The First Men in the Moon · Character

The Selenites

The Moon's inhabitants are insect-like beings shaped by caste into hundreds of forms, from herders and porters to philosophers, each built for its single function.

supporting

Also known as Selenites, the other Selenites

First appearance: XI: The Mooncalf Pastures

As a supporting figure in The First Men in the Moon, The Selenites is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The intelligent, ant-like native inhabitants of the Moon who capture the explorers.

In the storyThe First Men in the MoonOpen this moment free

The Selenites inhabit a vast underground anthill of spiral shafts and galleries, lit by their own faint luminosity and organized with a precision no human society approaches. Every individual is engineered—through breeding and surgery—into a specialized body and role, so that the species thinks and acts as one organism. Their eerie harmony forces Bedford and Cavor to ask whether such perfect social order is a triumph or a horror.

See The Selenites in The First Men in the Moon Book page

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Character Web

3 connections

A slice of how The Selenites sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional

Character groups

Selenite society and philosophy
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it depicts Bedford's psychological and emotional peak of terror an…

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Relationships

Mr. Cavor
professional · ambivalent
Cavor interacts with the Selenites as a curious scientist and later as a captive,… How this plays out →
The Grand Lunar
professional · positive
Phi-oo
professional · positive
Mr. Cavor
professional · ambivalent
Cavor interacts with the Selenites as a curious scientist and later as a captive,… How this plays out →
Mr. Cavor
professional · ambivalent
Cavor interacts with the Selenites as a curious scientist and later as a captive,… How this plays out →
The Grand Lunar
professional · positive

Mr. Cavor
Cavor interacts with the Selenites as a curious scientist and later as a captive, studying and being studied by them.
The Grand Lunar
The Grand Lunar is the absolute monarch commanding the Selenites, who obey him without question.
Phi-oo
Phi-oo is a high-ranking Selenite who coordinates with other Selenites in managing Cavor.
Mr. Cavor
Cavor interacts with the Selenites as a curious scientist and later as a captive, studying and being studied by them.
Mr. Cavor
Cavor interacts with the Selenites as a curious scientist and later as a captive, studying and being studied by them.
The Grand Lunar
The Grand Lunar is the absolute monarch commanding the Selenites, who obey him without question.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See The Selenites in XI: The Mooncalf Pastures

In the story

The Selenites appears across 15 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The First Men in the Moon
The intelligent, ant-like native inhabitants of the Moon who capture the explorers.
XI: The Mooncalf Pastures
Seen herding mooncalves with spiked helmets and clanging arms; later capture Bedford and Cavor after the fungus-induced attack.
The Selenite's Face
One Selenite enters the cell, revealing an alien face with no nose, bulging side eyes, and a downward-curved mouth; it observes the captives silently.
Mr. Cavor Makes Some Suggestions
Observe the prisoners, bring food, and release one of Bedford's chains; they communicate via twittering sounds.
Experiments in Intercourse
Guide the explorers, attempt to communicate through gestures, and operate the vast machinery in the cavern.
The Giddy Bridge
Capture and march the explorers, use goads, are described as flimsy and easily killed; retreat after Bedford's attack.
Points of View
Hunting Bedford and Cavor, using goads and gongs, perceived as brutish and unimaginative by the explorers.
The Fight in the Cave of the Moon Butchers
Occupied with butchering mooncalves; later attack Bedford and Cavor but are routed by Bedford's assault.
In the Sunlight
Mentioned as having been fought and scattered; their potential actions and hidden resources are a source of concern for Bedford and Cavor.
Mr. Bedford Alone
Feared by Bedford; their potential pursuit and the closing of lunar valves drive his urgency.
Mr. Bedford in Infinite Space
Referenced in Bedford's memories of the blue-lit caverns and their helmet faces.
An Abstract of the Six Messages First Received from Mr. Cavor
Capture Cavor, transport him via balloon down the great shaft, and are described as luminous beings with a complex society.
XXIV: The Natural History of the Selenites
Described as a highly specialized society with many forms, akin to an anthill.
XXV: The Grand Lunar
The lunar inhabitants who crowd the halls and react with cooing and murmuring to Cavor's descriptions of Earth.
XXVI: The Last Message Cavor Sent to the Earth
Depicted as the captors who overpower Cavor in the final imagined scene.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for The Selenites unlock in the free preview.

See The Selenites in XI: The Mooncalf Pastures

See The Selenites in The First Men in the Moon