Ijon Tichy

Ijon Tichy

Tichy is the main character and narrator of "The Star Diaries", "The Futurological Congress", "Inspection at the Scene of a Crime" and "Peace on Earth". Ijon Tichy has been one of Lem's favorite characters for more than thirty years. He does not have a family, hence he usually travels. He is frequently compared to Muenchausen and Gulliver.

Characteristic

Tichy is one of those of Stanislaw Lem's characters who has the habit of perceiving various societies and political panels (also inter-planetary ones) that try to define "how the world is" by established philosophical systems, ethical rules or policies. He is an experienced interstellar traveller, full of goodwill, eager to cooperate and accept others' view of reality - even if it opposes human experience. He faces the Unknown in a restraint manner, although he is sometimes scared by the situation. He tries to face the absurd with reason and his healty sceptical mind; Tichy is an ideal witness of minds' aberrations and collective madness.

(This paragraph is a loose translation of prof. Jerzy Jarzębski's from the afterword to "The Futurological Congress")