Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Weeks 7 and 8
Science fiction - PKD
1) What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
2) According to Mountfort (2006), what role does the I Ching have as an organisational device in the structure of Man in the High Castle? How does the use of this device illuminate the character of the novel’s protagonists?
3What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of science fiction?
4) What does Dick(1995) himself theorise about the I Ching?
5) A Scanner Darkly is not really Science Fiction but a thinly disguised autobiography.
A Scanner Darkly is true Science Fiction in that it takes a trend in society, in this case surveillance, and takes it to its logical extreme.
Comment on these two different views with reference to the film and/or the novel and what you can discover about the author's life.
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3. What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of science fiction?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Brown (2001), High Castle appeared to many audiences as conforming to the generic science fiction genre due to elements such as alien words, precognition, and ray guns integrated within the narrative. Dick’s infatuation with metaphysics is illustrated in High Castle and many of his other works, with themes such as perceived reality, good and evil and the abuse of power. Dick’s sceptical attitude toward the reality of the universe is depicted in his work whereby the reader and central characters become disorientated by their perceptions of artificial universes. The central themes and concerns of the novel are suggested to be reflections of Dick’s own life composed of the people around him and his interpretation of his own self. Perhaps what Brown (2001) is providing a very complex perspective on Dick’s work, stating the consistent themes of characters experiencing acts of terror or feeling imprisoned in a world is actually Dick’s call for society to become more critical of the world around them.
For example, High Castle critiques the authenticity of ‘historic’ artefacts as being attributed authenticity by authoritative forces in society, who have the power to define what is authentic and therefore important in some way. Consequently, when these power figures attribute qualities to the historic artefacts it results in some form or economic benefit such as placing a monetary value on the artefact itself.
Evans (2010) suggests Dick criticises the overwhelming power of authoritative figures in society who are appointed to attribute value to artefacts near the end of High Castle. The Japanese bureaucrat Tagomi shorts two Nazi assassins using his antique Civil War pistol which is supposedly 100 years old. However, when the pistol was purchased it was not confirmed if the item was authentic or novelty, therefore Tagomi could have known if the pistol would work. However, this fake pistol yielded very real results by not only shooting the Nazi’s but also revealing the Nazi’s plans. Evan (2010) is, therefore, suggesting this scene in High Castle is again a reflection of Dick’s central themes of individuals understanding of the impossible, in the sense that authenticity – in High Castle – is, therefore, a creation of the mind, not the gun itself. In the sense that authenticity in High Castle is whatever the character believes it to be therefore allowing the fake pistol to work and facilitate the goals of the character.
Perhaps these themes as depicted by Dick are attempts at trying to awaken a passive society to become critical thinkers of the world and people around them. In my opinion, many critics place a negative connotation on Dick’s interest in metaphysics, human nature (good and evil), and metaphysics. Perhaps readers and audiences who experience Dick’s narrative, enables them to have a more critical and matured view of society and this is neither a good or bad thing. Rather, Dick’s work of perceived reality may enable younger readers to become more self-aware of evil and abuse of power, consequently creating nurtured and fruit for thought.
References:
Brown, E. (2001) Introduction. In Dick, P.K; The Man in the High Castle. (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.
Evans, T. Authenticity, Ethnography, and Colonialism in Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle. Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts. 21(3). Pp 334-2010
4) What does Dick(1995) himself theorise about the I Ching?
ReplyDeleteThe mention of ‘I Ching’, a book of philosophy used for divination and oracular pronouncements, regularly pops up in Philip K. Dick’s ‘The Man in the High Castle’ (MIHC). Characters in the novel – such as Japanese official Mr. Nobusuke Tagomi, jewellery craftsman Frank Frink and his ex-wife Juliana, and art salesman Robert Childan – frequently rely on the use of the I Ching to: guide their decisions in uncertain situations, presage the consequences of their decisions, or predict the likely outcomes of incidents.
