PKD Final Post

This class has been quite an experience for me. I grew up with a dad absolutely fascinated with science fiction, particularly Star Trek and Batman. In fact, my father has a room dedicated to his Batman collection. Needless to say, I was doomed to a science fiction love affair from the time I was born.

I had never read any Philip K. Dick books before I took this class. In all honesty, I was weary about taking this class not knowing anything about him! But after a lot of weeding through emotions and thoughts that didn’t always make sense, I do not regret taking this class for one second.

Did I love every book that we read for this class? No. But I am taking away knowledge not only about PKD and his texts but about myself as well. Through his religious themes and look at human character, I’ve been reaffirmed in my beliefs and life goals.

I really want to thank Dr. Murphy and the class for challenging me to explore these texts and WHY I felt a particular way about them. Discussions are one of my favorite things – probably has to do with my English Education Major – and I feel they are the best way to delve into a text.

Thank you all for pushing me! J

Valis Part II

This novel really intrigued me. I went through several emotions while reading this, often not knowing exactly how PKD wanted me to react to what he was saying. The idea of one character being multiple characters seems relevant in several of his stories and it makes me wonder if he was questioning who he really was - as if he had many different "masks" he wore.

I have to wonder after reading multiple PKD works what exactly he was working through in his life. It seems like he had several problems and concerns he was working through. I’ll admit that he’s not my favorite author, but I was very intrigued by his works.

Valis - Part I

I think this novel is very interesting, but I’m also not sure exactly how to feel. The element that really catches me the most so far is the idea of being two people in two different times at the same time. What a trippy thought! The idea that it is not reincarnation but two separate beings living in the same person and the same time really made my head spin.

The other idea that really struck me while listening to this novel was the disconnect between characters and reality. How much of what is going on is based on reality? It seems to tie in a bit to “A Scanner Darkly” in those terms. Characters don’t always seem to connect together or to the society they are a part of in PKD’s works.

A Scanner Darkly - Part 2

I really felt that "A Scanner Darkly" had a lot of interesting things to say when it came to society and the battle many face with the use of drugs. Although I have never used drugs, I have some friends who can relate to some of the things that happened in the novel in relation to the use of drugs. It really made me wonder what people go through in these circumstances.

The story really spoke to me in regards of thinking we know ourselves but realizing that there are other components to our personalities that we do not truly understand. Knowing that you have other components to yourself can sometimes be hard – you often view yourself one way and don’t want to accept the other pieces of the puzzle.

I’d have to say that this story really made me think about how I view things and I’m left to wonder how many things I miss.

A Scanner Darkly - Part 1

So - I'm really not sure what to say about this novel. I've been listening to it on Audible.com - I love it because Paul Giamatti is the narrator - but I'm really just not "getting into it." I'm not sure if it's the drug use, the sexual aspects or the repetitive nature that PKD seems to have, but I guess I don't know how to feel about this novel.

With that said, I would have to say that the drug use is still prevalent today. Even though the types of drugs may be slightly different today, I'd say that there are plenty of people still suffering from addictions. In a world that seems to be all about feeling good and doing what you want, drug use / substance abuse is often a popular form to escape.

The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch : Part 2

I downloaded this novel onto my Kindle Fire and was thrilled to learn that it had narration. I listened through the second half of the novel and felt that I retained more information than when I read it to myself! With that said, I absolutely loved this novel – it is by far my favorite of those we have read so far!

What really caught me about this novel were the religious aspects and the idea of escapism. This novel really dealt with some unhappy characters that were simply trying to find some happiness in unwanted circumstances. Anne’s character really intrigued me because of her religious views that seem to be somewhat dismissed once she moves to Mars. It’s ironic that she wanted to go to the colonies to try and convert people and ends up using CAN-D and CHEW-Z.

While I would never go so far as to take a substance to escape from reality, I do understand the allure of wanting to get away from unpleasant circumstances. Whenever I feel down, I read or listen to music that puts me in a better mood – it’s a way to escape from the world that is not treating me well.

Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch - Part 1

I feel like I say this every time, but this is by far my favorite novel so far. There is something about the characters and the setting that really make this novel stand out for me. Maybe the idea of escapism is what truly interests me – although I do not feel the need to escape from my life, there are always ways to distract ourselves from the sometimes unpleasant nature of life.

I guess if I were to have a similar layout to colonists using Can-D who then escape to a different world, it would be The Sims. I was first introduced to The Sims when I was in middle school and it is actually a game that I still play when I have some free time. What really made me love the game was the idea that I could create myself in a separate world and create a new persona for myself. It is still a good way to create a persona that allows me to do things I wouldn’t necessarily be able to do in my own life.

Dr. Bloodmoney - Part II

I have to say that despite the fact that I was a little confused by the jumps in the beginning of this novel, it was my favorite to read so far! One characteristic that I absolutely love when reading novels is characters. What I really loved about this novel is that PKD took his time developing the characters and exploring them.

