‘Do Androids Dream of electric Sheep?’ Research

The Writer  

Phillip K Dick was born on the 16^th December 1928. His twin sister and him were born 6 weeks prematurely; his sister died 6 weeks later.  His parents divorced when he was 5, both of them fighting for custody of Philip. He was married 5 times and had 3 children.

He studied philosophy and, influenced by this, believed that existence is “based on the internal-based perception of a human, which does not necessarily correspond to external reality.” He described himself as “an acosmic panentheist,” meaning he believed in the universe only as an extension of God.

Dicks showed some anti-Vietnam War and anti-governmental views such as joining the “Writers and Editors War Tax Protest” in 1968. This was an anti-war pledge to pay no U.S. federal income tax. This took place during the time where there was a lot of turmoil in America because of the Vietnam War.

He dropped out of college due to on-going anxiety problems. He would often draw on his life experiences such as this in his novels: other examples being drug abuse, paranoia, schizophrenia, and transcendental experiences. They also tended to focus on the nature of what is ‘real.’ On the 23rd of March 1972, Dick attempted to commit suicide by consuming an overdose of sedative potassium bromide; he received help from a Canadian recovery program. 

He died on the 2^nd March 1982 from multiple strokes.

The Story, Themes and Main Characters

The Story

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic version of San Francisco, where most surviving humans have left to live on Mars as the authorities have promised them an easy life with android servants. Only those who are to poor or who have been genetically damaged, the ‘Chickenheads,’ stay on earth. These humans live in scattered populations, use mood organs that allow them to decide how they feel each day and practice ‘Mercerism,’ a religion that teaches empathy and community.  

Only those too poor to emigrate, or who have been genetically damaged by radiation (the chickenheads), remain on Earth. Only those too poor to emigrate, or who have been genetically damaged by radiation (the chickenheads), remain on Earth. Only those too poor to emigrate, or who have been genetically damaged by radiation (the chickenheads), remain on Earth. Only those too poor to emigrate, or who have been genetically damaged by radiation (the chickenheads), remain on Earth. Only those too poor to emigrate, or who have been genetically damaged by radiation (the chickenheads), remain on Earth. Only those too poor to emigrate, or who have been genetically damaged by radiation (the chickenheads), remain on Earth. Only those too poor to emigrate, or who have been genetically damaged by radiation (the chickenheads), remain on Earth. Earth's life has been greatly damaged by nuclear global war and almost all animal species are endangered or extinct as a result of radiation poisoning. Owning an animal is now a sign of status and compassion.

They huddle in scattered population groups; use mood organs that allow them to predetermine how they will feel each day; follow Buster Friendly, who is on television and radio twenty-three hours a day; and practice Mercerism, a universal religion that teaches empathy and community-feeling through repeated images of an old man struggling to climb a barren hillside. They huddle in scattered population groups; use mood organs that allow them to predetermine how they will feel each day; follow Buster Friendly, who is on television and radio twenty-three hours a day; and practice Mercerism, a universal religion that teaches empathy and community-feeling through repeated images of an old man struggling to climb a barren hillsidThemes

Some key themes throughout the book are:

• Compassion
• What it means to be human
• Forgiveness
• Perseverance
• Identity
• Versions of reality
• Isolation
• Memory of the past
• Violence

Characters

Rick Deckard: The plot mainly follows Rick Deckard; a bounty hunter who is required to killing, or “retiring,” six Nexus-6 model androids who have tried to escape their life on Mars. Unlike humans, the androids are claimed to possess no sense of empathy.

John Isidore:  A ‘Chickenhead’ who is a member of sub-par IQ who helps the fugitive androids.

Rachael Rosen: The equivalent of a ‘femme fatale.’ Rachael Rosen is an android and a member of the Rosen Association. Rick calls on them to help him retire the Nexus-6 androids and Rachael sleeps with Rick to create empathy for them so that he will not be able to retire the androids.

Iran Deckard: Rick Deckard’s wife. She starts the day dialing for ‘six hours of self-accusatory depression’ on the Penfield. Rick doesn’t understand his wife's need to feel depressed and she isn't supportive of Rick's job as a bounty hunter.

Pris Stratton: They’re an android that found a place to flee in the same deserted building as John Isidore. They become allies.

Wilbur Mercer: A kind of prophet/ God. People of the entire world ‘connected’ to him through the ‘Empathy Box.’


