Journey to Shangri-La: Lost Horizon Study Unit

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Novel Study Unit:
Chapter Summaries
Chapter Summaries
Lost Horizon
SHORT PLOT / CHAPTER SUMMARY
(Synopsis)
SHORT PLOT / CHAPTER SUMMARY (Synopsis)
The 
narrator
 reads a manuscript written by 
Rutherford
 telling the story
of four travelers’ experiences, after being hijacked, in a mysterious
valley known as 
Shangri-La
.
Conway
, the main character of the four, falls in love with the 
Valley of
Blue Moon
 
and eventually is named the new High Lama.
Barnard
 and 
Miss Brinklow 
also find happiness in staying there. Only
Mallinson
  desperately wants to leave and his negativity creates an
Imbalance there for all the characters.  Eventually, 
Conway
 agrees to
lead him out of the valley, but he is the only one who survives the trip.
Then, once he overcomes amnesia, 
Conway 
disappears again in a bid
to return to the paradise he had come to love. In the end, the 
narrator
and 
Rutherford
 come to believe in the existence of 
Shangri-La
 and
desperately hope that 
Conway
 finds his way there again.
The story of the 
LOST HORIZON 
begins in a
social meeting of some old classmates who
all knew 
Hugh Conway 
while in school.
 It appears that each of them was more
affected by having known 
Conway
 than they
consciously realized.
Prologue Abstract
Prologue
The 
prologue
 lays down the background to how the narrator
comes across a 
manuscript
 which reveals something
mysterious concerning 
Conway
 and later, 
Rutherford
.
There are many strange events connected to 
Conway
:
first, the plane that is stolen;
second, the 
Chopin piano piece 
which no one has ever heard;
third, the loss of 
Conway’s
 memory and its return after he
plays the piano;
and finally, 
Conway’s
 strange story and his stranger decision to
catch a boat to 
Fiji 
and head northwest.
All of these events are 
foreshadowing
 for the manuscript that
the 
narrator
 is about to read.
Prologue: In Depth Summary
The 
narrator
, a neurologist, opens the novel with this
prologue; where he explains that he, a writer named
Rutherford
, an Embassy secretary named 
Wyland
 
Tertius
,
and a stranger to the narrator named 
Sanders
, a pleasant
young pilot, have all sat down for cigars after dinner at
Templelhof
.
The first three, he says, are three celibate Englishmen in a
foreign capital, 
Berlin
.
Sanders
, who knows 
Wyland
, joins their party after the
first three have already dined. They are sitting in the
restaurant watching the 
Luft-Hansa
 machines arriving at
the 
aerodome
 and enjoying the evening.
Prologue: In Depth Summary
They all drink a great deal of beer, and then 
Rutherford
questions 
Sanders
 about his comment that he had been
at 
Baskul
 and that something interesting had happened
there.
 
Sanders
 tells them that an Afghan or an Afridi had stolen
control of one of their planes and taken off in it. The
interesting thing about the event was that the thief never
came back. There also were three men on board and one
woman missionary.
One of the men is “
Glory
Conway
, a name that
Rutherford
 first mentions.
The 
narrator
 asks 
Sanders
 why it was never in the papers,
and 
Sanders
 says he has given out more information than
he was supposed to, because the event was “hushed up.”
Prologue: In Depth Summary
Wyland
 had stepped away from the table before
Sanders
 told this information, so when he returns,
Sanders
 reveals what he has said and asks
Wyland
 whether it matters that he said it.
Wyland
 seems somewhat offended that the pilot
gave away this information and snubs him a bit.
However, he willingly discusses 
Conway
 and how
Rutherford
 knew him. Then, they all decide to
make it an evening.
Rutherford
 suggests that since the 
narrator
 is not
leaving until very early in the morning that he
spend the time in his hotel. They can talk in his
sitting room.
Prologue: In Depth Summary
They spend the time discussing 
Conway
 who had evidently left a
significant impression on them both.
 
Rutherford
 reveals that he had already heard about the affair at
Baskul
 and had thought it only a myth. He also says that since he
has traveled a great deal around the world, he has seen strange
things, a comment that confuses the narrator.
 Then, 
Rutherford
 reveals that 
Conway
 isn’t dead, because he
had traveled with him on a Japanese liner from Shanghai to
Honolulu the November before.
 While he was on the Pekin express, he had spoken to a 
Mother
Superior 
of some French Sisters of Charity. She had mentioned
that a fever case had shown up at the mission hospital at 
Chung-
Kiang
, a European male with no papers and unable to give any
account of himself. He spoke fluent Chinese and French and
English with a refined accent. 
Rutherford
 had found this hard to
believe and politely bid the nun good-bye.
Prologue: In Depth Summary
Ironically, he found himself right back at 
Chung-Kiang
 when
the train broke down a mile or two farther on the track. He
decided to take the 
Mother Superior 
up on her offer to visit her
mission. They prepared a meal for him, and a young Chinese
Christian doctor sat down with 
Rutherford
. They also took him
for a tour of the hospital.
When they introduced him to the foreigner she had told him
about, he was astonished to discover that the man was
Conway
. Unfortunately, 
Conway
 didn’t remember 
Rutherford
,
because he was suffering from amnesia.
Rutherford
 decided to stay there for a few days to try to help
Conway
 recover his memory. He was unsuccessful, but he did
make arrangements to take 
Conway
 home.
Once they were on the Japanese liner, 
Rutherford
 spent the
time telling 
Conway
 as much as he could about his life.
Prologue: In Depth Summary
At the port of Yokohama, a new passenger came on board. His
name was 
Sieveking
, and he was a concert pianist. He was
prevailed upon to give a recital for the passengers with emphasis
on 
Chopin
, a musician 
Sieveking
 specialized in.
After he got up to leave at the end of the recital, 
Conway
 sat
down at the piano and began to play a rapid, lively piece which
drew 
Sieveking
 back to the piano in excitement. 
Conway
 was
unable to tell the pianist what he had been playing, only that he
thought it was a 
Chopin
 study. 
Sieveking
 refused to believe that it
was by 
Chopin
, because he knew everything that 
Chopin
 had
ever written, and he had never heard this piece.
Conway
 then remembered that it had never been published, and
that he only knew it himself from meeting a man who had been
one of 
Chopin’s
 pupils. Many witnesses saw this exchange
between the two men and heard 
Sieveking
 say that the piece was
so important as to be a part of every virtuoso’s repertoire within
six months if it were ever published.
Prologue: In Depth Summary
The two men promised to meet again and even made
arrangements to make some phonograph records of the piece.
Rutherford
 tells the 
narrator
 that he often thought it a pity that
Conway
 was never able to keep his promise to 
Sieveking
.
That night after the recital, 
Conway
 regained his memory.
During the next twenty-four hours, 
Conway
 told 
Rutherford
everything that had happened to him, and then they had drinks in
Rutherford’s
 cabin about 10:00 PM the night before they were
expected to dock in Honolulu.
 
Rutherford
 never saw 
Conway
 again, because he gave him the
slip and joined a crew of a banana boat heading south to Fiji.
Three months later, 
Rutherford
 received a letter from 
Conway
thanking him for his care, paying him for any expenses 
Rutherford
may have incurred, and telling him that he was about to set out on
a long journey to the northwest. That was all he said.
Prologue: In Depth Summary
The 
narrator
 is most confused about how 
Conway
 arrived at
Chung-Kiang
, and how he lost his memory.
Rutherford
 reveals that after 
Conway
 had told his story over
those twenty-four hours on the Japanese liner, he had written it
all down into a manuscript. He brings it out for the 
narrator
 and
tells him to read it and make of it whatever he will.
The 
narrator
 asks if he’s not supposed to believe it. 
Rutherford
says that 
Tertullian’s
 phrase “
quia impossibile est
” (
'I believe
because it is impossible\absurd' 
) 
is not a bad argument.
Later, 
Rutherford
 sends a short note to the 
narrator
 saying he
was off on his wanderings again would have no settled address
for some months. Not surprising to the 
narrator
, 
Rutherford
 is
heading to 
Kashmir
 and then east. Perhaps he believes his own
manuscript more than he is willing to admit.
CHAPTER ONE: Notes
CHAPTER ONE: Notes
This is the first part of the 
manuscript
 
Rutherford
 had
written.
It reveals that the rumours about the plane being
hijacked were true, and that there were three men and
one woman on board, one of whom was 
Conway
.
The chapter prepares the reader for a mysterious
destination somewhere in the mountains to the
northeast.
It also shows the reader how 
Conway
 becomes the
character looked to for help and advice as well as
bravery, should it be needed. He is the voice of calm
and comfort for the other three passengers.
Meanwhile, the 
pilot
 remains an unknown element of
this equation in which they’ve found themselves.
CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary
The 
manuscript
 begins by explaining that the situation begins
during the third week in May (probably in 1930) in 
Baskul
,
Afghanistan, when events become so precarious that British
Air Force machines arrive to evacuate the white residents.
A miscellaneous aircraft is also employed, one owned by the
Maharajah of Chandapore, to evacuate four passengers: 
Miss
Roberta Brinklow 
of the Eastern Mission; 
Henry D. Barnard
,
an American;
Hugh Conway
, 
H. M. Consul
; and 
Captain
Charles Mallinson
, H. M. Vice-Consul.
At the time, 
Conway
 is thirty-seven years old and has been at
Baskul
 for two years. He has no idea where he will be sent
next which is a precarious characteristic of his profession as a
foreign diplomat. He has been working this profession for ten
years. He is so tired at the time of the flight from destroying
and packing documents that he stretches out in the plane to
sleep.
CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary
 About an hour after the flight began, 
Mallinson
 notices that the pilot
isn’t keeping a straight course. He also notices that the pilot isn’t
Fenner
, the man they thought would be flying them out.
Conway
 isn’t
upset by this possible development, because he isn’t all that eager to
go to 
Peshawar
.
Then, the plane begins to descend, and when the two men look out
the window of the plane, they see an opaque mist veiling an immense
sun-brown desolation
 
