War with the Newts

“Perhaps they’ll want me to discover a virgin continent yet, eh?”

Here, Captain van Toch complains that his employers wanting him to find a new place to fish for pearls (See: Symbols & Motifs). This illustrates how Book 1 is a parody of an adventure novel.

“Man, there aren’t any devils. And if there were, they would look like Europeans.”

This quote is also from the captain. The newts are rumored to be devils by the locals on the island, and have dark skin. This humorous moment points out that the most evil people are white Europeans.

“They peevishly crumpled up the papers and complained that in the papers there was nothing, just Nothing at all.”

Here, the point of view of the novel changes for the first time in Chapter 2. Rather than follow the captain, the narrator follows two newspaper editors from their newsroom to an interview with the captain. This quote, from the newsroom, illustrates how information is designated as “something” or “nothing” by virtue of its entertainment value.

“But with the tapa-boys, sir, with those lizards, you could do honest business.”

In this quote, Captain van Toch talks to Bondy about using the newts to help with pearl harvesting. Ironically, van Toch describes the newts as honest when they will eventually be exploited by van Toch and others.

“In fact, the mass has not yet been said, and consequently no higher power has interfered with the natural course of events.”

This passage refers to a sailor, Dingle, offering to have a mass said for the captain and his newts but actually spending the money for the mass on alcohol. The narrator links human nature—the inability to spend money correctly—to the newts eventually winning the war.

“They sat down forming a wide circle, and they began to move the upper half of their bodies in a strange motion; it looked as if they were dancing.”

Here, the newt dance is described. This is contained in a section of the novel that resembles the long descriptions of whales in Moby Dick (1851). The dance of the male newts represents their collective identity.

“Permit us to remind readers that the Dr. Scheuchzer mentioned above considered this fossil to be the remains of antediluvian man.”

This quote is about the man who names the newt species. The scientific community thought they were extinct. Newts, according to Dr. Scheuchzer, were believed to be the men who existed before the Biblical flood.

“That won’t any longer be the style of Captain van Toch; the adventurous story of the pearls we shall replace by a paean of work.”

This quote marks the shift from using newts for pearl fishing to enslaving newts for labor. Bondy says this when suggesting that the Salamander Syndicate be created, which formalizes the institution of enslavement.

“‘Have you actually seen a Newt, Mr. Bondy? [...] Could you possibly tell me what it is like?’ ‘No, I can’t do that [...] Have I any time to worry about what things look like?’”

In this section of dialogue, Bondy talks with a director of the board of the Salamander Syndicate. Karel Čapek archly points out how Bondy is alienated from labor and laborers and yet holds great power over both.

“The hunting was to some extent illegal, but because there were no laws for the protection of the Newts, it was at most prosecuted as unauthorized trespass within the limits of this or that State territory.”

This passage is part of the Annals of the Newts—a description of how the newt age developed. While many newts were grown on newt farms, some were hunted and sold into enslavement. This parallels the history of European enslavement of African peoples, which did not distinguish between free and enslaved people. Skin color—species in the novel—comes to be enough justification for enslavement.

“Doesn’t it go sometimes against the grain to earn your living from what in actual fact is downright slavery?”

This is part of an interview with a pirate who hunts newts. The interviewer clearly identifies how newts are enslaved for their labor, as well as describing the conditions on the ships that transport the newts. In posing a question to the pirate, the journalist raises the issue of the ethics of colonization, which depends on enslaved laborers.

“People simply regarded the Newts as something commonplace, like counting machines or other gadgets; no longer did they see in them something mysterious that had emerged from the unknown depths, God knows why, and for what.”

Book 1, which parodies an adventure novel, includes a general sense of wonder about the newts. However, after newts become objectified through their enslavement, they are considered ordinary and mundane.

“In the early, almost prehistoric years of the Newt Age there were of course Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals which zealously saw to it that the Newts were not treated cruelly and inhumane.”

This shows how newts, despite being able to talk and read, are considered animals, or chattel. Not only are they considered animals, but they have been treated in a way that necessitated organizations to fight for their humane treatment.

“There two different opinions were in conflict: one recognized the Newts as a new working class, and sought to ensure that all social legislation should be extended to them as regards the working day, holidays with pay, health insurance and old age pensions, and so on.”

Newts bring up labor issues that are familiar to humans who understand union organizing and other forms of labor advocacy. However, some people view the newts as competition for jobs, despite most of their work being in underwater locations that humans cannot easily access. Humans do not end up giving the newts pay or benefits for their labor—only food—which demonstrates how newts were not believed to be of equal value as humans.

“The newts are simply Quantity; their great achievement lies in the fact that they are so many.”

This quote speaks to the commodification of newts—they are a good that has a quantity. Furthermore, the power of the newts come from their constantly growing numbers. They end up at war with humans due to their need for more coastline to accommodate their exponentially growing population.

“Again, it was a pale moonlight night; the Newts emerged from the sea, they squatted down on the sands in a large circle and began solemnly to dance.”

This is a record of an early conflict between newts and humans. During their dance, which symbolizes their collective identity, humans attack the newts, and the previously serene moment is disrupted.

“A New German Menace was chiefly the expression of the English views.”

When the world press declares that the Baltic newts are superior to other newts, the English oppose this. A superior newt, which is paler than other newts, represents a form of white nationalism, developing the theme of The Problems With Nationalism.

“The next item on the programme is ‘The March of Tritons’ from the monster film Poseidon.”

This quote is from the newt broadcasts. The Chief Salamander presents human art about newts alongside demands for more land. This particular song is presumably from the film made by Li, Abe, Fred, and Judy in Book 1, Chapters 6-7.

“It was a strange war, if in any way it can be called a war; for there was no Newt state or any recognized Newt Government against which it was possible officially to open hostilities.”

This quote demonstrates how the society of the newts differs from human society. Humans form states and governments that go to war with one another, due to The Problems With Nationalism. On the other hand, the newts are unified; they do not splinter into different nations and fight among themselves.

“It simply did not enter their heads that an Englishman could lose his land.”

Here, Čapek uses humor to discuss The Problems With Nationalism. The English refuse to negotiate with the newts, and the newts form a blockade against them, which is shocking considering the colonial power that England has previously maintained.

“It would be better for mankind to accept the generous offer of Chief Salamander, who is to-day still willing to buy the world from human beings instead of seizing it by force.”

This is a quote from the human representing the newts at the Conference at Vaduz. The war with the newts culminates with this conference, focusing on how the bureaucratic issues with governments could cost humanity the earth.

“We are all responsible for it.”

Povondra, Bondy’s retired butler and collector of newspaper clippings about the newts, feels responsible for the war. He is the only human who takes any responsibility. This quote comes from his son, Frantik, who assures him that all humans are responsible for the destruction of their continents.

“Must Nature always be asked to straighten out the mess that man has made?”

In the final chapter of the novel, the author argues with his inner voice about the ending of the book. He considers, then rejects, using a deus ex machina to save humanity.