Article
https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/digital-business-technology-interaction-humans-machines

Mock Exam Re-Plan

Terminology

Form

Structure

Context

A (ii) – Consider how Bennett uses Mrs.Lintott to highlight the position of women in society. In your response you should refer to at least two other episodes from the play.

Throughout the play Bennett uses Mrs.Lintott as the primary way to represent the role of women in 1980s society and throughout history. As the only female character in the predominantly male focused play, Bennett uses her to highlight to a modern audience how women were thought to be less powerful than men in the 1980s and how she was perceived differently to her male colleagues.

Pages 67 – 69

·         “I’m what men would call a safe pair of hands.” (Page 69)

-          Metaphor.

-          Directed to the theatre audience rather than another character.  

-          Feels she would be regarded as safe and secure as she watches as “they kick their particular stone down their particular street”

-          “Men” – Collective noun – shows she doesn’t believe it herself – satire.

·         “Twat” (Page 69)

-          Dysphemism.

-          Though of as unacceptable for a woman to say at the time – gives it more power.

·         “Sharing?” (Page 69)

-          Fragmented.

-          Interrogative.

-          Could show her anger of the Headmaster’s plans – Could show her shock

Pages 83 – 85

·         “I was wondering whether it occurs...how dispiriting this can be?” (Page 83)

-          Interrogative.

-          “Dispiriting” – Adjective – Shows how extreme it is.

-          Shows Bennett wanting the modern audience of the play to question the injustice done to women through history (not being able to vote, thought of as less than men etc)

·         “hesitate” and “reluctant” (Page 83)

-          Verb.

-          Adjective.

-          Shows Mrs.L’s hesitation as to whether she should speak out.

-          Links to women at the time not expected to speak against the male view.

·         “History is women following behind with a bucket.” (Page 85)

-          Metaphor.

-          Mrs.Lintott is used to represent the role of women throughout history.

2 – Using integrated linguistic and literary approaches, discuss Eggers’ treatment of relationships between brothers and sisters in A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

Throughout the memoir Eggers focuses mainly on the brotherly and fun, yet parental relationship between Dave, his younger self, and Toph. Though her involvement is played down, Beth is shown to have some connection with Dave and Toph and there is a clear indication of the caring bond between them. Bill is presented to be responsible and unconnected from the other siblings, mentioned only a small number of times throughout the memoir. 

First Chapter

·         Beth and Dave looking after their mother.

·         “Where are you going?”

-          Interrogative.

-          Beth replies with “Out.”

-          Fragmented.

-          Monosyllabic.

-          Declarative.

-          Suggests a distant relationship.

·         Beth has “been home all year,” Dave is “home for the Christmas break.”

-          Different responsibility levels.

-          Could cause tension – could seem that Beth is taking care of their mother more than Dave.

·         Dave and Toph’s first interaction – a conversation about getting a game to work.

·         Strikingly similar to Dave and Beth.

·         “Yes and “okay”

-          Also fragmented sentences.

-          Also suggests a distant relationship and that they are not close.

-          May seem more typical of a brotherly relationship to the reader.

·         Contrasts from Eggers describing their relationship in the notes as “find[ing each other] perfect.”

-          Whether the reader has read the notes beforehand will determine how significant they will find this interaction.

Page 98

·         Dave and Toph at an open house – Dave is teasing Toph that he is going to ask out the mother of one of his classmates.

·         We see their brotherly, teasing relationship.

·         Dave is technically Toph’s guardian here – though he is acting as a brother.

·         “Please, don’t please.”

-          Fragmented.

-          Interrogative.

-          Pleading – rushed and desperate.

·         “Of course I won’t”

-          The audience reads this, not Toph.

-          Show how young and naive Toph is that he believes straight away what Dave says.  

-          Asymmetrical power – Dave has more power than Toph does – Older brother/ younger brother and father figure/ son figure – Could be because Toph needs/wants someone to trust because he has no parents to trust.  

Pages 302 – 304

·         Christmas.

·         Bill, Beth, Dave and Toph together.

·         Beth and Dave are re-enacting a ritual that their father used to do – Making Toph wait for his presents – Parody.

·         “Chocking, crying, contorted.”

-          Alteration.

