The Foundation Book Review

The Foundation was not at all a character driven story. This being said, there is one character worthy of recognition. Hari Seldon was not the main character throughout the story, and yet he played the most important role throughout it. Hari was the one who determined that there would be what was later named The Seldon Crisis. He knew it was coming before anyone else did. He used his ability of psychohistory to be able to mathematically calculate what would happen at approximately what time. The ability of psychohistory allowed all of the following events to happen so that The Seldon Crisis could be shortened. Possessing that kind of power could be very great, but it could also ruin a person's life.

Though Hari Seldon was not a major character in any part of The Foundation other than in Part 1, he left his lasting impression in many ways. Though he died shortly after setting up the construction of the Foundation and The Encyclopedia Galactica, he helped the whole galaxy reduce its time in The Seldon Crisis. What Seldon accomplished in the story is what many people wish to do in real life. A person only lives for so long, but through certain forms their name can live on. Having a child is one form of leaving an impression. The parent knows that even when their time comes, part of them will live on in their child. A writer like Isaac Asimov knows that his legacy will last through his writing. Like these examples, Hari Seldon knew that he would be able to leave his everlasting impression by starting the Foundation and the creation of The Encyclopedia Galactica.

Hari Seldon also knew approximately what time each event was going to happen, including his death. Knowing when you are going to die would be a very scary and difficult to grasp. Not only does Seldon handle this issue well, but he acts like it is no big deal at all, really. Even if a human knows that he/she has fulfilled what he/she was meant to fulfill, it's human nature to want to stay alive. Seldon simply ignores this matter and carries on with trying to protect the galaxy. This shows complete selflessness. Seldon put his galaxy and good innocent people before his own life, which would take an amazing amount of mind power and courage.

Hari Seldon knew his purpose in his galaxy. He had to shorten the future Seldon

Crisis as much as he possibly could. He had to deal with issues such as death,

which would hinder any other. Seldon managed to push through all that and carry

out what he believed needed to be done to save the galaxy. He left his impression

in both the time vault, The Encyclopedia Galactica, the Foundation, and as a hero of the galaxy. He was not a main character throughout the story, but everyone can agree that without Seldon, the galaxy would have been doomed.