 

Bonny, Hoppy and Bill were the characters that really stood out to me in this novel. There really seemed to be a drastic change within each of them. For example, I never thought that Hoppy would try to take over the system and start killing people – I actually thought that he would be the one to surprise everyone and help them restart civilization.

Dr. Bloodmoney - Part 1

I really enjoy following the different characters in this story. It doesn't seem that there is any one response to the aftermath of events in the novel. Some characters seem to deal with life more easily than others. For one, eating rats is not something that I would necessarily think about. It seems interesting that rations of food are available but are not always taken.


I’m really intrigued by the mutations that occurred after the events. Talking dogs and symbiotic relationships are very reminiscent of the science fiction genre but are not topics that I have ever really read much about in the past. I am intrigued to read more about these mutations and how they affect the relationships between characters and certain circumstances.

Simulacra Part 2

I willingly admit that I did not understand The Simulacra as well as some of the other stories we have read so far. One of the things that truly threw me off was probably the amount of characters to keep track of. In the second part, I was able to follow the story more but I still had moments of uncertainty with the characters.

The one character that I never really understood was Julie. Her relationships with Vince and Chic seem unclear and confusing. I understand that she gets divorced from Vince and then falls “in like” with Chic, but what causes this decision? Was there an underlying attraction before she was divorced? Is it just that Julie is dependent and has to be with someone? It seems like she still cares for Vince but now her true affections have shifted to Chic. I’m just not sure that I understand where those feelings come from – it seems slightly out of the blue.

The Simulacra Part I

I am really enjoying The Simulacra so far. I’m not sure what it is, but there are so many components that I find interesting. For example, I love the relationships among the characters. There are so many moments in conversation that make me curious about the inner workings of the human mind.

The need for relationships reminded me of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep because it is vital for these characters to have at least one other person to relate to. The relationships in both of these stories allow for the characters to continue living. There is a sense of following a leader as well - The Simulacra focuses on der Alte while Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep focuses on Mercer. Being a part of a party or group seems to be incredibly important.

The only thing that I am having a little bit of trouble with is the plethora of characters. Just when I thought I was beginning to understand the underlying relationships of some of the characters, several more were thrown into the mix. I will say however, that the amount of characters keeps me on my toes. I really have to concentrate on the relationships that are being formed and how they relate to one another on a deeper level.

The short story that I read last week was We Can Remember it for You Wholesale. I thought that the story was very interesting and clearly had PKD elements. In the story, Douglas Quail wants to visit Mars. He is unable to afford that trip and visits a company that is called REKAL Incorporated. Basically, the company implants memories into the minds of their clients. Through the process, Quail finds out that he actually has been to Mars as a secret government agent - though these memories were erased from his mind. The PKD elements that I felt were very relevant to this story were (1) the idea of identity and (2) not everything is as it seems. I really liked this story because it made me think and it was one I had never read before.

Short Stories

I love short stories, so the assignment this week was fun for me. There weren’t any stories that I didn’t enjoy, though I will admit that “If There Were No Benny Cemoli” truly threw me for a loop. I wasn’t really sure where the story was coming from – or the exact points PKD wanted me to take away from it.

Out of all the stories, I would have to say that “Roog” and “The Golden Man” were my favorites. I was truly curious as to how much to delve into “Roog” because there seemed to be so many layers attached to the story. The dog seemed rational and paranoid all at the same time – while the humans seemed clear minded and oblivious.

“The Golden Man” really made me think about how we treat people who are different. If we always viewed other intelligent life as “threatening,” I think we would always be trying to take get rid of other beings. The story really made me analyze why we turn our fears into paranoia.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Part II

I wasn't sure what to expect when we started reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, but I absolutely loved it! Science fiction is a genre that has always intrigued me and I typically enjoy stories of this genre.

For some reason, I really connected with Deckard. I think his issues of conflict within himself are very relevant to my own experiences. There have been a few instances where I do something that I have felt conflicted about and am not sure whether I am doing the right thing or not. In order to overcome these conflicts, Deckard has to really think about his character and his values.

The only thing I didn't really like about the story was the ending. I was hoping for more closure than Dick offered. Upon learning that Rachel threw the goat off the roof, I was also very angry. Can Deckard not catch a break?

"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Part 1

I won't lie ... I am honestly in love with this story. There's something about the language that Philip K. Dick uses that truly has me turning the pages to find out more. Science fiction has always been a subject that has intrigued me, so I am not really surprised that I am enjoying this book.

One of the aspects I really enjoy is the characters. Rick's personality helps readers begin to understand the differences of this world almost immediately. While he is a regular "guy," there are so many components that set him apart from the men of today. I'm still not quite clear on why this is necessary, but Rick, and other humans left on Earth, take pills that change their moods. My main question is: is the dust on Earth the reason that people need to take these pills?

I'm very excited to see what the rest of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? has in store for us.