-          Asyndetic listing – shows how hilarious they find it – no time for breath (and)

-          Their use of humour shows a close, sibling relationship – unlike how they acted at the start of the memoir

-          Looking after Toph/ their parents dying may have brought them together.

·         Bill sits “Disapprovingly” as Beth and Dave perform their ritual.  

-          Adjective.

-          Separate from the siblings humour – linking to the start of the memoir where he plays less of a part in looking after their mother.

·         Some readers would condemn Beth and Toph for teasing Toph – Others would see it as a typical aspect of a sibling relations

How Does Eggers present the Relationship Between him and Toph in Chapters 1 – 5 of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius?

Dave and Toph’s dysfunctional but close relationship develops and changes throughout the memoir. However the reader/audience sees the two key aspects of the relationship stay the same, Dave is both a father figure and a brother to Toph. Throughout the memoir Eggers, the writer, is exploring the experiences of his younger self, Dave, and trying to communicate to the audience that he is aware of the mistakes he made when he was younger.

Notably on page 22-23, the second time the reader is introduced to Toph, Dave and Toph have a conversation full of short, informal sentence fragments. In this chapter their mother is ill but still alive and Dave and Beth are taking care of her. Dave asks Toph “how’s it going” and he replies “fine.” Toph only replying with the informal adverb “fine” suggests that at the start of the memoir they do not have a close relationship. However when Dave asks Toph to “pause the stupid game,” the adjective “stupid” suggests that there are some aspects of a teasing, brotherly relationship. From this interaction the audience sees how Dave and Toph’s relationship develops after their mother’s death, becoming closer and friendlier but also more serious compared to this conversation.

Significantly on page 57 Eggers uses a sports game setting to explore Dave’s relationship with Toph, both as a father figure and a brother. Dave uses several phrases in the sports lexical field, telling Toph to use a “lighter bat,” says he “catches well” and that a ball was “served up like a fat fucking steak.” Some readers would recognise this as a stereotypical American father and son relationship, the father giving advice on sports. Other readers would interpret this as signs of a brotherly relationship, teasing and making fun of each other. The orthography of the phrase “lighter bat” on page 57 shows how Dave is younger and insecure as a father figure, the use of italics showing it is said in his head rather than out loud where he could be criticised. Dave uses the verb “sucks” asking Toph why he “sucks so much.” This colloquial, bantering dynamic verb shows the immature, brotherly teasing side of their relationship.

Similarly Eggers uses a role-play between Dave and Toph to show their playful relationship. Dave and Toph on several occasions pretend that Dave is the father and Toph is his son. Toph uses the address term or vocative “Dad” when referring to Dave in these role-plays. This could show his longing for a father and how Dave is insecure about Toph being hurt and missing out as he does not have a father.

Contrasting to their jokey, fun relationship previously, on page 89 Eggers uses another game to show the lack of boundaries between Dave and Toph. Here Dave takes out a knife and, as part of the game, goes over to Toph yelling “hiyyyyy.” The verb “yell” shows how aggressive this would appear to Toph. As Dave and Toph always play games and joke about we see here how unpredictable their relationship can be, going from fun to scary and aggressive. This also links into how Dave’s father treated him. On page 232 we find out that Dave’s father was abusive towards him, kicking door down to try and get to him. Therefore subconsciously Dave could be using his experience of a father to shape how he deals with Toph.  

Quotes and Analysis From Pages 166 – 182 of AHWOSG

 

• “After I get over my fleeting paranoia that Milton’s making fun of me in particular.” (Page 169)

Eggers shows in this quotation how Dave is self obsessed. He says that he thinks it’s about “me in particular,” showing that he is always relating things to hi, with the adjective “particular.” The noun “paranoia” shows the excessive worry that Dave feels about things, but the adjective “fleeting” tells us that it is only brief, contrasting to earlier in the book where he could use multiple paragraphs to describe his fears.

 

• “Whom I had coerced into leaving his girlfriend and job in Washington to move to Berkeley to be part of the start-up.” (Page 169)

Eggers uses the verb “coerced” when talking about convincing his friend to move. This suggests that he is persuading an unwilling person and so shows a talent for persuasion. Dave convinces his friend to leave his “girlfriend and job” to be part of the “start-up,” something which is typically unreliable. This shows that Dave is trusted and respected by people he knows.