with long, corrugated
 
mountain ridges and
 
frontier scenery.
There looks to be no place to land, but the pilot does so into a small
space opened by the side of a gully. That is followed by a swarm of
bearded, turbaned tribesmen surrounding the machine and
preventing anyone from getting out of it except the pilot. The plane is
re-fueled, and then the flight commences again. To the four
passengers, it is totally extraordinary and bewildering.
CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary
Mallinson
 comes to the conclusion that they are being
kidnapped for ransom which in light of the mysterious events
seems the most believable of any theories.
Conway
 begins to gather all the scraps of paper he can find to
compose a message in as many of the various native languages
as he can and then drop them from the plane along the way. It is
a slender chance, but one worth taking. 
Miss Brinklow 
just sits tight-lipped and straight-backed, while
Conway
 and 
Barnard
 determine how easy it would have been to
hijack the plane. They all agree that if anyone can get them out
of this situation it will be 
Conway
.
Conway
 lies half asleep, turning over in his mind whether he is a
brave as his companions have judged him. He has, since WWI,
been reluctant to face danger unless it promises extravagant
dividends in thrills. He just feels an enormous distaste for
whatever trouble might be in store for them.
CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary
The flight continues all afternoon, steadily eastward, but
Conway
 cannot judge where they are headed with any
accuracy.
Mallinson
 is eager to smash the panel and demand answers
from the pilot, but 
Conway
 reminds him that the pilot is
armed, and that none of them will know how to bring down
the plane if they hurt him.
 There is nothing for them to do but sleep, which they all
manage to find a way to do.
Soon, 
Conway
 begins to feel the same sensations of shortness
of breath that he had experienced once when he had flown in
the Swiss Alps. He looks out the window and sees they are
flying amidst range upon range of snow-peaks and glaciers.
CHAPTER TWO: In Depth
Summary
CHAPTER TWO: In Depth Summary
Conway
 tells the other passengers as they awaken that they are
probably still in India, and that they have probably been flying
along some river valley, stretching roughly east and west. If his
memory suffices, they are probably in the valley of the upper
Indus which would have brought them to this spectacular part of
the world.
He also thinks the mountain they are looking at is probably
Nanga Parbat 
and the range is the 
Karakorams
. He knows there
are several passes through these mountains if the pilot intends
for them to cross them.
Mallinson
 insists that the kidnapping theory is no longer
applicable, because there are no tribes this far that would seek a
ransom. Now the purpose of this flight becomes once again
even more frightening.
Conway
 has no answers for their fears, but is secretly satisfied
that there are still such beautiful places on earth.
CHAPTER TWO: In Depth Summary
Dusk soon falls which lowers their spirits once again, and
Conway
 comes to the conclusion that they are heading
towards 
Tibet
.
 Soon, the plane gives a lurch, and they realize that the engines
have been turned off, and the plane is rushing against a gale.
The 
pilot
 then lands the plane badly with crashing and swaying
jolts to the passengers and a broken tail-skid.
They tear open the cockpit and discover the 
pilot
 is
unconscious. 
Conway
 assumes finally the strong role of the
leader, and they lift the man out and down to the ground.
Then, they realize that the environment will be dangerous for
them all and return the 
pilot
 and themselves to the cabin of the
plane. 
Miss Brinklow 
surprisingly produces a bottle of brandy,
and they give the 
pilot
 some.
CHAPTER TWO: In Depth Summary
Conway
 now believes that they have flown far beyond the
western range of the 
Himalayas
 towards the less known heights
of the 
Kuen-Lun
. They have reached the loftiest and most
inhospitable part of the earth’s surface, the 
Tibetan
 plateau.
The next day, they take the 
pilot
 out of the plane, hoping the
sun will revive him, but he becomes weaker and finally dies
about mid-morning.
The man muttered in his final delirium enough information to
let them know that they 
were 
in 
Tibet
, and that there is a
lamasery
 nearby called 
Shangri-la
. The dying man had been
very emphatic that they go there. They argue about whether
this is the best plan for them to follow, but finally come to the
conclusion that their best chance of survival is to find humans.
 Just as they finally all agree to the plan, they see coming down
a faraway slope the figures of men.
CHAPTER THREE: Notes
CHAPTER THREE: Notes
Much of this chapter is a series of 
foreshadowing
:
Conway
 preferring not to be a leader, but accepting the role anyway;
Chang
, a Chinese, who speaks perfect English;
Chang’s
 comments that they may not be away from civilization at all
and that they will ultimately have no regrets about coming to 
Shangri-
La
;
seeing a new mountain, 
Karakal
; 
Conway’s
 feeling that he has at last
found a place which is an end, a finality;
and 
Chang’s
 explanation for his nap that he has to take care of himself.
All of these events indicate that 
Shangri-La
 is a mysterious  unknown
place that will bring all four of these “captives” to  discover a world that
may or may not bring them peace  and happiness.
CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary
As the four passengers await the arrival of the men in the distance,
Conway
 takes on the role of onlooker, refusing to be drawn into being a
leader or being forced to decide what to do or not to do.
Then, the figures reveal themselves to be a part of a dozen or more men
carrying with them a hooded chair. Inside the chair is a figure robed in
blue.
Having lived in China for a few years, 
Conway
 understands the ritual of
meeting and how ceremonial it must be. As a result, he steps forward to
follow the proper procedure, and the stranger follows suit and says he is
from the lamasery of 
Shangri-La
 and his name is 
Chang
. He speaks
perfect English and insists that he guide them back to the lamasery.
Conway
 agrees, but 
Mallinson
 insists that their stay won’t be long,
because they want to return to civilization as soon possible. 
Chang
responds, 
“Are you so very sure that you are away from it?” 
It is a
significant comment 
foreshadowing
 the future. He further declares that
the four passengers will be honorably treated, and that 
ultimately, they
will have no regrets.
CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary
Chang
 then sees to it that they have wine and mangoes, a fruit that
Conway
 cannot believe could be cultivated so high in the mountains.
Once they are refreshed, the party begins its climb towards the lamasery,
viewing a mountain that 
Conway
 has never heard of before – 
Karakal
 – in
the distance.
Conway
 wonders if the lamas
 
have surveyed its height, and
 
Chang
 only comments that
 
there’s nothing incompatible
 
between 
monasticism
 and
 
trigonometry
.
CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary
They walk all morning and into the afternoon,
 
with the air becoming thinner and harder to
 
breathe, while 
Change
 sleeps in his chair.
They eventually reach the summit of the ridge and then link themselves
together with heavy mountaineering ropes in order to be protected as they
follow a track consisting of a traverse cut along the flank of a rock wall. The
height above it is obscured by the mist, and below is an abyss.
 Meanwhile, most of the way on this track, 
Mallinson
 is begging 
Conway
 to
decide what they are going to do. 
Conway
 replies that there are times in
life when the most comfortable thing is to do nothing at all. He reminds
the younger man that they may have just exchanged one lunacy for
another, given that they have just escaped the torturous nightmare of
Afghanistan.
CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary
Suddenly, being first of the four passengers,
 
Conway
 sees the lamasery appear out of the
 
mist. It is absolutely superb and exquisite,
 
seeming to hang on the side of the next ridge.
Meanwhile, in the valley below, is a delightfully flavored place awash in
green. He feels 
“the deeper sensation, half mystical, half visual, of having
reached at last some place that is an end, a finality.”
Chang
 then awakes and makes the mysterious comment that he has slept,
because he 
“has to take care of himself.” 
He indicates that they will be
given the opportunity to bathe and refresh themselves, and then he will
be honored if they all join him for dinner.
Mallinson
 agrees, but only if 
Chang
 will help them make plans for their
departure.
CHAPTER FOUR: Notes
CHAPTER FOUR: Notes
This chapter is basically a study in the determination of
Mallinson
 to depart from 
Shangri-La
 and 
Conway’s
growing fascination with the lamasery.
One represents the 
frustration and the impetuous demands of
youth
 while the other is 
a study in patience and complacency
and even a desire to just find some peace in 
his
 life
.
These 
two contrasting characters 
will be the ultimate determiners
of the outcome of this story and the 
lessons
 the reader will learn in
the end: 
one being 
fear of the unknown
 and the other, 
the search
for a meaningful life
.
CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary
Later that evening as they are all seated at dinner, 
Chang
observes that they are not as uncivilized as the four may have
expected.
Conway
 is unable to deny it as he had noticed at his bath that
the tub is made of delicate green porcelain made in Akron, Ohio.
He readily enjoys the meal, because he likes the Chinese and
their ways.
Chang
 eats only a salad and once again explains his behaviour
by commenting that 
he must take care of himself
.
Conway
 comments in return that the lamas seem a “very
fortunate community, and hospitable to strangers.” He observes
that they must not receive strangers very often, and that a
separate culture might flourish there without contamination
from the outside world.
CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary
Miss Brinklow 
speaks up and assertively asks 
Chang
 to tell them about
the monastery. In his ensuing commentary, the reader discovers that
there are fifty who are considered full lamas and a few others, including
himself, who have not yet obtained full initiation, an amazing piece of
information, given that
 he seems to be elderly although not yet old
. He
also explains that there are representatives among them from a great
many nations, although Tibetans and Chinese make up the majority.
When 
Miss Brinklow
, in her missionary attitude, asks him to explain
what the lamas believe, he explains that there are many religious
beliefs among them, but 
what they most believe in is 
moderation
. They
avoid excesses of all kinds 
in the valley.
Conway
 observes that 
Chang
 
applies the idea of moderation to the
people of the valley, but is careful not to apply it to the priesthood
.
When he asks 
Chang
 why, the elder man replies that it is a matter
which he may not discuss, another mysterious comment about life at
the lamasery.
CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary
Mallinson
 continues to question 
Chang
 about arranging for porters to lead
them out as early as the next day. But 
Chang
 says that he is not the proper
person to approach about the matter, and that he doesn’t believe the
matter can be arranged immediately.
Mallinson
 continues to press the point, trying to get 
Chang
 to help them,
while 
Chang
 is readily amenable to anything 
Mallinson
 asks for, including
maps, but is short of agreeing to make the arrangements.
Chang
 eventually gets to the point where he just doesn’t answer
Mallinson
, and the young man, in his anger and anxiety, collapses. 
Chang
blames his collapse on the thin air and insists he will better the next day.
CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary
Conway
 then steps forward to patiently encourage
 
