The Streets of Ashkelon
Encyclopedia
"The Streets of Ashkelon" is a science fiction
short story
by American writer Harry Harrison
. It was first published in 1962, in Brian Aldiss
's anthology New Worlds
. The story has since been reprinted over 30 times in fourteen languages, in anthologies and also academic textbooks. Science fiction critic Paul Tomlinson
, who helps run Harrison's official website, has estimated that it is Harrison's most widely-published story.
Its name is a reference to a passage from the Biblical 2 Samuel 1:20
, which says "...proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon..." In the original context it was a part of a story in which Hebrews were instructed to try to keep the defeat of a couple of their war heroes from their enemies' knowledge, so Harrison seems to have intended it in another sense.
Harrison wrote the story for a Judith Merrill-edited anthology which was to contain original stories that all violated societal taboo
s in some way: Streets portrayed a heroic atheist, and a naive, foolish missionary
. When Merrill's project fell through, Harrison approached other markets; however, no American publisher accepted it, and so Harrison approached British markets instead. Streets was not published by an American company until six years later.
, nor sin
. Garth has been gradually teaching them the scientific method
.
One day Garth is surprised by the arrival of a missionary who is intent on proselytizing to the natives. Despite Garth's best efforts to dissuade him, even at the point of a gun, the missionary is on a one way journey to 'save souls'.
Weeks pass and Father Mark, the missionary, has been instructing the Weskers in catechism
, a church as been constructed, and he has recently finished teaching the Weskers about the Crucifixion
and Resurrection of Christ. Soon afterwards, Itin, the ostensible leader of the Weskers, approaches Garth about the problem of reconciling the empirical truth of the scientific method with the symbolic truth of revealed religion and asks him to come to the church to debate Father Mark. Once at the church, Garth, who had previously made preparations to leave the planet, sees the Bible open to an illustration and orders the missionary to come with him. Not understanding what's wrong, Father Mark refuses; but before Garth can explain, several natives seize the priest and drag him to a hill upon which is planted a cross. In accordance with what Garth taught them about the scientific method, they are experimentally testing the hypothesis that if they crucify the missionary in accordance with what he taught them about the Gospels, he will miraculously rise from the dead three days later and thereby redeem
them.
Three days later, after Father Mark has been buried and the hypothesis disproved, Itin asks Garth what went wrong, and arrives at a simple truth: that the Weskers are now murderers.
considers The Streets of Ashkelon to be a response to James Blish
's A Case of Conscience
.
Paul Cook
describes Streets as "bitterly ironic" and "one of the saddest science fiction stories ever written", saying that it "gives credence (of a kind) to the spirit of the Prime Directive
."
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by American writer Harry Harrison
Harry Harrison
Harry Harrison is an American science fiction author best known for his character the Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! , the basis for the film Soylent Green...
. It was first published in 1962, in Brian Aldiss
Brian Aldiss
Brian Wilson Aldiss, OBE is an English author of both general fiction and science fiction. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss. Greatly influenced by science fiction pioneer H. G. Wells, Aldiss is a vice-president of the international H. G. Wells Society...
's anthology New Worlds
New Worlds (magazine)
New Worlds was a British science fiction magazine which was first published professionally in 1946. For 25 years it was widely considered the leading science fiction magazine in Britain, publishing 201 issues up to 1971...
. The story has since been reprinted over 30 times in fourteen languages, in anthologies and also academic textbooks. Science fiction critic Paul Tomlinson
Paul Tomlinson
Paul A. Tomlinson is a retired English football player who played as a goalkeeper for Sheffield United, Birmingham City on loan and Bradford City....
, who helps run Harrison's official website, has estimated that it is Harrison's most widely-published story.
Its name is a reference to a passage from the Biblical 2 Samuel 1:20
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
, which says "...proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon..." In the original context it was a part of a story in which Hebrews were instructed to try to keep the defeat of a couple of their war heroes from their enemies' knowledge, so Harrison seems to have intended it in another sense.
Harrison wrote the story for a Judith Merrill-edited anthology which was to contain original stories that all violated societal taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
s in some way: Streets portrayed a heroic atheist, and a naive, foolish missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. When Merrill's project fell through, Harrison approached other markets; however, no American publisher accepted it, and so Harrison approached British markets instead. Streets was not published by an American company until six years later.
Plot
An atheist merchant/trader, John Garth, is the only human on an alien planet where the native Weskers, intelligent but painstakingly literal-minded amphibians, live in what seems to be utopian conditions. These Weskers have no concepts whatsoever of Gods, nor religionReligion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, nor sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
. Garth has been gradually teaching them the scientific method
Scientific method
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of...
.
One day Garth is surprised by the arrival of a missionary who is intent on proselytizing to the natives. Despite Garth's best efforts to dissuade him, even at the point of a gun, the missionary is on a one way journey to 'save souls'.
Weeks pass and Father Mark, the missionary, has been instructing the Weskers in catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
, a church as been constructed, and he has recently finished teaching the Weskers about the Crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
and Resurrection of Christ. Soon afterwards, Itin, the ostensible leader of the Weskers, approaches Garth about the problem of reconciling the empirical truth of the scientific method with the symbolic truth of revealed religion and asks him to come to the church to debate Father Mark. Once at the church, Garth, who had previously made preparations to leave the planet, sees the Bible open to an illustration and orders the missionary to come with him. Not understanding what's wrong, Father Mark refuses; but before Garth can explain, several natives seize the priest and drag him to a hill upon which is planted a cross. In accordance with what Garth taught them about the scientific method, they are experimentally testing the hypothesis that if they crucify the missionary in accordance with what he taught them about the Gospels, he will miraculously rise from the dead three days later and thereby redeem
Redemption (theology)
Redemption is a concept common to several theologies. It is generally associated with the efforts of people within a faith to overcome their shortcomings and achieve the moral positions exemplified in their faith.- In Buddhism :...
them.
Three days later, after Father Mark has been buried and the hypothesis disproved, Itin asks Garth what went wrong, and arrives at a simple truth: that the Weskers are now murderers.
Critical response
Paul Di FilippoPaul Di Filippo
Paul Di Filippo is an American science fiction writer. He has been published in Postscripts...
considers The Streets of Ashkelon to be a response to James Blish
James Blish
James Benjamin Blish was an American author of fantasy and science fiction. Blish also wrote literary criticism of science fiction using the pen-name William Atheling, Jr.-Biography:...
's A Case of Conscience
A Case of Conscience
A Case of Conscience is a science fiction novel by James Blish, first published in 1958. It is the story of a Jesuit who investigates an alien race that has no religion; they are completely without any concept of God, an afterlife, or the idea of sin; and the species evolves through several forms...
.
Paul Cook
Paul Cook (author)
Paul Cook is a science fiction writer, classical music critic, and a Principal Lecturer in the English Department at Arizona State University.-Biography:...
describes Streets as "bitterly ironic" and "one of the saddest science fiction stories ever written", saying that it "gives credence (of a kind) to the spirit of the Prime Directive
Prime Directive
In the universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive, Starfleet's General Order #1, is the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets...
."