Last and First Men · Chapter
II: The Intercourse of Three Species explained
The Second Men, having spread across Asia, encounter two other species in Africa: the subhuman descendants of an ancient ship's crew and a race of intelligent monkeys.
What happens
The Second Men, having spread across Asia, encounter two other species in Africa: the subhuman descendants of an ancient ship's crew and a race of intelligent monkeys. The monkeys have enslaved the subhumans, and despite initial peaceful contact, they annihilate the Second Men's expedition. Later, the monkeys use infected nuts to spread plagues among the Second Men, causing a catastrophic collapse of their civilization. Eventually, the monkeys' obsession with metal leads to their downfall, as the subhumans rebel and destroy them.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs when the Fifth Men, having achieved profound self-awareness and intimacy over millen…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Humanity and the Other
The interactions between the Second Men, the subhumans, and the monkeys highlight the challenges of understanding and coexisting with radically different intelligences.
- Suffering and Redemption
The subhumans endure harsh enslavement and torture, but eventually rebel and overcome their oppressors, suggesting a cycle of suffering and liberation.
- The Limits of Knowledge
The Second Men's failure to comprehend the monkeys' motivations and the monkeys' inability to understand the Second Men's protests illustrate the limits of cross-species understanding.
Characters to notice
- The Second Men
The advanced human species exploring Africa, seeking metals, and later devastated by plagues.
- The First Men
Remaining tribes that fade out due to inability to adapt to the higher culture of the Second Men.
- The Martians
Not directly present, but the narrative is told from the perspective of a distant future observer, possibly Martian.
Key passages
“The Second Men, on the other hand, though often momentarily outwitted by the monkeys, were in the long run incomparably more able and more sane.”
While the monkeys could sometimes outsmart the Second Men in the short term, the Second Men were ultimately far more capable and rational.
Highlights the contrast in intelligence and sanity between the two species.
“The monkeys had so burdened their bodies with metal and their minds with the obsession of metal, that at length the herds of subhuman cattle were able to rebel and devour their masters.”
The monkeys' excessive attachment to metal made them vulnerable, allowing the enslaved subhumans to rise up and destroy them.
Illustrates the downfall of the monkeys due to their material obsession.