Chang
 to answer 
Mallinson’s
 questions. Because he is
 
so patient and less demanding, 
Chang
 observes that
 
 
he is wiser than his companions and explains that they will not be able to
hire men from the valley to be their porters, because they will refuse to
leave the valley.
Conway
 also observes to 
Chang
 that 
it was not a chance meeting 
when
Chang
 and the men had come across their plane and that they must have
known beforehand about their arrival. He wonders how?
For a moment, 
Chang
 shows stress, something that 
Conway
 had not
noticed before. He insists to 
Conway
 that none of them are in any danger at
Shangri-La
, but they may have to face some delay in their departure.
Conway
 is agreeable to a short delay, because he feels so comfortable at
the lamasery.
As 
Chang
 moves to depart from the dinner table, 
Conway
 asks him the
literal interpretation of 
Karakal
. 
Chang
 whispers that it means “
Blue Moon
.”
CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary
When morning comes, 
Conway
 muses on his role at the lamasery now. He
thinks about his position as a leader who had safely evacuated the British
personnel from 
Baskul
. He feels that it is not a bad achievement, and that
gives him comfort.
However, he does have some slight worry about whether the others can
achieve their departure, given the strangeness of this place.
As for himself, the puzzle
 
of 
Shangri-La
 is beginning
 
to exercise over him
 
a charming fascination
.”
 
He is far from grumbling
 
about their situation.
CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary
When 
Mallinson
 once again inquires of 
Chang
 about porters, 
Chang
tells him what he had told 
Conway
 the night before: there are no men
willing to accompany the group so far from their homes.
Conway
 smoothly intercedes again to avoid any ugliness by asking
Chang
 what he proposes they do.
Chang
 seems to be willing to answer 
Conway
 just about anything and
offers the suggestion that they wait approximately a month or two for
delivery men expected at the time. He thinks they will be willing to
take the four with them on their return journey.
Of course, he offers no exact date, claiming they never know exactly
when a delivery will occur. But he insists again that the lamasery will
continue to offer its utmost hospitality.
This information infuriates 
Mallinson
, but 
Conway
 restrains the
younger man in order that he not insult 
Chang
.
CHAPTER FIVE: Notes
CHAPTER FIVE: Notes
This chapter is devoted to the four travelers coming
to terms with their predicament.
Mallinson
 has given in to the thought of a two month
stay, 
Barnard
 feels their loss will not affect him at all,
and 
Miss Brinklow 
sums it all up to the mysterious
force of 
Providence
.
Conway
 is happy there and is content to solve the
puzzle of their arrival in 
Shangri-La
.
He is wiser than the other three and soon comes to
some important conclusions about the flight there,
and 
how it obviously had been planned
. Now 
he is
eager to learn why
.
CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary
For the remainder of the morning, the four discuss the matter of
leaving the lamasery.
Mallinson
 is somewhat mollified and more accepting of their
fate, but still determined to leave this strange place that he
labels “
crooked
.”
Conway
 is the 
voice of reason
, logically deciding that it can’t be
any worse than two months in any other isolated part of the
world.
Miss Brinklow 
is 
fatalistic
, saying that she has been called to the
Lord’s service and is agreeable to whatever 
Providence
 brings
her.
Barnard
, the American, isn’t the least concerned about their
being posted as missing, because he doesn’t believe that affects
him one way or another, a puzzling statement to say the least.
CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary
Conway
 then remarks that the first rule of their stay must be
to avoid getting on each other’s nerves. The others agree, and
then they observe that it will at least be comfortable there,
even if it is a mystery.
Chang
 enters after a while and offers to guide them on a tour
of the lamasery while 
Mallinson
 and 
Miss Brinklow 
comment
that they never thought they’d end up in a place like this nor
why they have.
CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary
The grand tour is an interesting moment for them all.
 
Conway
 is becoming even further enchanted with the
 
rich amenities of the place.
There is a delightful library, filled with the world’s best literature and
    
hundreds of maps of the area, although
    
Chang
 comments that they will not find
    
Shangri-La on any of them.
     
Miss Brinklow 
wonders if they will see the
    
lamas at work, but 
Chang
 replies that her
    
request is impossible as they are very
    
rarely seen outside the lamahood.
When she asks what they do, 
Chang
 says that they “
devote themselves to
contemplation and to the pursuit of wisdom
.” To 
Miss Brinklow
, that’s
doing nothing.
CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary
Then, they follow 
Chang
 through several
 
courtyards to come upon a scene of
 
 unmatched loveliness. It is an open pavilion
 
 fringing a lotus pool surrounded by sculptures
 
 of lions, dragons and unicorns.
In the pavilion are a harpsichord and a modern grand piano. This pavilion
inspires comments and questions about the lamas love of western music
and the fact that they might someday order a phonograph delivered to
the lamasery. For now, there is no need for them to hurry in this request.
Barnard
 observes that “No hurry” must be the slogan of the lamas. When
he then questions 
Chang
 about how they pay for all this, 
Chang
 again
closes up and refuses to answer.
Conway
 sees this as once again edging the visible border-line between
what might and what might not be revealed.
CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary
At this point, an agile, lithe-limbed Chinese girl appears and plays the
harpsichord. 
Conway
 is fascinated by her and realizes that she is a
Manchu.
Chang
 says her name is 
Lo-Tsen
, and like 
Chang
, she has not yet achieved
full initiation. He says there are no sex distinctions among the lamas.
However, when 
Conway
 asks her age, 
Chang
 once again says he cannot
tell him.
Later that evening, after dinner, 
Conway
 strolls into the moon-lit
courtyards and as he gazes on 
Karakal
, he realizes he is physically happy,
emotionally content, and mentally at ease. He is puzzled by 
Shangri-La
,
but even though he cannot understand it yet, he feels it will somehow be
understood eventually.
 Then, he hears sounds from far below in the valley.
CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary
Using his understanding of the Chinese
 
 language which is near in structure to
 
 the Tibetan language, he realizes that
 
 the people in the valley are burying
 
 
Talu
, the man who had hijacked their
 
 plane and flown it into the valley.
Now 
Conway
 knows for sure that their flight was not a meaningless
exploit of an insane man. It had been planned, prepared and carried out at
the instigation of the lamasery. The question still is: what is the purpose of
their being brought to 
Shangri-La
?
He decides that his discovery, however, must not be communicated to the
other three of his group, who could not help him solve the puzzle, nor to
their hosts, who probably would not help him.
CHAPTER SIX: Notes
CHAPTER SIX: Notes
 This chapter helps the reader understand how three of
the travelers are coming to love the lamasery and the
valley.
Only 
Mallinson
 is still discontented and wants badly to go
home.
Conway
 is more and more at home and has many wise
and interesting conversations with 
Chang
. He is
impressed with the life there, fascinated by the mystery
behind it, and reluctant to leave. He has even impressed
the lamas as seen in his unprecedented invitation to
speak to the 
High
 
Lama
.
Now he will begin to learn the truth behind the travelers’
arrival at 
Shangri-La
.
CHAPTER SIX: In Depth Summary
By the end of the first week, the group has settled into
somewhat of a routine.
Chang
 is tireless in his efforts to smooth all their rough
spots. He even allows them access to the valley.
Conway
 finds it nothing less than an enclosed paradise,
spanning the whole gulf between temperate and
tropical. The people are a blend of 
Tibetan
 and 
Chinese
and are clean and handsome as well as hospitable. It is
one of the pleasantest communities he’s ever seen.
Miss Brinklow 
sees it as an opportunity to begin a
mission among these people and to that end, she asks
Chang
 for a book so she can study and learn the
language.
CHAPTER SIX: In Depth Summary
Conway
 continues to make good use of the library and
the music room. However, he notes to 
Chang
 that it is
not quite up-to-date. Many things from the year before
have not made it into their library.
Chang
 says in response, “
Nothing of importance that
could not have been foreseen in 1920, or that will not be
better understood in 1940
.”
Conway
 tells 
Chang
 that he thinks he’s beginning to
understand him: time means less to him than it does to
most people.
However, when he asks how long it’s been since they had
visitors to 
Shangri-La
, 
Chang
 is once again unable to say.
CHAPTER SIX: In Depth Summary
The conversation then moves to that of the little 
Manchu
.
Conway
 cannot determine if she is a student of music or merely
plays for pleasure. He wonders aloud if she likes being there, and
Chang
 observes that she doesn’t seem to dislike it. She is like an
ivory doll more than a human being to 
Conway
, but he is more
fascinated by her than he has ever been by any other woman.
They also discuss the valley people, and 
Conway
 questions the
ultimate basis of law and order there. 
Chang
 says that crime is
rare, because everyone has everything they need.
The lamasery does have the power to expel anyone, but it is
rarely used, because it is such an extreme and dreadful
punishment. He says that the use of courtesy, as everyone in the
valley is taught, smoothes out any problems.
CHAPTER SIX: In Depth Summary
Later, in a conversation with 
Mallinson
, the two men observe first how
happy 
Barnard
 seems to be and then, 
Mallinson’s
 discovery that he is
traveling on a forged passport.
In fact, 
Mallinson
 has also seen some newspaper clippings that
Barnard
 dropped, and from the pictures in them, he’s convinced that
Barnard
 is 
Chalmers Bryant
.
Chalmers Bryant 
had been the head of the 
Bryant
 group in New York
and had lost about 100 million dollars and then disappeared.
That night, 
Barnard
 admits who he is and 
Conway
 finds it hard to think
this genuinely good humored man is the world’s biggest swindler.
Barnard
 explains how the whole financial deal fell through, and how
easy it was to lose all that money without meaning to do so. He says
he intends to stick around the lamasery for a long time and let what
will happen, happen.
CHAPTER SIX: In Depth Summary
Conway
 observes that they shouldn’t argue over this point or
any other. He sees that three of them, minus 
Mallinson
, have
come to feel very comfortable there, and he, especially, is not
looking forward to any porters arriving to take them back to the
real world.
He thinks to himself that he could keep people out there
entranced for a long time with any stories he brought back
about 
Shangri-La
, but he wonders if he would enjoy it.
His thoughts are then interrupted by 
Chang
 who is bearing
important news: the 
High Lama 
wishes to see 
Conway
immediately.
Chang
 tells 
Conway
 that this is extraordinary and
unprecedented. He reveals that 
Conway
 
