There are many interesting themes to this story. Lewis's fictional books are primarily Christian allegories. We see Lewis's Christian values come out. Earth, a planet that has failed to recognize God remains silent. Man has been seduced by dark forces: he is addicted to insatiable greed and desire instead of looking to a benevolent light. We see what can be when different cultures and species live under one benevolent God like they do on Malacandra. Divine's greed to exploit other planets is a critique on colonialism: especially the British kind.