Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of Planet of the Apes with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle, the pioneering work of science fiction in which three space travellers crash-land on a mysterious, earth-like planet, where apes are the dominant species and humans are wild animals subjected to rigorous scientific testing. The book not only had its first film adaptation just 5 years after its publication, but launched an entire media franchise which continues to inspire new films, series and merchandise even in the present day. It is one of Pierre Boulle’s two main works, which are both highly successful and have both adapted into award-winning films and series, despite Boulle’s being convinced they were unfilmable.
Find out everything you need to know about Planet of the Apes in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Nov 9, 2016
• ISBN: 9782806281159

Book preview

Science at the service of literature

Born in Avignon (France) in 1912

Died in Paris in 1994

Notable works:

The Bridge Over the River Kwai (1952), novel

Contes de l’Absurde (1953), short story collection

Planet of the Apes (1963), novel

An engineer by trade, Pierre Boulle was a prolific author and a decorated former soldier. During the Second World War, he was deployed to Indochina. Employed by the English secret service, he was eventually captured by the Japanese and sentenced to forced labour. At the end of the war, he returned to Paris, but his boring daily life distressed him. He then decided to spend his time working on literature.

He wrote his first novel, William Conrad, in 1950 after being inspired by authors such as Rudyard Kipling or Joseph Conrad. It was following The Bridge Over the River Kwai, an adventure novel inspired by his own autobiographical experiences, that he became successful. Planet of the Apes, however, is his uncontested masterpiece.

The author had a lively critical spirit, a