now will learn the
answers to many of his questions
.
CHAPTER SEVEN: Notes
CHAPTER SEVEN: Notes
What the reader learns alongside 
Conway
 is some very important
information about the 
Valley of Blue Moon
:
it has always been a hidden place where the people in the valley are
prosperous and happy;
the present lamasery and its rules are the result of the work of 
Father
Perrault 
and 
Henschell
 who had worked to keep them safe but
comfortable;
people are allowed, even encouraged, to come into the valley, but they
are not allowed to leave to keep them from revealing the valley to the
world;
and those who live at the lamasery are very old, including 
Perrault
 who
came to the valley in 1719 and is still there in 1930, making him well
over 200 years old.
These facts reinforce the idea of the name 
Shangri-La
 when it’s invoked
to this day: 
it represents mystery and paradise
.
CHAPTER SEVEN: In Depth Summary
As 
Conway
 is lead by 
Chang
 to meet the 
High Lama
, he
becomes more and more eager to learn the answer to the
puzzle he has been trying to work out in his head since
arriving at 
Shangri-La
: why were they deliberately brought to
the lamasery?
As he enters the room of the 
High Lama
, he notices that it is
much warmer than the rest of the lamasery, and that it is
simply furnished with low tables and chairs.
On one of the chairs sits a small, pale, wrinkled figure,
motionlessly watching 
Conway
 approach. He is a little old
man in Chinese dress, and he is obviously emaciated. Yet, he
speaks to 
Conway
 in flawless English and his voice is soft and
soothing.
CHAPTER SEVEN: In Depth Summary
The two men talk aimlessly while enjoying the tea ceremony.
Conway
 admits to the 
High Lama 
that he had lived for some
years in China, a fact he had withheld from 
Chang
. They both
take great pleasure in the tea even though 
Conway
 is so eager
to find the answers to his questions.
He recognizes the Chinese sensibility in himself to follow the
correct etiquette and just take pleasure in the company of the
other.
However, the 
High Lama 
is soon enough ready to begin his
story.
CHAPTER SEVEN: In Depth Summary
He begins by reminding 
Conway
 of the Tibetan history that he
had been studying in the lamasery.
In 1719, four 
Capuchin friars 
set out from 
Pekin
 to search for
any remnants of the 
Nestorian Christianity 
first established in
Tibet in the Middle Ages.
Three died along the way, and the fourth was near death
when he stumbled across the pass into the 
Valley of Blue
Moon
.
He found the people of the valley living prosperously there,
and they offered the same hospitality that 
Conway
 and his
friends enjoy.
CHAPTER SEVEN: In Depth Summary
The man, named 
Perrault
, was brought back to life and decided to
establish a Christian monastery on the spot of an ancient Buddhist
lamasery.
He had the people of the valley restore the old buildings and offered
them a religion different than Buddhism. He was not bigoted, so he
had no desire to replace their religion; rather, he just offered them a
choice.
He also willingly worked alongside them in re-building and adding
onto the lamasery. However, after awhile, his desires changed as he
fell under the spell of the valley, and he even eventually stopped
sending messages to the 
Bishop of Pekin 
to avoid placing any of the
people in any hazard.
He began to study Buddhism himself at the age of 98 and wanted to
spend the rest of his life writing a book which argued against the
precepts of this religion from the standpoint of Christianity.
CHAPTER SEVEN: In Depth Summary
In 1789, the word came down into the valley that 
Perrault
 was dying.
He gathered his friends around him to bid them good-bye, and they
then left him alone to face his fate. But he did not die. For many
weeks, he lay without moving or speaking, and then he slowly began
to recover. He was by this time 108 years old. From his experience with
death, he came away with a new vision for his life, and he plunged into
rigorous self-discipline.
When the last of the old monks died in 1794, he was still living.
However, he also became a hermit and veiled in mystery. A rich and
fantastic folklore grew up around him that he could do all kinds of
impossible things, but most was untrue except for an acquired skill in
telepathy.
He began to feel that that there was no reason why he shouldn’t look
toward the future, and so he began to live the kind of life he had
always wanted to live. He seemed to be able to learn everything with
far greater ease as well.
CHAPTER SEVEN: In Depth Summary
In 1804, a second stranger arrived at the 
Valley of Blue Moon
,
an Austrian named 
Henschell
.
When he saw the gold deposits in the valley, he had the idea
immediately to enrich himself and return home, but the
peacefulness of the valley and the utter freedom from worldly
cares made him delay his departure again and again.
He finally decided to climb up the mountain to the lamasery and
discover for himself the truth about 
Perrault
.
The two men immediately became fast friends, and 
Perrault
 shared
with the younger man the wild dream that had become the only
reality he had left in the world (a piece of information the 
High
Lama 
doesn’t reveal to 
Conway
 right away).
CHAPTER SEVEN: In Depth Summary
 
Henschall
 took it upon himself to devise the system by which the lamasery could ever
after obtain anything they needed from the outside world. He brought in treasures of all
kinds and thousands of books. The porters who brought them were never allowed into
the valley, and the pass that led to their existence was always guarded.
He then came to the 
conclusion
 that they weren’t in any danger from outside armies
because of the difficulty of crossing the pass, but he did come up with an important rule
to keep them safe
: any new arrivals would be welcome, but they would not be allowed to
leave to give away their position on the map
.
As a result, many people over the next century from many different backgrounds
stumbled into the valley and stayed.
Henschell
 helped 
Perrault
 develop his idea that led to the kind of place the lamasery was
to that day. Unfortunately, 
Henschell
 was killed when he was shot by an Englishman in a
quarrel over some porters.
The 
High
 
Lama
 then shows 
Conway
 a sketch of 
Henschell
 which shows a young man, but
Henschell
 would have been over 100when the sketch was drawn. From all this, 
Conway
learns not only the rule about coming to the valley – that you could not then leave – but
also the truth about the 
High Lama
. He is 
Perrault
!
CHAPTER EIGHT: Notes
CHAPTER EIGHT: Notes
This is the most important chapter in understanding the concept of
Shangri-La
.
The valley doesn’t offer just long life; it offers a life in which the lamas will
learn how to be in such harmony with each other and the people of the
valley that they will be able to withstand any outside evil that might
eventually penetrate their little paradise.
The four travelers have been brought here to help reinforce this idyllic
haven and to prepare for whatever the future will bring from the outside
world.
 It is the perfect way for 
Conway
 to fulfill his life and protect the heritage of
the beauty of life.
CHAPTER EIGHT: In Depth Summary
For a moment, 
Conway
 is so amazed at his realization that the 
High Lama
 is
Father Perrault
 that he is unable to speak.
However, the conversation begins again, this time about music which 
Father
Perrault 
seems to read in 
Conway’s
 mind.
Conway
 then repeats what he has come to realize: 
they will be forbidden to
leave
. But he still wonders why the four travelers were chosen to be brought
to the valley over all other people.
Perrault
 reveals that one of the men in the valley, 
Talu
, had come up with the
idea to bring back people to infuse into the life of the lamasery by bringing
them in by air.
Conway
 still wonders what the idea is behind it all. So 
Perrault
 explains that
the idea 
Henschell
 and he had developed so carefully had to do with Time:
they would learn to slacken the tempo of their lives, achieve calmness and
wisdom; and develop their interests in learning. If they have left relatives and
friends behind, they will soon feel their loss less sharply. This will fulfill the
wish for the lamasery. It is not a place to worship God and pray or learn more
about a specific religion unless that’s what they want to do. Instead, it’s a place
of timeless exploration always with an emphasis on moderation.
CHAPTER EIGHT: In Depth Summary
The 
High
 
Lama
 then expresses his belief that 
Conway’s
 best quality is his
passionlessness.
Conway
 admits that the 
High
 
Lama
 is correct and that no doubt he has
become this kind of man because of his experiences in the First World War.
He says that he came out of that time chiefly wanting just to be left alone.
However, he continues to insist to 
Perrault
 that even though he’s attracted by
the timelessness of 
Shangri-La
, he would still want a life beyond the age of
100 to have a point.
Perrault
 then tells him the ultimate purpose of the Valley of 
Blue
 
Moon
: 
to
preserve and protect the heritage of all the beauties of life when the doom
interlaced in the outside world threatens them
. He believes that with this ideal
in place the meek will truly inherit the earth.
Suddenly, 
Conway
 understands everything 
Father
 
