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.