Author: Tajay (Page 2 of 3)

Rick Deckard deals with a vortex of things, between hunting androids and finding happiness (his obsession with animals),  yet Rick’s greatest conflict is understanding his feelings. While Rick continued his mission of retiring the androids, his understanding of empathy conflicted with his ethics. During his hunt, Rick found himself committing adultery, “murder,” and self-doubt, in all losing sight of what is ethical, as means of being empathic.

To explain, in the beginning of the novel Rick deplored androids resulting in him hunting them down like wild creatures on the loose in humanity. Approaching the middle Rick begins to empathize for the androids whom he dedicated his life to retiring. Keep in mind, Rick’s marriage is hinted to be rocky in the beginning of the novel as he, and his wife Iran appeared distant. Now with an estranged marriage Rick finds himself heavily attracted to  other women. Ironically, those women happened to be android(Luba Luft and Rachael Rosen). With these unfamiliar feelings, Rick is awestruck by how humanly these android women are. For example, Rick ponders, “Do androids dream? Evidently; that’s why they occasionally kill their employers and flee here. A better life without servitude. Like Luba Luft; singing Don Giovanni and Le Nozze instead of toiling across the face of a barren rock-strewn field. On a fundamentally uninhabitable colony world. “(184).  To clarify, Rick understands why the androids fled Mars, in addition to appreciating the andys acknowledgement of human art. However, his human ideals forces him to retract that acknowledgement and continue his hunt for androids.

Moreover, after a night of passion shared with Rachael, Rick becomes madly in love with an android. Supporting this claim, Rick says, “If you weren’t an android, if I could legally marry you, I would.”(197). By this point, Rick is uncertain if wants to continue his bounty, instead settle with Rachael.  To add on, it was actually Rachael who convinced Rick to continue his bounty. Rachael’s influence on Rick is strong, meaning she is able to manipulate him seductively and psychologically. Rick points out, “I’m going to kill you, and go on to Roy and Irmgard Baty and Pris Stratton. If I can kill you then I can kill them.”(200). Rick realized his feelings for Rachael blinded his judgment and distracted him from his purpose of collecting the bounty for he and Iran.

Furthermore, Rachael had become Rick’s weakness, and if he wanted to succeed in his hunt, he had to rid himself of Rachael being that Pris and Rachael were identical. Rick states,

“The hard one of the three… Mercer protected me. Manifested himself and offered aid. She it would have gotten me, except for the fact Mercer warned me. I can do the rest now. this was the impossible one; she knew I couldn’t do this. But it’s over. In an instant. I did what I couldn’t do. The Batys I can track by standard procedure; they will be hard but they won’t be like this.” (221).

It wasn’t until he spoke with Mercer to rationalize his empathy, clarifying that Pris was indeed not Rachael and to follow through on his mission. Momentarily clear headed, Rick continued his hunt and succeeded doing so. And yet, he still felt unfulfilled. The moment he got home to tell Iran the good news, Iran revealed Rachael had killed their beloved goat. At last, Rick realized his infatuation with Rachael was false. Exhausted and frustrated Rick traveled far and wide to end Rachael, but came to revelation when he found a toad in ruins.  Excited,  Rick bolted home to share his findings with Iran, to find out his toad was mechanical. By this time, Rick settled, and as did Iran. This only meant both Rick and Iran was no longer depressed or estranged, but accepts their reality as a synthetic animal is just the same as the real thing.

In his adventures, Rick realized cybernetic beings can be similar to the real thing. Though he was misled, Rick’s empathy shone greater than his ruthless aggression for androids or mechanical animals. In the end, Rick figured it was easier to accept, and not to stress on what he cannot control.

An ongoing theme in “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” is empathic manipulation. Characters such as, John Isidore show great empathy towards the Androids, and eventually Rick Deckard develop the same compassion for the Androids.  More specifically, the manipulation of humans by the Androids protects their well-being in a mission of rebellion. While Isidore is manipulated by the ways of the Androids, Deckard is conflicted by the significance of android life. In all, the androids have a great ability of making humankind feel as if they are the real-life beings.

Considered a “Chickenhead,” John Isidore is a mild-mannered, timid man who feels compassion for Androids, at the same time idolize the words of Buster Friendly. Alone in an apartment building, Isidore is introduced to his first neighbor, Pris, who is suspected to be an android because of her uncanny resemblance of Rachael Rosen. Pris acted suspicious when Isidore shared his knowledge of the Rosen association the text returns,  “A complicated expression instantly crossed her face fleetingly, gone at once.”(67). Pris continues, I never heard of them; I don’t know anything about it. More of your chickenhead imagination, I suppose. John Isidore and his personal private empathy box, Poor Mr. Isidore.”(67). Pris is clearly on the alert as if she is in hiding, hence Pris moved into the empty building with the shunned chickenhead, Isodore.  Additionally, Pris has very little furniture and wanted to be left alone, despite Isidore’s relentless effort to be neighborly. Moreover, in terms of Isidore idolizing the words of Buster Friendly, Isidore is flabbergasted by Pris unknowing of his idol. Isidore says, she’s never heard of Buster Friendly. And that’s impossible, Buster is the most important human being alive, except of course Wilbur Mercer.” (69).  Aside from Mercerism, Buster Friendly is seen as a deity, as he is the voice of  world.