Perrault
 has been trying to
explain to him, and without realizing why he does so, he kneels before the
ancient man and says he understands.
CHAPTER NINE: Notes
CHAPTER NINE: Notes
Conway’s
 understanding of life at the lamasery continues in this chapter.
Chang
 explains the stages of his life there, and he meets other lamas who
have been hidden to that point.
There are several significant moments
:
the three travelers are still immersed in what they are becoming or what
they still are (
Barnard
 and 
Miss Brinklow 
like life there, and 
Mallinson
 is still
angry that he can’t leave);
Chang
 insists that 
Lo-Tsen
 has come to accept life without love (
this
foreshadows
 
how she will later leave the valley for love of 
Mallinson
);
and 
Conway
 begins to visit the 
High Lama 
regularly, a totally
unprecedented event at the lamasery (
this
 
foreshadows
 
how the 
High
Lama
 
will name 
Conway
 
High Lama 
at his death
).
CHAPTER NINE: In Depth Summary
Conway
 has been warned by the 
High Lama 
to not yet reveal to the other
three travelers the truth of 
Shangri-La
, so when they greet him at
breakfast with many questions, he finds himself easily prevaricating and
falling naturally into the beliefs of 
Perrault
 and the other lamas.
He just tells them that it isn’t an ordinary monastery, and that the 
High
Lama
 still has given no answers about porters or departure from the
valley.
Miss Brinklow 
and 
Barnard
 seem unfazed by this lack of news, but
Mallinson
, of course, is frustrated and angry.
CHAPTER NINE: In Depth Summary
So 
Conway
 begins to live a kind of double life:
with his friends, he pretends to be waiting for porters and departure to India
while the rest of the time, the horizon seems to lift a curtain on the future.
He spends many hours with 
Chang
 discussing the rule and routine of the
lamasery. He learns that for the first five years he will live a normal life without
any special regimen to enable his body to become accustomed to the thin air
and for his mind to adjust to his mental and emotional regrets.
After those five years, the process of retarding age would begin, and he would
stay at the physical age of forty for at least fifty years or more.
Eventually, like 
Chang
 will soon do, he will be a candidate for initiation. He will
then have a century or more to fulfill the purpose of the lamasery.
Chang
 also explains that this is only possible in the valley of the 
Blue Moon
,
but that the people of the valley do not possess the same possibility of long
life.
CHAPTER NINE: In Depth Summary
Conway
 then begins to meet other lamas who have not made an
appearance:
a German named 
Meister
 and a Frenchman named 
Alphonse Briac 
who
had been a pupil of 
Chopin
.
They both possess a calm intelligence and measured well-balanced
opinions.
Conway
 notes to 
Chang
 that they seem immersed in their own pasts
which 
Chang
 explains is important for the clarification of the mind.
Conway
, too, will soon come to the realization of the significance of past
events in his life.
CHAPTER NINE: In Depth Summary
One daily event that 
Conway
 especially comes to enjoy is listening to 
Lo-Tsen
play Mozart and other composers and he eventually questions 
Chang
 about
her.
She was of royal Manchu stock and had come to the valley when her party was
lost in the mountains on the way to her wedding.
This happened in 1884 at which time she was 18. She still looks that age even
though she is actually 65.
Chang
 says that she soon came to accept her inability to return to the outside
world, and that she hadn’t given up love, because she had not yet met her
husband, Instead, she had given up the idea of ever being in love.
He also explains that even though 
Briac
 is initiated already, he is still obsessed
with his past with 
Chopin
. 
Chang
 allows that this is good, because when he
becomes one of the older lamas, he will spend his life appreciating his past,
yet looking toward the future.
The 
High Lama 
spends his time in clairvoyant meditation in order to prepare
for the future. 
Conway
 wonders when he will see the 
High Lama 
again, and
Chang
 says that it will doubtless not be until his first five years have passed.
CHAPTER NINE: In Depth Summary
Ironically, less than a month after he has arrived at 
Shangri-La
, the 
High
Lama 
calls for 
Conway
 again.
The elderly man sincerely enjoys 
Conway’s
 company and he looks forward
to appreciating his sense of humour in all the years to come.
CHAPTER TEN: Notes
CHAPTER TEN: Notes
Once again, 
Conway’s
 wisdom gained as a result of his war
experiences is emphasized which 
foreshadows
 how the 
High
Lama
 will name him the new 
High Lama
.
There is also 
foreshadowing
 in the discussion of 
Lo-Tsen 
who has
been the object of the love of many who live at the lamasery.
The fact that she has not loved in return, but has only offers
friendship, is 
ironic
 in the end when she chooses to leave with
Mallinson
, knowing that she will lose her youth the minute she
steps outside the valley.
The 
High Lama’s 
predictions for the future are also 
ironic
 in that
we who are reading this in 2012 know how the world fell into the
worst war in history. Yet James Hilton, the author, is writing this
from the year 1933. He has the same premonition as the
character he has created.
CHAPTER TEN: In Depth Summary
The 
High Lama 
tells 
Conway
 that he has never met anyone like him
before.
They especially discuss how 
Conway
 seems wise beyond his years,
perhaps because of the intense and premature experience of the war.
Conway
 emphasizes that he had exhausted his passions during the war,
and that was the beginning of his wisdom.
The 
High
 
Lama
 remarks that he has just expressed the doctrine of
Shangri-La
.
CHAPTER TEN: In Depth Summary
Conway
 also comes to the realization that he has fallen in love with 
Lo-
Tsen
.
It is not a love he feels he must urgently act on; instead, he sees her as a
delicate, fragrant promised jewel that he is certain, given all the time they
have ahead of them, will be fulfilled.
As for his traveling companions, 
Miss
 
Brinklow 
and 
Barnard
 both decide to
stay, at least for awhile, as they feel a mysterious power working behind
the scenes to make them want to be in the 
Valley of Blue Moon
.
Mallinson 
furiously remarks at this news that 
Shangri-La
 is a prison to
which 
Conway
 notes that there people all over the world who would give
everything they have to live in this valley. So, he says, “
Are we in prison or
are they
?”
Mallinson 
still insists that they are monkeys in a cage.
CHAPTER TEN: In Depth Summary
Conway
 has become fond of 
Mallinson 
as a kind of son and discovers that
young man, 
too
, is in love with 
Lo-Tsen
. This doesn’t anger 
Conway
, but
instead worries him about how 
Mallinson 
will accept the truth about his future
at 
Shangri-La
.
 
Chang
 shows little worry about this, because he feels that the porters – who
will come – 
won’t be willing to take 
Mallinson 
with them. He also explains that
no one will hold 
Mallinson 
back if he  chooses to leave, but that past
experience has convinced anyone who has tried that they are fools after one
night on the plateau.
As for 
Lo-Tsen
, 
Chang
 says that 
Conway’s
 love for her is quite suitable as long
as he pursues it in 
moderation
. He himself had once loved her, but she showed
only an appreciation for the compliment he paid her by loving her, and they
instead developed a deep friendship with each other over the years.
She has been living in the past and still is a comfort to the “sorrowful exile”
who learns there is to be no return. Instead of being like Shakespeare’s
Cleopatra who “makes hungry where she most satisfies,” 
Lo-Tsen 
removes
hunger where she least satisfies.
CHAPTER TEN: In Depth Summary
Barnard
 tells 
Conway
 that he has found the perfect job at 
Shangri-La
:
he will prospect the gold supplies and make it available for the lamasery to
fulfill its purpose.
The man has found immediate and satisfactory comfort in a job that is
perfectly suited for him.
CHAPTER TEN: In Depth Summary
The 
High Lama 
is also happy about 
Barnard’s
 ability to become
accustomed to life in the valley, but he indicates that 
Mallinson 
will be
Conway’s
 problem, because he, the High Lama, is going to die.
He tells 
Conway
 he only has time for one more thing: he is naming
Conway
 the new 
High Lama 
and placing the heritage and destiny of
Shangri-La
 in his hands.
He has waited a very long time for 
Conway
 to come along. He has looked
in every face that has come to the lamasery looking for a man just like
Conway
: 
one who is gentle and patient, who cares for the riches of the
mind, who agrees to reside in wisdom and secrecy while the storm rages
in the outside world
.
The storm he indicates is a premonition of the Second World War, and he
feels that there will be a kind of Dark Age from which there will be no escape.
Out of this will come the saving grace of
 
Shangri-La
, a saving grace that will
rise out of the ashes to create a new renaissance.
With these final words, The 
High Lama 
Father
 
Perrault
 – dies. At this
point, as if in a dream, 
Conway
 feels himself the Master of 
Shangri-La
. He
eventually ends up in the courtyard with the lotus pool, and it is here that
Mallinson 
finds him and drags him away by the arm.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Notes
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Notes
This chapter reveals that even though he has become so
acclimated to the slow passionless life of 
Shangri-La
, 
Conway
 still
has a strong sense of responsibility for 
Mallinson
.
He hasn’t completely purged the feelings of the outer world, and
when part of his dream – to live as the 
High Lama 
and slowly
express his love for 
Lo-Tsen 
– comes to end with the news that
Lo-Tsen 
and 
Mallinson 
are lovers, he is willing to help the young
man leave the valley.
He feels a definite sense of loss, but he does what he feels he
must. It’s perhaps true as well that he fears for the integrity of
Shangri-La
 if 
Mallinson 
and 
Lo-Tsen 
remain there. They have
destroyed what makes it special by their physical relationship.
Even though he cares for them both, they no longer belong in
the 
Valley of the Blue Moon
.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: In Depth Summary
Mallinson 
excitedly informs 
Conway
 that the porters have come at last
and are about five miles away from the pass.
Conway
 cautions the younger man that the porters may not want to take
him with them, but 
Mallinson 
reveals that they have been paid in advance
by 
Lo-Tsen 
who is waiting to go with them.
Conway
 insists that 
Lo-Tsen 
doesn’t want to leave, but 
Mallinson 
insists
she’ll be better off with him than in 
Shangri-La
.
Mallinson 
believes that there’s something dark and evil about 
Shangri-La
,
and that 
Lo-Tsen 
feels the same way.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: In Depth Summary
Conway
 tries to make 
Mallinson 
understand the truth of 
Shangri-la
 by
telling the whole story as he had heard it from the 
High Lama
.
The only thing he doesn’t reveal is that he has been named the successor
to 
Father Perrault
.
 