 

• “We offer work to everyone.” (Page 173)

Eggers uses pronouns to shows Dave’s desperation to work with and believe in him. The pronoun “everyone” shows this sense of desperation, he is taking anyone who will give their services. We see here his need for his magazine to work. The personal pronoun “we” shows that Dave feels his magazine workers are all part of one thing, that they are a collective already.

 

• “I can’t in my wildest fantasies see myself making it past fifty or fifty-five.” (Page 175)

Dave used a verb to show how much he things about death. The verb “fantasies” shows that Dave spends time thinking and dreaming about death and how he will die. It is reviled in this quotation that he cannot see himself “making it past fifty or fifty-five.” This may be linked to Dave’s parent’s deaths and how he is surround by death and so assumes that he will die young as they did.    

Age of Average

‘Avengers Age of Ultron’ is the second Avengers film and last instalment in what has been dubbed as ‘Marvel Phase Two.’ In this film Ultron is an artificial intelligence created by the infamous Tony Stark, or as he is more popularly known, Iron Man. But, as you might expect due to the fact that he is an artificial intelligence and created by one of the smartest characters in any comic book universe, Ultron decides that the human race isn’t worthy to rule over the planet and so need to be destroyed. Naturally, he is the one to do this and again naturally the Avengers, the Marvel superhero dream team, are the ones to try and stop him.

Due to the overwhelming success of the first Avengers film ‘Avengers Assemble’ this movie had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, a lot of the expectations were not met. The first Avengers film had it all; action, suspense and most importantly all the main characters in a film together which comic fans could only dream of a few years prier. You could say this film had it all as well; action, suspense and the famous team together once more. But that’s the problem; it was the same old same old. The same tricks and plots were recycled to create this film and it meant that you spend half the film feeling like you have seen it all before. Another big problem with this film was the inconsistency in the characters personalities to the first film. You can’t have a character fighting of villains single handedly in one film and crying for the help of their unnecessary love interest in the next without viewer questioning things.          

There were, having said that, some great moments in the film. For example the character of Vision played by Paul Bettany. As a fan, and personal, favourite I was sceptical about the addition of this character and whether he would live up to his high status amongst the marvel comic’s fans. Thankfully Bettany didn't disappoint and his interpretation of the character was better than even some of the biggest and loyalist fans could have hoped for. 

The ending of the film, while predictable, wasn't overly disappointing. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has found their formula and they have made it work to the almost dangerous point where it didn't really matter how the film had ended. They have us around their little finger and the sheer fact that they have made a film with our favourite characters means that the majority of the cinema will walk about feeling like they haven’t wasted two and a half hours, regardless of the content of the film. The fact is we have seen this kind of film again and again. But you can’t deny the good guy/ bad guy formula works. If it didn't Marvel wouldn't be making its continuous millions.  

Irwin and Posner's Relationship on Pages 60 - 62

Essay Question – Discuss how Irwin and Posner’s relationship is presented in this extract.

During this extract which is set five years after the main body of the play we see Irwin talking to an, at the beginning of the extract, unidentified person. During the course of the extract we learn that this man is Posner who has come to interview Irwin, now a television celebrity. At the start of the extract we see Posner and Irwin talking after Irwin has finished the scene he is filming for his show. Irwin begins to speak in a simple, fragmented sentence saying ‘Familiar?’ This suggests a sense of awkwardness between the two characters as if they don’t know what to say to each other and so can only speak in a very simple way. Irwin’s use of an interrogative also suggests that he wants to find out information from Posner, suggesting that he still somewhat cares about what he thinks of him.

During the scene we find out that Posner is ‘miked’ and is speaking to Irwin to try and find out information to sell a story to the tabloids. Posner tries to find out information about the relationship Irwin had with with Dakin, and to do this asks him ‘he liked you… didn’t he?’ There is a lot of subtext hidden in this interrogative as while Posner wants to know the answer to this question to gain information to sell a story for the money that he needs, he also wants to know for personal reasons. As Posner was in love with Dakin during his time in school he wants to know if Irwin had what he desperately wanted to have, a romantic or sexual relationship with Dakin. The use of ellipsis could be interpreted by a director to emphasis this point, using the pause to have Posner stare into Irwin’s eyes trying to find out the answer to the question for personal gain rather than on mike for financial gain.           