In parallels,

Rick Deckard started as a bounty hunter who deplored all Androids. However, in the progression of the novel Deckard’s views had drastically change. On somewhat of a “retiring” spree, Deckard encountered Luba Luft, an android disguised as an human opera singer. Luba Luft gives Deckard a hard time while he’s giving her the Voigt-Kampff test. While doing his series of question, Luba Luft countered each question with an inquiry of her own or dismissive answer, evidently throwing Deckard off his game. As this continued, Luba Luft switched the focus on Deckard being an android himself. The text supports, “Maybe there was once a human who looked like you, and somewhere along the line you killed him and took his place. And your superiors don’t know. She smiled. As if inviting him to agree.” (102). In order to extend this conviction, Luba Luft continues the questionnaire, later accusing Deckard to be sexually deviant. As a solution, Luba Luft called the authorities which Deckard was confidant they’ll side with him (being a cop and all). However, Luba Luft called the androids authorities, whom tried their best to twist Deckard’s life upside down by making him think he was an android. It wasn’t until he met Phil Resch, a fellow bounty hunter undercover in the Android police department. There Phil Resch rescued Deckard from the Android’s custody, in addition to killing Inspector Garland, who was also on Deckard’s Nexus-6 hit-list.

Both Deckard and Resch continued on to retire Luba Luft, however in a moment of clarity Rick no longer felt the need. Deckard wrestled Resch as he attempted to save Luba Luft from being retired.(134). Failing to do so Deckard found himself drowning in remorse. Deckard states,  “I can’t follow your reasoning it isn’t rational, that’s why. I’m getting out of this business… They can use androids. Much better if andys do it. I can’t anymore, I’ve had enough. She was a wonderful singer. The planet could have used her. This is insane.”(136) At last, Deckard had finally felt the compassion his wife felt for the Androids, finally seeing them as a part of life rather than false people.  Furthermore, Rick realized something about Resch, as he is seen colder than most. Deckard mentions, “I see a pattern. The way you killed Garland and then the way you killed Luba. You don’t kill the way I do, you don’t try to-Hell. I know what it is. You like to kill. All you need is pretext. If you had pretext you’d kill me.”(137). Deckard noticed the mercilessness in Resch as he doesn’t kill Androids in the name of justice, as he does, but as a means for the sake of killing what is seen wrong.

In the end, by noticing the hatred in Phil Resch, Deckard is able to see himself in another light. An inhumane, dark light which was seen by Iran from the start.  Deckard doesn’t enjoy killing android, but is trapped in a world where hunting andys is his way of survival. And as for Isidore, his neglect from society forces him to embrace and preach the words of the andys as a mean of acceptance.

“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” By Philip K. Dick is a tale of man vs. machine, even so there is a significance to the continuing theme of animals. In the first five chapters, animals are mentioned frequently. The questions arise, what is the symbolism of animals? Why is Rick Deckard fascinated with animals?

From the moment we are introduced to Deckard, his captivation with animals begins in the first chapter during a morning argument with his wife, Iran. Deckard says, “Instead of saving, so we could buy a real sheep, to replace that fake electric one upstairs. A mere electric animal, and me earning all that I’ve worked my way up to through the years.” (p.4). Now with this comment, the hypothesis made reflected of the novel’s title “Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep,” as one can assume Deckard is an unknowing Android living as a human, with human mannerisms. But then we learn it is normal in this world to have domesticated, wild animals. Which furthers Deckard’s wanting of an animal. As he meets with his neighbor, Barbour, then try to negotiate for Barbour’s as the text states “Ever thought of selling your house. Rick asked. He wished to God he had a horse, in fact any animal.” (p.9). At this moment, it can be alleged Deckard simply enjoy the company of animals, however the theme of animals continued to appear.

Moving forward,

Approaching chapter 3, the reader learn androids are emotionally detached. As mentioned, “For Rick Deckard an escaped humanoid robot, which had killed its master, which had been equipped with an intelligence greater than that of many human beings, which had no regard for animals, which possessed no ability to feel empathic joy another life form’s success or grief at its defeat – that, for him, epitomized The Killers.” (p.32). Then it is realized the assumption of Deckard being an android is false, as Deckard show great passion for animals. While the first theory has been shot, another is made. In theory, being in a destroyed world where the elite have left the Earth and found refuge elsewhere, leaving many to fend for themselves. While the Earth is in ruins most animals died, making them endangered. Therefore, people domesticate wild animals to preserve not only the species, but also hope of restoring the world to its old oasis. In all, the symbolism of the animals is to maintain realism in a robotic world.