Mallinson 
thinks 
Conway
 has gone mad, but 
Conway
 holds fast to his
story and tells 
Mallinson 
he has no desire to leave the valley.
The younger man insists that 
Conway
 cannot hold him back, and that the
men who had said the war had ruined 
Conway
 were right.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: In Depth Summary
Mallinson’s 
commentary as he leaves 
Conway
 makes 
Conway
 realize even
more that “
all the loveliest things were transient . . . and that the two
worlds were finally beyond reconciliation and that one of them hung, as
always, by a thread
.”
Soon, however, 
Mallinson 
is back. He hadn’t the nerve to walk across the
place where they had all been roped together. He’s so angry that he can’t
get beyond that point that he declares 
that he’d love to fly over the valley
with a load of bombs
.
Conway
 feels badly about 
Mallinson’s 
fear, but he continues to warn him
that 
Lo-Tsen 
will lose her beauty if she leaves.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: In Depth Summary
Mallinson 
wants proof of 
Conway’s
 story, but the only piece of information
he can give him is the example of 
Briac 
as 
Chopin’s
 student.
Unfortunately, 
Mallinson’s 
arguments have well-made points, and 
Conway
must admit that he has argued well.
Then, 
Mallinson 
admits that he is not only in love with 
Lo-Tsen
, but that
they have made love.
With that, 
a dream dissolves for 
Conway
, 
because he realizes that this
wonderful world of
 
Shangri-La
 
is also in peril if such corruption has
entered.
It is enough to make him regain some of the sense of who he was before
they had come to the 
Valley of Blue Moon
: a man who was a leader and
had obligations to those who follow him. He offers to go with 
Mallinson
and help him over the place where they will need the ropes.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: In Depth Summary
However, as they are preparing to leave, 
Conway
 feels such
an emptiness in himself and is amazed that the one who
found such happiness here is now leaving it behind.
Because he feels responsible to help 
Mallinson
 go home, he
also feels doomed like millions who flee from wisdom in order
to be a hero.
The porters are waiting, and so is 
Lo-Tsen
 who looks upon
Mallinson
 with adoring eyes.
The manuscript ends here.
EPILOGUE: Notes
EPILOGUE: Notes
Like all 
epilogues
, this one attempts to tie up any loose
ends of the story.
Rutherford
 had searched hard for 
Conway
 and found
some pieces of information that seemed to corroborate
Conway’s
 story.
He and the narrator can only surmise what happened to
Mallinson
, but learn from the doctor’s story that the
promise of 
Shangri-La
 is lost once a traveler leaves it:
Lo-Tsen
 had grown old and lost her beauty.
They both admire the character of 
Conway
 and their
final thought indicates their hope that he will find the
paradise he left once again.
Epilogue: In Depth Summary
The story returns to the viewpoint of the 
narrator 
rather than that of
Conway’s
 manuscript.
He has met up again with 
Rutherford
 in 
Delhi
, 
India
. 
Rutherford
 has just
returned from 
Kashgar
. When they go to 
Rutherford’s
 suite, the 
narrator
notes immediately that 
Rutherford
 had gone in search of 
Conway
. The
trail ended somewhere in 
Upper Siam
.
Rutherford
 has come to the conclusion that 
Shangri-La
 lies somewhere
inside the area of 
Baskul
, 
Bangkok
, 
Chung-Kiang
 and 
Kashgar
.
He never was able to enter 
Tibet
, and he knows that 
Mallinson 
couldn’t
have just walked out, because the terrain was so formidable. He had met
an American who had tried to cross the 
Kuen-Lun 
Mountains, but could
not find a pass even though he knew there were passes there.
Rutherford
 questioned the man about a cone-shaped mountain almost
as high as the 
Himalayas
. He said there was a legend about it, but he
didn’t really believe it. He also said there were plenty of lamaseries, but
that the monks there were corrupt and dirty even though they appeared
to have odd powers of bodily control.
Epilogue: In Depth Summary
The most interesting thing the American had to say was about the
time he met a 
Chinese
, being carried in a chair, who offered to be a
guide to a nearby lamasery, but the American had refused.
It is an interesting connection to 
Conway’s
 experience, but both
Rutherford
 and the narrator agree that they couldn’t imagine how
an expedition so well-equipped could have been held against their
will like the 
Conway’s
 group.
Perhaps it is no connection to 
Shangri-La
 at all.
Epilogue: In Depth Summary
Rutherford
 finds out that the story of the plane 
Conway
 took
from 
Baskul 
is true, but he couldn’t trace the passengers. They
had disappeared just as 
Conway
 had said.
Rutherford
 had traced the German named 
Meister Conway
mentioned who visited Tibet in 1887 and never came back.
However, he was unable to find out anything about 
Perrault
 or
Henschell
.
They both are confused by what happened to Conway after he
left the valley with 
Mallinson 
and 
Lo-Tsen
. They guess that
some sort of tragedy must have happened: it seems obvious
that 
Mallinson 
never made it to China, but how 
Conway
 made
it to the nun’s mission at 
Chung-Kiang
 is still unexplained.
They can only conclude that he wandered there. When 
Rutherford
questioned the nuns about 
Conway
, one said that the doctor who
had worked there told them he was brought there by a woman.
Epilogue: In Depth Summary
Rutherford
 traced down the doctor who agreed that that’s what
happened, and that the woman who had brought him there was
Chinese and had died of the fever not long after they arrived at the
mission. The doctor further said that the Chinese woman was not
young, but very, very old.
The 
narrator
 and 
Rutherford
 then discuss 
Conway
 and 
how the war
had altered him
, as well as the many mysteries of the 
Blue Moon
.
The 
narrator
 can only leave the story with a significant question: “
Do
you think he will ever make it?
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The novel Lost Horizon follows the story of four travelers who find themselves in a mysterious valley called Shangri-La. Conway, the protagonist, falls in love with this utopian place while others also experience happiness in staying there. However, not everyone shares the same sentiment, leading to a series of events that test their beliefs and desires. The narrative unfolds with mysteries, amnesia, and a quest for paradise, leaving the characters and readers alike questioning the existence of Shangri-La.


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  1. Novel Study Unit: LOST HORIZON LOST HORIZON

  2. Lost Horizon Lost Horizon Chapter Summaries

  3. SHORT PLOT / CHAPTER SUMMARY (Synopsis)

  4. SHORT PLOT / CHAPTER SUMMARY (Synopsis) The narrator reads a manuscript written by Rutherford telling the story of four travelers experiences, after being hijacked, in a mysterious valley known as Shangri-La. Conway, the main character of the four, falls in love with the Valley of Blue Moon and eventually is named the new High Lama. Barnard and Miss Brinklow also find happiness in staying there. Only Mallinson desperately wants to leave and his negativity creates an Imbalance there for all the characters. Eventually, Conway agrees to lead him out of the valley, but he is the only one who survives the trip. Then, once he overcomes amnesia, Conway disappears again in a bid to return to the paradise he had come to love. In the end, the narrator and Rutherford come to believe in the existence of Shangri-La and desperately hope that Conway finds his way there again.

  5. Prologue Abstract The story of the LOST HORIZON begins in a social meeting of some old classmates who all knew Hugh Conway while in school. It appears that each of them was more affected by having known Conwaythan they consciously realized.

  6. Prologue The prologue lays down the background to how the narrator comes across a manuscriptwhich reveals something mysterious concerning Conwayand later, Rutherford. There are many strange events connected to Conway: first, the plane that is stolen; second, the Chopin piano piece which no one has ever heard; third, the loss of Conway smemory and its return after he plays the piano; and finally, Conway sstrange story and his stranger decision to catch a boat to Fiji and head northwest. All of these events are foreshadowingfor the manuscript that the narrator is about to read.

  7. Prologue: In Depth Summary The narrator, a neurologist, opens the novel with this prologue; where he explains that he, a writer named Rutherford, an Embassy secretary named Wyland Tertius, and a stranger to the narrator named Sanders, a pleasant young pilot, have all sat down for cigars after dinner at Templelhof. The first three, he says, are three celibate Englishmen in a foreign capital, Berlin. Sanders, who knows Wyland, joins their party after the first three have already dined. They are sitting in the restaurant watching the Luft-Hansa machines arriving at the aerodome and enjoying the evening.

  8. Prologue: In Depth Summary They all drink a great deal of beer, and then Rutherford questions Sanders about his comment that he had been at Baskul and that something interesting had happened there. Sanders tells them that an Afghan or an Afridi had stolen control of one of their planes and taken off in it. The interesting thing about the event was that the thief never came back. There also were three men on board and one woman missionary. One of the men is Glory Conway, a name that Rutherford first mentions. The narrator asks Sanders why it was never in the papers, and Sanders says he has given out more information than he was supposed to, because the event was hushed up.

  9. Prologue: In Depth Summary Wyland had stepped away from the table before Sanders told this information, so when he returns, Sanders reveals what he has said and asks Wyland whether it matters that he said it. Wyland seems somewhat offended that the pilot gave away this information and snubs him a bit. However, he willingly discusses Conway and how Rutherford knew him. Then, they all decide to make it an evening. Rutherford suggests that since the narrator is not leaving until very early in the morning that he spend the time in his hotel. They can talk in his sitting room.

  10. Prologue: In Depth Summary They spend the time discussing Conwaywho had evidently left a significant impression on them both. Rutherfordreveals that he had already heard about the affair at Baskuland had thought it only a myth. He also says that since he has traveled a great deal around the world, he has seen strange things, a comment that confuses the narrator. Then, Rutherford reveals that Conwayisn t dead, because he had traveled with him on a Japanese liner from Shanghai to Honolulu the November before. While he was on the Pekinexpress, he had spoken to a Mother Superior of some French Sisters of Charity. She had mentioned that a fever case had shown up at the mission hospital at Chung- Kiang, a European male with no papers and unable to give any account of himself. He spoke fluent Chinese and French and English with a refined accent. Rutherford had found this hard to believe and politely bid the nun good-bye.

  11. Prologue: In Depth Summary Ironically, he found himself right back at Chung-Kiangwhen the train broke down a mile or two farther on the track. He decided to take the Mother Superior up on her offer to visit her mission. They prepared a meal for him, and a young Chinese Christian doctor sat down with Rutherford. They also took him for a tour of the hospital. When they introduced him to the foreigner she had told him about, he was astonished to discover that the man was Conway. Unfortunately, Conwaydidn t remember Rutherford, because he was suffering from amnesia. Rutherford decided to stay there for a few days to try to help Conwayrecover his memory. He was unsuccessful, but he did make arrangements to take Conwayhome. Once they were on the Japanese liner, Rutherford spent the time telling Conwayas much as he could about his life.