The first example would be Mr Tagomi consulting the oracle as he was becoming “apprehensive about his appointment with Mr Childan” (Dick, 1965, p. 44), and obtained results that indicate, “A withered poplar puts forth flowers. An older woman takes a husband. No Blame. No praise.” (Dick, 1965, p. 49). Mr Tagomi interpreted the results with regards to his acquisition of American art objects as, Mr Childan will have nothing of worth to offer them. Next, Mr Tagomi consulted the oracle about Mr Baynes, a high-up German government representative and agent and a high-up representative, which read, “Here a strong man is presupposed. It is true he does not fit in with his environment, inasmuch as he is too brusque and pays too little attention to form. But as he is upright in character, he meets with response.” (Dick, 1965, p. 53) –indicating that Mr Baynes is not what he seemed and that he had an ulterior motive, while presenting a good judgement of him. Correspondingly, Baynes is a German spy who is on a mission to relay a message to retired Japanese General Tedeki; despite being German, he dissents from the Nazis’ perspective. Another example would be Frink, who lauded the I Ching for its “five thousand years of wisdom” (Dick, 1965, p. 98), consulting the oracle regarding his business venture with McCarthy. Significantly, the character Abendsen, an author in the novel who wrote a fiction “Grasshopper Lies Heavy”, admitted to Juliana after her persistent probing, that he utilised the I Ching as a devise to develop the plot of his novel.
While many allusions to the I Ching can be drawn from the novel, what is most fascinating is not how the protagonists are using it, but the author’s underlying technique in deciding what happens next –how his characters should proceed, and the outcome. In an interview published in Vertex in 1974, Dick revealed that the I Ching was used as a plotting device for High Castle. Dick’s comment – “there is no plot, but only a great many characters in search of a plot” (Warrick, 1980, p. 183) – corresponds with the lack of a preconceived plot and how characters have engaged with the I Ching to seek direction. According to Warrick (1980), Dick personally had been using the I Ching since 1961, “to show [him] a way of conduct in a puzzling or unclear situations” (p. 174). He adds that, “If you use the I Ching long enough and continually enough, it will begin to change and shape you as a person” (Warrick, 1980, p. 174). Dick expressed that the I Ching “gives advice beyond the particular, advice that transcends the immediate situation” (Vertex, as cited by Philip K. Dick Fan Site, n.d.)
However, in a 1976 interview, he criticised the I Ching, “it is a liar. It speaks with forked tongue” (Ruppenthal, 2007, p. 50). He was particularly frustrated with how the I Ching did not provide a satisfying conclusion in the final chapter, in which he conveyed in a letter to Dan in 1977, “… I was unable to end it the way I wanted” (Arleska Productions, 2004). Dick adds, “When it came to close down the novel, the I Ching had no more to say. So there’s no real ending on it. I like to regard it as an open ending” (Arleska Productions, 2004).
The core of this novel lies in fate and destiny, which characters have no control of. Similarly, Dick himself is equally vulnerable to what fate and destiny ensues him –with particular reference to the writing of this novel.
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DeleteReferences:
DeleteArleska Productions. (2004). What does the ending of The Man in the High Castle mean? Retrieved September 27, 2017, from http://www.nineroses.com/pkd/tmithcnf.html
Dick, P. K. (1965). The man in the high castle. Penguin UK.
Ruppenthal, E. (2007). Malfunction of the deity: the work and thought of philip k. dick (Doctoral dissertation, University of Leicester (United Kingdom)).