The use of vocatives in this scene, as with the whole of the play, provides us a key insight into the different characters relationships with each other. At the end of this scene Posner asks Irwin to sign his copy of Irwin’s book. This comes across as strange as they have just has an argument after Irwin finds out that Posner is taping him. The way he refers to Irwin as ‘sir’ during this encounter shows us that Posner might still be living in the past. He is trying to recreate his school days when he was a lot happier and care free than he is now. Irwin replies to Posner’s request to sign the book to David, his first name, by saying ‘I never called you, David. I called you Posner.’ Irwin still calls Posner by his last name to try and offend him. Irwin wants to still have the authority and high status that he had over Posner while teaching him and Posner, by calling Irwin ‘sir,’ is complying to what Irwin wants.                  

Compare two different teachers from ‘The History Boys’ and explore the way they are presented in the text by Bennett using quotations and references to linguistic techniques.

Hector and Irwin are two different characters in ‘The History Boys’ by Allen Bennett. While they are both teachers they have very different techniques and teaching styles from each other. Hector, an older teacher who has been at the school for years, is loved by the students for his liberal attitude towards education and view that ‘all knowledge is precious’ and you should learn to learn, rather than to pass an exam. Contrastingly Irwin is a new teacher at the school, employed to help the group of boys into Oxbridge. He is there to give them the edge they need and has the belief that knowledge is ‘for now’ and should be learnt to get you to a specific place, in this case to pass the exam allowing them to get into these prestigious universities.

The way in which Alan Bennett introduces the audience to both Hector and Irwin tells us a lot about each of their characters. Irwin is first presented by Bennett in the present tense as a man ‘in his forties’, physically disabled ‘in a wheelchair’ addressing three or four MP’s. Right from the first stage direction we see the contrast from Irwin in the present day to Irwin during his time teaching at the school. There he is a young man only a few years older than the boys he is teaching, whereas now we see an older looking man whose lives happenings have put him in a wheelchair, handicapped.

Bennett has chosen for Irwin to be shown talking to the MP’s about abolishing ‘trial by jury’ and ‘the presumption of innocence.’ The way he speaks to the MP’S gives the impression of a man without compassion, he is telling the MP’s to lie to the public about how these basic human rights being taken way doesn’t ‘diminish’ freedom but ‘amplifies’ it. He is showing no compassion towards the subject and talking about his ‘strategy’ towards getting rid of the rights. The noun ‘strategy’ is used to show the fact that it is all a game to him, even though getting rid of these rights could mean that innocent people are punished. This further shows the lack of compassion he has.

Contrasting from Irwin’s present day introduction, Bennett first presents Hector  to the audience when he come riding into school on a motorcycle, wearing ‘leathers’ and a ‘helmet’. This get up is a disguise; he isn’t showing his true self. It is all a way to mask who he truly is, a theme that continues throughout his first appearance and during the rest of the play. The boys then proceed to undress him from his motorcycle clothes. They each take of an item such as ‘les gants’ meaning gloves, or ‘le casque’ meaning helmet and show the item to the audience. We see here the unhealthy relationship between him and the students as the boys are physically undressing their teacher. It also represents the many layers his character has and the metaphorical undressing of his character; it is like they are pealing back his layer trying to find out who he is. This scene foreshadows the rest of the play where we begin to find out some of the different layers to Hector.

Bennett again shows Hectors disguise and inappropriate relationship between him and the students during the first conversation he has with the boys, which is in French. He is talking in another language so that the conversation can be private from everyone but him and the boys. Another way Hectors disguise is shown is his excessive use of quotes when he talks, especially to the boys, such as ‘all knowledge is precious.’  This furthers his disguise by hiding behind other people’s words rather than his own.

The biggest difference that Bennett presents between Hector and Irwin is their contrasting views on education. Hector has the strong, liberal view that ‘all knowledge is precious’ and you should learn to learn, for the love of knowledge, not learn for an exam. However Irwin has the opposing view that education isn’t for when you’re ‘old and grey’ but ‘it’s for now.’ He believes that you should learn knowledge to pass an exam and to get you to the next stage in your life. While Irwin has been employed to get the boys into Oxbridge and so wants them to focus all their time and attention on the entrance exam, Hector doesn’t believe that this should be what the students concentrate on. Bennett has Hector refer to the entrance exam as ‘your cheat’s visa.’ This shows Hector’s view that exams are like a free passage to adult life, you can get into places such as university with them however they don’t show how knowledgeable you really are.