  12. Prologue: In Depth Summary At the port of Yokohama, a new passenger came on board. His name was Sieveking, and he was a concert pianist. He was prevailed upon to give a recital for the passengers with emphasis on Chopin, a musician Sieveking specialized in. After he got up to leave at the end of the recital, Conway sat down at the piano and began to play a rapid, lively piece which drew Sieveking back to the piano in excitement. Conway was unable to tell the pianist what he had been playing, only that he thought it was a Chopin study. Sieveking refused to believe that it was by Chopin, because he knew everything that Chopin had ever written, and he had never heard this piece. Conway then remembered that it had never been published, and that he only knew it himself from meeting a man who had been one of Chopin s pupils. Many witnesses saw this exchange between the two men and heard Sieveking say that the piece was so important as to be a part of every virtuoso s repertoire within six months if it were ever published.

  13. Prologue: In Depth Summary The two men promised to meet again and even made arrangements to make some phonograph records of the piece. Rutherford tells the narrator that he often thought it a pity that Conway was never able to keep his promise to Sieveking. That night after the recital, Conway regained his memory. During the next twenty-four hours, Conway told Rutherford everything that had happened to him, and then they had drinks in Rutherford s cabin about 10:00 PM the night before they were expected to dock in Honolulu. Rutherford never saw Conway again, because he gave him the slip and joined a crew of a banana boat heading south to Fiji. Three months later, Rutherford received a letter from Conway thanking him for his care, paying him for any expenses Rutherford may have incurred, and telling him that he was about to set out on a long journey to the northwest. That was all he said.

  14. Prologue: In Depth Summary The narrator is most confused about how Conway arrived at Chung-Kiang, and how he lost his memory. Rutherford reveals that after Conway had told his story over those twenty-four hours on the Japanese liner, he had written it all down into a manuscript. He brings it out for the narrator and tells him to read it and make of it whatever he will. The narrator asks if he s not supposed to believe it. Rutherford says that Tertullian s phrase quia impossibile est ('I believe because it is impossible\absurd' ) is not a bad argument. Later, Rutherford sends a short note to the narrator saying he was off on his wanderings again would have no settled address for some months. Not surprising to the narrator, Rutherford is heading to Kashmir and then east. Perhaps he believes his own manuscript more than he is willing to admit.

  15. CHAPTER ONE: Notes

  16. CHAPTER ONE: Notes This is the first part of the manuscript Rutherford had written. It reveals that the rumours about the plane being hijacked were true, and that there were three men and one woman on board, one of whom was Conway. The chapter prepares the reader for a mysterious destination somewhere in the mountains to the northeast. It also shows the reader how Conway becomes the character looked to for help and advice as well as bravery, should it be needed. He is the voice of calm and comfort for the other three passengers. Meanwhile, the pilot remains an unknown element of this equation in which they ve found themselves.

  17. CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary The manuscriptbegins by explaining that the situation begins during the third week in May (probably in 1930) in Baskul, Afghanistan, when events become so precarious that British Air Force machines arrive to evacuate the white residents. A miscellaneous aircraft is also employed, one owned by the Maharajah of Chandapore, to evacuate four passengers: Miss Roberta Brinklow of the Eastern Mission; Henry D. Barnard, an American;HughConway, H. M. Consul; and Captain Charles Mallinson, H. M. Vice-Consul. At the time, Conwayis thirty-seven years old and has been at Baskulfor two years. He has no idea where he will be sent next which is a precarious characteristic of his profession as a foreign diplomat. He has been working this profession for ten years. He is so tired at the time of the flight from destroying and packing documents that he stretches out in the plane to sleep.

  18. CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary About an hour after the flight began, Mallinsonnotices that the pilot isn t keeping a straight course. He also notices that the pilot isn t Fenner, the man they thought would be flying them out.Conway isn t upset by this possible development, because he isn t all that eager to go to Peshawar. Then, the plane begins to descend, and when the two men look out the window of the plane, they see an opaque mist veiling an immense sun-brown desolation with long, corrugated mountain ridges and frontier scenery. There looks to be no place to land, but the pilot does so into a small space opened by the side of a gully. That is followed by a swarm of bearded, turbaned tribesmen surrounding the machine and preventing anyone from getting out of it except the pilot. The plane is re-fueled, and then the flight commences again. To the four passengers, it is totally extraordinary and bewildering.

  19. CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary Mallinsoncomes to the conclusion that they are being kidnapped for ransom which in light of the mysterious events seems the most believable of any theories. Conwaybegins to gather all the scraps of paper he can find to compose a message in as many of the various native languages as he can and then drop them from the plane along the way. It is a slender chance, but one worth taking. Miss Brinklowjust sits tight-lipped and straight-backed, while Conwayand Barnard determine how easy it would have been to hijack the plane. They all agree that if anyone can get them out of this situation it will be Conway. Conwaylies half asleep, turning over in his mind whether he is a brave as his companions have judged him. He has, since WWI, been reluctant to face danger unless it promises extravagant dividends in thrills. He just feels an enormous distaste for whatever trouble might be in store for them.

  20. CHAPTER ONE: In Depth Summary The flight continues all afternoon, steadily eastward, but Conwaycannot judge where they are headed with any accuracy. Mallinsonis eager to smash the panel and demand answers from the pilot, but Conwayreminds him that the pilot is armed, and that none of them will know how to bring down the plane if they hurt him. There is nothing for them to do but sleep, which they all manage to find a way to do. Soon, Conwaybegins to feel the same sensations of shortness of breath that he had experienced once when he had flown in the Swiss Alps. He looks out the window and sees they are flying amidst range upon range of snow-peaks and glaciers.

  21. CHAPTER TWO: In Depth Summary

  22. CHAPTER TWO: In Depth Summary Conwaytells the other passengers as they awaken that they are probably still in India, and that they have probably been flying along some river valley, stretching roughly east and west. If his memory suffices, they are probably in the valley of the upper Indus which would have brought them to this spectacular part of the world. He also thinks the mountain they are looking at is probably Nanga Parbat and the range is the Karakorams. He knows there are several passes through these mountains if the pilot intends for them to cross them. Mallinsoninsists that the kidnapping theory is no longer applicable, because there are no tribes this far that would seek a ransom. Now the purpose of this flight becomes once again even more frightening. Conwayhas no answers for their fears, but is secretly satisfied that there are still such beautiful places on earth.

  23. CHAPTER TWO: In Depth Summary Dusk soon falls which lowers their spirits once again, and Conwaycomes to the conclusion that they are heading towards Tibet. Soon, the plane gives a lurch, and they realize that the engines have been turned off, and the plane is rushing against a gale. The pilotthen lands the plane badly with crashing and swaying jolts to the passengers and a broken tail-skid. They tear open the cockpit and discover the pilotis unconscious. Conwayassumes finally the strong role of the leader, and they lift the man out and down to the ground. Then, they realize that the environment will be dangerous for them all and return the pilot and themselves to the cabin of the plane. Miss Brinklowsurprisingly produces a bottle of brandy, and they give the pilotsome.

  24. CHAPTER TWO: In Depth Summary Conwaynow believes that they have flown far beyond the western range of the Himalayastowards the less known heights of the Kuen-Lun. They have reached the loftiest and most inhospitable part of the earth s surface, the Tibetanplateau. The next day, they take the pilotout of the plane, hoping the sun will revive him, but he becomes weaker and finally dies about mid-morning. The man muttered in his final delirium enough information to let them know that they were in Tibet, and that there is a lamaserynearby called Shangri-la. The dying man had been very emphatic that they go there. They argue about whether this is the best plan for them to follow, but finally come to the conclusion that their best chance of survival is to find humans. Just as they finally all agree to the plan, they see coming down a faraway slope the figures of men.

  25. CHAPTER THREE: Notes

  26. CHAPTER THREE: Notes Much of this chapter is a series of foreshadowing: Conway preferring not to be a leader, but accepting the role anyway; Chang, a Chinese, who speaks perfect English; Chang scomments that they may not be away from civilization at all and that they will ultimately have no regrets about coming to Shangri- La; seeing a new mountain, Karakal; Conway s feeling that he has at last found a place which is an end, a finality; and Chang s explanation for his nap that he has to take care of himself. All of these events indicate that Shangri-Lais a mysterious unknown place that will bring all four of these captives to discover a world that may or may not bring them peace and happiness.

  27. CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary As the four passengers await the arrival of the men in the distance, Conway takes on the role of onlooker, refusing to be drawn into being a leader or being forced to decide what to do or not to do. Then, the figures reveal themselves to be a part of a dozen or more men carrying with them a hooded chair. Inside the chair is a figure robed in blue. Having lived in China for a few years, Conway understands the ritual of meeting and how ceremonial it must be. As a result, he steps forward to follow the proper procedure, and the stranger follows suit and says he is from the lamasery of Shangri-Laand his name is Chang. He speaks perfect English and insists that he guide them back to the lamasery. Conway agrees, but Mallinsoninsists that their stay won t be long, because they want to return to civilization as soon possible. Chang responds, Are you so very sure that you are away from it? It is a significant comment foreshadowing the future. He further declares that the four passengers will be honorably treated, and that ultimately, they will have no regrets.

  28. CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary Changthen sees to it that they have wine and mangoes, a fruit that Conwaycannot believe could be cultivated so high in the mountains. Once they are refreshed, the party begins its climb towards the lamasery, viewing a mountain that Conwayhas never heard of before Karakal in the distance. Conwaywonders if the lamas have surveyed its height, and Changonly comments that there s nothing incompatible between monasticismand trigonometry.