Philip K. Dick Fan Site. (n.d.). Vertex Interview with Philip K. Dick. Retrieved September 27, 2017, from http://www.philipkdickfans.com/literary-criticism/frank-views-archive/vertex-interview-with-philip-k-dick/
1) What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
ReplyDeleteSpeculative fiction can be put simply as a genre that asks, ‘what if?’. This specific type of fiction takes place in worlds where the ‘laws’ are unlike our own (Neugebauer, 2014), it’s setting contains imagined aspects that are not a part of our world, it also most commonly will have futuristic elements. For example; the Hunger Games novels, are speculative fiction because of what is speculated, meaning that the world that the Hunger Games is set in is not our world, and therefore falls into this genre, as opposed to fantasy or science fiction. Some people do not see this genre as valid or just another way of disguising science fiction (Rubin, 2011). Rubin (2011) believes that many people are embarrassed or afraid to use the term science fiction or fantasy and have therefore simply rebranded science fiction with this new genre speculative fiction.
Science fiction on the other hand, while still potentially holding futuristic elements, tends to focus more on the scientific aspects. It speculates possible scenarios that could impact the social and environmental aspects of the world, using scientific knowledge to do so (Dictionary, 2017). Put simply, it can be categorised as the writing of the human species encountering change with little limit on what could cause this change (Gunn Centre, 2015).
The genre of The Man in the High Castle is speculation enough, there has been much debate on the genre of this novel, both internal and external. It cannot be said that this novel is one genre and one genre only, it seems to be more of a blend of several genres. Although in my own opinion I would suggest that the novel seems to host more speculative genre elements as opposed to any other. This novel is an alternate history novel, that speculates an alternate outcome to World War Two, which is playing into the speculative fiction genre, buy posing the question ‘what if?’ and carries out a completely different history. However, it also has elements of science fiction, such as the slipping in and out of various time zones which is not speculative fiction.
In conclusion, science fiction and speculative fiction are both genres that are fictional and that both deploy alternate realities that are not currently plausible in our world today. The key difference between the two is that science fiction draws upon scientific knowledge and speculates outcomes that have some realistic qualities. Whereas speculative fiction simply asks the question ‘what if’ and has a much smaller chance of ever forming into reality. The Man in the High Castle could be categorised into either genre, depending on the reader, however I believe that the novel holds slightly more speculative fiction elements and therefore would lean slightly more towards that genre.
http://annieneugebauer.com/2014/03/24/what-is-speculative-fiction/
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/science-fiction
http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/SF-Defined.htm
https://www.shmoop.com/man-in-the-high-castle/genre.html
Hi Shannon, I agree with your findings that the most prominent characteristic of speculative fiction that distinguishes itself from science fiction is the “what-if” scenario, which involves the speculating of alternative outcomes.
DeleteI also agree that The Man in the High Castle leans towards speculative fiction, as it does not encompass a lot of remarkable science. Dick (1965) speculated an alternative history that contemplates German and Japanese victory in World War II. Set in America, the novel explores how cultural trends might differ under a different ruling system. In contrast with science fiction, the author was not interested in fabricating fascinating scientific devices, but was more interested in the ideology and attitudes of people in a society.
On another note, it would be great if you could elaborate more on Man in the High Castle “slipping in and out of various time zones” (para. 4) as I am partly confused and partly intrigued by this comment!
References:
Dick, P. K. (1965). The man in the high castle. Penguin UK.
Hi Melissa & Shannon,
ReplyDeleteAlso when considered from a broad perspective, Dick's High Castle would not be able to fit exclusively into a 'science' genre due to the complexities and ambiguities of the narrative itself. In terms of High Castle, I too think it is categorised as 'speculative fiction' not only due to the things you have mentioned, but also due to the fact the narrative features of many of the sub genres of prevailing speculative fiction.
Science fiction and speculative fiction are acknowledged both be genres that shift readers’ to imagine alternative ways of living. Speculative fiction is an umbrella term which encompasses forms of ‘alternative’ fiction that features supernatural and futuristic elements. Science fiction is often deemed a category within speculative fiction similar to alternative fiction, fantasy fiction and horror fiction (Williamson, 2011). High Castle, however, is not exclusive to one of the sub-genres of speculative fictions are Dick disregards the established conventions and constraints of these sub-genres. Dawe (2011) states what makes High Castle so complex is Dick’s ability to direct the narrative through ideas as apposed to visual conventions of speculative fiction genres such as time machines, wizards, and black-and-white characters. For example, rather than having a single protagonist, Dick lays out a selection of protagonists and perspectives from Frank Frink and anti-heroes such as Nazi agents with ambiguous morals.
