haunting memory.

Think of it this way: Howard is the broken piece of Mallory's conscience that has washed up on the beach.

Key Takeaway: Ballard deliberately blurs the line between Mallory’s internal world and the external reality, making the characters’ encounter feel like a dream or nightmare.

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Section 3: Major Themes and Ideas (AO2: Understanding)

To score highly, you must discuss what the story *means*—the deeper themes that Ballard explores.

1. Isolation and Loneliness

This is a central human concern (AO2/AO4).

• The story emphasizes distance: the vast distance between Earth and the Moon, and the psychological distance between people.
• Mallory's isolation on the deserted beach prepares his mind to accept the impossible. His loneliness makes the strange figure of Howard almost welcome.
• Howard himself is utterly isolated—a man detached from his own time, suspended in a permanent state of alienation.

2. The Burden of Technology and the Space Race

Ballard isn't celebrating space travel; he's looking at the dark side.

• The abandoned launch site and the derelict technology (Howard's suit) suggest that ambition comes at a great cost.
• The Moon Man is a living monument to human error and the way society often forgets its failures in the pursuit of glory.

3. The Ambiguity of Reality and Mental State

This is arguably the most important theme.

• Ballard constantly undermines our certainty. Is Howard real? Did Mallory imagine him?
• The story suggests that when human experience becomes too extreme (like walking on the Moon), it can distort reality itself. Mallory’s mind might be creating Howard to cope with the profound isolation and the unsettling history of the site.
• Don't worry if this seems tricky at first: In literature, ambiguity (having more than one possible meaning) is often the writer's main tool. It forces the reader to engage and decide for themselves.

4. Time and Memory

Howard is a man out of time. He walks slowly, forever marked by a past event.

The story explores how trauma or extreme experiences can stop time for the individual, while the rest of the world moves on.

Key Takeaway: The story uses the physical setting (the beach and the suit) to explore internal, human problems: how we deal with loneliness, guilt, and the unsettling boundaries of reality.

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Section 4: Writer's Methods and Use of Language (AO3: Methods)

How does Ballard make us feel uneasy and confused? He uses specific techniques:

1. Use of Imagery and Contrast

• Sterile vs. Organic: He contrasts the clinical, metallic descriptions of the space equipment with the organic, oppressive heat, sun, and sea of the beach. This makes the human element seem out of place.
• Lunar Imagery: Words like 'pallid dust,' 'low gravity,' 'vacuum' are used to describe the beach environment, making Earth look like a desolate extension of the Moon itself. This shows the space project has contaminated or altered the surrounding world.

Example: Describing Howard's walk as moving "at one-sixth of terrestrial gravity" immediately plunges us into the unreality of the scene.

2. The Narrative Voice: Detachment and Unreliability

The story is told in the third person, but we are stuck entirely in Mallory's perspective. This is a common method Ballard uses to create tension.

• The narrative is often detached and scientific (reflecting Mallory’s profession), but it occasionally slips into poetic, philosophical musings.
• The reader can never fully trust what Mallory sees. If you write about Ballard, always mention the possibility of Mallory experiencing a hallucination or a psychological projection.

3. Symbolism of the Suit and the Sea

• The Space Suit: It’s a symbol of human vulnerability and technological failure. It is also Howard's prison—it keeps him alive, but forever separates him from others.
• The Sea/Ocean: The ocean is often a symbol of the subconscious mind or the unknown. Howard walks into the sea at the end, suggesting he is sinking back into Mallory's memory or into the vast, unknown depths of human consciousness.

4. Pace and Mood

The story uses a very slow, deliberate pace, mirroring Howard’s slow walk. This creates a mood of suspense and eerie stillness, allowing the unsettling images to linger in the reader's mind.

Key Takeaway: Ballard's methods rely on creating an atmosphere of uncanny dread (something familiar becoming disturbing) and using language that highlights the unsettling blend of science and psychology.

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Section 5: Preparing for Your IGCSE Response (AO4: Personal Response)

Answering Passage-Based Questions (Extracts)

If you get an extract (a portion of the story), focus on how that specific passage develops the central tension or mood.

• Identify the Turning Point: What happens in the passage? Does Mallory’s doubt increase or decrease?
• Language Close-Up: Select 3-4 key images or phrases. For example, if the passage describes the suit, analyze the words used (e.g., "pallid plastic," "archaic helmet") to show Howard’s alienation.
• Connect to Theme: How does the language in the extract relate to the theme of isolation or the blurring of reality?

Answering Essay Questions (Big Picture)

These questions often focus on character, theme, or the writer’s overall effect (e.g., "Explore how Ballard creates a sense of unease in 'The Man Who Walked on the Moon'.").

• Structure is Key: Use three main points (e.g., Paragraph 1: Isolation of Mallory. Paragraph 2: Symbolism of the Moon Man as failure. Paragraph 3: Ballard's use of ambiguity and unsettling imagery).
• Use Quotations: Support every point with specific, short quotations (AO1).
• Give a Personal View (AO4): Finish your argument by explaining why Ballard’s approach is effective. e.g., "The story is effective because it forces the reader to confront the psychological cost of human ambition, making the Moon Man a tragic figure rather than just a scientific mystery."

Final Encouragement

This story might seem abstract, but remember the core idea: the Moon Man is a broken memory returning to haunt the present. If you focus on that tension, your analysis will be strong!