  29. CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary They walk all morning and into the afternoon, with the air becoming thinner and harder to breathe, while Changesleeps in his chair. They eventually reach the summit of the ridge and then link themselves together with heavy mountaineering ropes in order to be protected as they follow a track consisting of a traverse cut along the flank of a rock wall. The height above it is obscured by the mist, and below is an abyss. Meanwhile, most of the way on this track, Mallinsonis begging Conwayto decide what they are going to do. Conwayreplies that there are times in life when the most comfortable thing is to do nothing at all. He reminds the younger man that they may have just exchanged one lunacy for another, given that they have just escaped the torturous nightmare of Afghanistan.

  30. CHAPTER THREE: In Depth Summary Suddenly, being first of the four passengers, Conwaysees the lamasery appear out of the mist. It is absolutely superb and exquisite, seeming to hang on the side of the next ridge. Meanwhile, in the valley below, is a delightfully flavored place awash in green. He feels the deeper sensation, half mystical, half visual, of having reached at last some place that is an end, a finality. Changthen awakes and makes the mysterious comment that he has slept, because he has to take care of himself. He indicates that they will be given the opportunity to bathe and refresh themselves, and then he will be honored if they all join him for dinner. Mallinsonagrees, but only if Changwill help them make plans for their departure.

  31. CHAPTER FOUR: Notes

  32. CHAPTER FOUR: Notes This chapter is basically a study in the determination of Mallinsonto depart from Shangri-La and Conway s growing fascination with the lamasery. One represents the frustration and the impetuous demands of youthwhile the other is a study in patience and complacency and even a desire to just find some peace in his life. These two contrasting characters will be the ultimate determiners of the outcome of this story and the lessonsthe reader will learn in the end: one being fear of the unknown and the other, the search for a meaningful life.

  33. CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary Later that evening as they are all seated at dinner, Chang observes that they are not as uncivilized as the four may have expected. Conwayis unable to deny it as he had noticed at his bath that the tub is made of delicate green porcelain made in Akron, Ohio. He readily enjoys the meal, because he likes the Chinese and their ways. Changeats only a salad and once again explains his behaviour by commenting that he must take care of himself. Conwaycomments in return that the lamas seem a very fortunate community, and hospitable to strangers. He observes that they must not receive strangers very often, and that a separate culture might flourish there without contamination from the outside world.

  34. CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary Miss Brinklow speaks up and assertively asks Changto tell them about the monastery. In his ensuing commentary, the reader discovers that there are fifty who are considered full lamas and a few others, including himself, who have not yet obtained full initiation, an amazing piece of information, given thathe seems to be elderly although not yet old. He also explains that there are representatives among them from a great many nations, although Tibetans and Chinese make up the majority. When Miss Brinklow, in her missionary attitude, asks him to explain what the lamas believe, he explains that there are many religious beliefs among them, but what they most believe in is moderation. They avoid excesses of all kinds in the valley. Conway observes that Changapplies the idea of moderation to the people of the valley, but is careful not to apply it to the priesthood. When he asks Chang why, the elder man replies that it is a matter which he may not discuss, another mysterious comment about life at the lamasery.

  35. CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary Mallinsoncontinues to question Changabout arranging for porters to lead them out as early as the next day. But Changsays that he is not the proper person to approach about the matter, and that he doesn t believe the matter can be arranged immediately. Mallinsoncontinues to press the point, trying to get Changto help them, while Changis readily amenable to anything Mallinsonasks for, including maps, but is short of agreeing to make the arrangements. Changeventually gets to the point where he just doesn t answer Mallinson, and the young man, in his anger and anxiety, collapses. Chang blames his collapse on the thin air and insists he will better the next day.

  36. CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary Conwaythen steps forward to patiently encourage Changto answer Mallinson squestions. Because he is so patient and less demanding, Changobserves that he is wiser than his companions and explains that they will not be able to hire men from the valley to be their porters, because they will refuse to leave the valley. Conwayalso observes to Changthat it was not a chance meeting when Changand the men had come across their plane and that they must have known beforehand about their arrival. He wonders how? For a moment, Changshows stress, something that Conwayhad not noticed before. He insists to Conwaythat none of them are in any danger at Shangri-La, but they may have to face some delay in their departure. Conwayis agreeable to a short delay, because he feels so comfortable at the lamasery. As Changmoves to depart from the dinner table, Conwayasks him the literal interpretation of Karakal. Changwhispers that it means Blue Moon.

  37. CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary When morning comes, Conwaymuses on his role at the lamasery now. He thinks about his position as a leader who had safely evacuated the British personnel from Baskul. He feels that it is not a bad achievement, and that gives him comfort. However, he does have some slight worry about whether the others can achieve their departure, given the strangeness of this place. As for himself, the puzzle of Shangri-Lais beginning to exercise over him a charming fascination. He is far from grumbling about their situation.

  38. CHAPTER FOUR: In Depth Summary When Mallinson once again inquires of Changabout porters, Chang tells him what he had told Conway the night before: there are no men willing to accompany the group so far from their homes. Conway smoothly intercedes again to avoid any ugliness by asking Changwhat he proposes they do. Changseems to be willing to answer Conway just about anything and offers the suggestion that they wait approximately a month or two for delivery men expected at the time. He thinks they will be willing to take the four with them on their return journey. Of course, he offers no exact date, claiming they never know exactly when a delivery will occur. But he insists again that the lamasery will continue to offer its utmost hospitality. This information infuriates Mallinson, but Conway restrains the younger man in order that he not insult Chang.

  39. CHAPTER FIVE: Notes

  40. CHAPTER FIVE: Notes This chapter is devoted to the four travelers coming to terms with their predicament. Mallinson has given in to the thought of a two month stay, Barnard feels their loss will not affect him at all, and Miss Brinklow sums it all up to the mysterious force of Providence. Conway is happy there and is content to solve the puzzle of their arrival in Shangri-La. He is wiser than the other three and soon comes to some important conclusions about the flight there, and how it obviously had been planned. Now he is eager to learn why.

  41. CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary For the remainder of the morning, the four discuss the matter of leaving the lamasery. Mallinsonis somewhat mollified and more accepting of their fate, but still determined to leave this strange place that he labels crooked. Conwayis the voice of reason, logically deciding that it can t be any worse than two months in any other isolated part of the world. Miss Brinklowis fatalistic, saying that she has been called to the Lord s service and is agreeable to whatever Providence brings her. Barnard, the American, isn t the least concerned about their being posted as missing, because he doesn t believe that affects him one way or another, a puzzling statement to say the least.

  42. CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary Conwaythen remarks that the first rule of their stay must be to avoid getting on each other s nerves. The others agree, and then they observe that it will at least be comfortable there, even if it is a mystery. Changenters after a while and offers to guide them on a tour of the lamasery while Mallinson and Miss Brinklow comment that they never thought they d end up in a place like this nor why they have.

  43. CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary The grand tour is an interesting moment for them all. Conwayis becoming even further enchanted with the rich amenities of the place. There is a delightful library, filled with the world s best literature and hundreds of maps of the area, although Changcomments that they will not find Shangri-La on any of them. Miss Brinklowwonders if they will see the lamas at work, but Changreplies that her request is impossible as they are very rarely seen outside the lamahood. When she asks what they do, Changsays that they devote themselves to contemplation and to the pursuit of wisdom. To Miss Brinklow, that s doing nothing.

  44. CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary Then, they follow Changthrough several courtyards to come upon a scene of unmatched loveliness. It is an open pavilion fringing a lotus pool surrounded by sculptures of lions, dragons and unicorns. In the pavilion are a harpsichord and a modern grand piano. This pavilion inspires comments and questions about the lamas love of western music and the fact that they might someday order a phonograph delivered to the lamasery. For now, there is no need for them to hurry in this request. Barnardobserves that No hurry must be the slogan of the lamas. When he then questions Changabout how they pay for all this, Changagain closes up and refuses to answer. Conwaysees this as once again edging the visible border-line between what might and what might not be revealed.

  45. CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary At this point, an agile, lithe-limbed Chinese girl appears and plays the harpsichord. Conwayis fascinated by her and realizes that she is a Manchu. Changsays her name is Lo-Tsen, and like Chang, she has not yet achieved full initiation. He says there are no sex distinctions among the lamas. However, when Conwayasks her age, Changonce again says he cannot tell him. Later that evening, after dinner, Conwaystrolls into the moon-lit courtyards and as he gazes on Karakal, he realizes he is physically happy, emotionally content, and mentally at ease. He is puzzled by Shangri-La, but even though he cannot understand it yet, he feels it will somehow be understood eventually. Then, he hears sounds from far below in the valley.

  46. CHAPTER FIVE: In Depth Summary Using his understanding of the Chinese language which is near in structure to the Tibetan language, he realizes that the people in the valley are burying Talu, the man who had hijacked their plane and flown it into the valley. Now Conwayknows for sure that their flight was not a meaningless exploit of an insane man. It had been planned, prepared and carried out at the instigation of the lamasery. The question still is: what is the purpose of their being brought to Shangri-La? He decides that his discovery, however, must not be communicated to the other three of his group, who could not help him solve the puzzle, nor to their hosts, who probably would not help him.

  47. CHAPTER SIX: Notes

  48. CHAPTER SIX: Notes This chapter helps the reader understand how three of the travelers are coming to love the lamasery and the valley. Only Mallinson is still discontented and wants badly to go home. Conway is more and more at home and has many wise and interesting conversations with Chang. He is impressed with the life there, fascinated by the mystery behind it, and reluctant to leave. He has even impressed the lamas as seen in his unprecedented invitation to speak to the HighLama. Now he will begin to learn the truth behind the travelers arrival at Shangri-La.

  49. CHAPTER SIX: In Depth Summary By the end of the first week, the group has settled into somewhat of a routine. Chang is tireless in his efforts to smooth all their rough spots. He even allows them access to the valley. Conway finds it nothing less than an enclosed paradise, spanning the whole gulf between temperate and tropical. The people are a blend of Tibetan and Chinese and are clean and handsome as well as hospitable. It is one of the pleasantest communities he s ever seen. Miss Brinklowsees it as an opportunity to begin a mission among these people and to that end, she asks Chang for a book so she can study and learn the language.

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