Science fiction and speculative fiction are acknowledged both be genres that shift readers’ to imagine alternative ways of living. Speculative fiction is an umbrella term which encompasses forms of ‘alternative’ fiction that features supernatural and futuristic elements. Science fiction is often deemed a category within speculative fiction similar to alternative fiction, fantasy fiction and horror fiction (Williamson, 2011). High Castle, however, is not exclusive to one of the sub-genres of speculative fictions are Dick disregards the established conventions and constraints of these sub-genres. Dawe (2011) states what makes High Castle so complex is Dick’s ability to direct the narrative through ideas as apposed to visual conventions of speculative fiction genres such as time machines, wizards, and black-and-white characters. For example, rather than having a single protagonist, Dick lays out a selection of protagonists and perspectives from Frank Frink and anti-heroes such as Nazi agents with ambiguous morals.
References:
Dawe, I. (2015). The Man in the High Castle and The Flexibility of the Science Fiction Genre. Retrieved 2 October from Sequart Organisation: http://sequart.org/magazine/61770/man-in-the-high-castle-and-the-flexibility-of-the-science-fiction-genre/
Williamson, J. (2011). Speculative Fiction Subgenres. Retrieved October 2, 2017 from Stories That Shine Light in the Darkness: http://jillwilliamson.com/2011/02/speculative-fiction-subgenres/
5) A Scanner Darkly is not really Science Fiction but a thinly disguised autobiography.
ReplyDeleteA Scanner Darkly is true Science Fiction in that it takes a trend in society, in this case surveillance, and takes it to its logical extreme.
Comment on these two different views with reference to the film and/or the novel and what you can discover about the author's life.
“A Scanner Darkly is not really Science Fiction but a thinly disguised autobiography” –this statement is accurate. A letter from Philip K Dick (PKD) to his daughter confirms this, “… and let me know how you like my new book, A Scanner Darkly. It is an autobiographical novel, and so I thought you might want to read it, since it describes a bad and sad time in your father’s life… but it sure is one hell of a novel” (Dick, 2010). PKD had personally experienced drugs, addiction, and rehab, and his experiences were recounted in his novel, A Scanner Darkly (Dick, 2010).
In A Scanner Darkly, the protagonist, Bob Arctor, is an undercover police posing as a hard-core drug junkie (Dick, 1977). Throughout his job, he lives in a house with other junkies, and at times, he is at the police station observing the house through a police scanner (Dick, 1977). He observes his own gradual addiction and deterioration resulting from the vast amounts of drugs he is consuming (Dick, 1977). Eventually, his health succumbed to the drugs and he becomes a vegetable (Dick, 1977). He was then admitted to New-Path, a rehabilitation centre for ex-cons and junkies (Dick, 1977). Seemingly, PKD wrote from experience. After his fourth marriage failed in 1970, Dick’s home became open house to eclectic junkies and dealers, whom the characters in A Scanner Darkly are based (Purser-Hallard, 2006). When dick wrote the novel seven years later, he was suffering from permanent pancreatic damage and had begun to regret his earlier indulgence (Purser-Hallard, 2006). He had not only experienced the drug culture, but also some of the hallucinations and delusions that Arctor and friends encountered (Purser-Hallard, 2006). Additionally, characters in the novel were inspired by people PKD knew; for instance, Jerry in A Scanner Darkly, who almost died of drug reaction, was just like Phil’s relative, James, who lived with Phil for awhile (Dick, 2010).
“A Scanner Darkly is true Science Fiction in that it takes a trend in society, in this case surveillance, and takes it to its logical extreme”. Evident in society, there are surveillance cameras everywhere, observing what we do. In 1971 Phil went to see Dr A and he told him he believed the FBI and CIA were tapping his phone, breaking into his house, and stealing his papers (Dick, 2010). PKD’s uncertainty and fear of being watched could be observed in the novel. A break-in in PKD’s house in 1971 was eventually revealed that he was the one who had unknowingly burgled his own house under the influence of drugs (Purser-Hallard, 2006). In the novel, Arctor failed to realise that his excessive use of the drug, “Substance D”, had split him into two distinct personalities –the narcotics agent, and the drug addict he is spying on (Purser-Hallard, 2006). Arctor ended up watching himself through the surveillance camera, without knowing that it is himself he is watching (Purser-Hallard, 2006).
To conclude, there is a blurred distinction between PKD’s life and his fiction; many avid readers of PKD’s works can see PKD in his struggling protagonists (Dick, 2010). According to Dick (2010), PKD’s characters did not suffer alone; their plight was a reflection of their creator’s pain.
References:
Dick, A. R. (2010). The Search for Philip K. Dick. Tachyon Publications.
Dick, P. K. (1977). A scanner darkly. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Purser-Hallard, P. (2006). The drugs did not work. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/aug/12/sciencefictionfantasyandhorror.philipkdick
What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?
ReplyDeleteSpeculative fiction and science fiction are said to be two different genres, this however argued when the definition of each is explored. Speculative fiction is a rather broad genre that includes genres based on narrative fiction that has supernatural and or futuristic elements. Making this genre so broad is it’s make up of genres such as science fiction, fantasy, science fantasy, horror, superhero fiction, and supernatural fiction, although this genre is made up of all fiction genres there is a broad range that spans across a large interest area.
When the definition of science fiction which is also known sci-fi is explored, it was previously mentioned that is a genre that falls under the speculative fiction umbrella. The science fiction genre however deals with different concepts and ideas to the other genres that fall under the same umbrella. Science fiction focuses on imaginative concepts such as futuristic science and technology, space and time travel, travel that is faster than light, extra-terrestrial life and parallel universes. Unlike the other genres that fall under the speculative fiction genre, science fiction does not involve the idea of the supernatural, this concept is often avoided, science fiction does however explore the consequences of scientific and other innovations.
To answer this question more effectively, the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction is that speculative fiction is a lot broader and is the umbrella that parent’s genres such as science fiction. Science fiction deals with its own themes however encompasses some of the themes that the other genres under the speculative fiction umbrella include.
The man in the high castle incorporates the theme of the future and what would have happened had the Nazi’s won the war. When we explored the main definition of both speculative fiction and science fiction, The Man in the High Castle falls more into the speculative fiction category and within that the horror or historic genre. To say that The man in the high castle could also fit into the science fiction genre would be incorrect within the main themes of science fiction, however to some it may be considered science fiction due to the nature of the story, we are taken into a world that is not actually real and we are encouraged to compare it to our own, this may fit into the theme of parallel universes in science fiction, The man in the High Castle may not be a typical science fiction but aspects of it may mean it can fit into the genre of science fiction as well as speculative fiction.
References
Crilly, B. (2017). Definition of Speculative Fiction with Examples. Retrieved from https://writing-poetry.knoji.com/definition-of-speculative-fiction-with-examples/
Herron, M. G. (2016, March 24). What Is Speculative Fiction? Retrieved from http://mgherron.com/2016/03/what-is-speculative-fiction/
IMBd. (2015, January 15). The Man in the High Castle (TV Series 2015? ). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740299/
Neugebauer, A. (2014, March 24). What Is Speculative Fiction? | Annie Neugebauer. Retrieved from http://annieneugebauer.com/2014/03/24/what-is-speculative-fiction/
Wikipedia. (2017, September 4). Speculative fiction. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculative_fiction