Published in 1968 "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick, the novel is set in a post-apocalyptic near-future America, which is falling apart, after a nuclear war called World War Terminus.
Animals are almost extinct and keeping and owning animals have become an obsession for the remaining society. The worst thing a human can do is to harm an animal or to feel nothing at the idea of harming an animal. Thus caring for an animal has become symbol of one's humanity. However, because genuine animals are extremely expensive very few people can afford them and so most people are forced towards the much cheaper electric animals to keep up the pretence. To own a real animal is a sign of distinction and prestige.
Before the story's beginning Deckard owned a genuine sheep, but it died, and Deckard had to replace it with an electric one. Deckard's electric sheep leaves him discontent as he yearns for the prestige that would come with the ownership of a real animal.
The novel is arguably as influential and relevant today as when it came out. Its social commentary and critique of a twenty-first century America in the grip of soul-crushing hyper-capitalism can be said to be poignant still. The works of Philip K. Dick and, in particular, Do Androids Dream has attracted a small army of scholars and theorist who have applied everything from psychoanalytical criticism to postmodernism.
However, a Marxist criticism has not been applied to Do Androids Dream so far. Such a reading is the focus of this paper, as I find that there are several reference to Marxist theory. Throughout the novel, Dick provides a profound social commentary through the vision of a near-future dystopian society. Dick vividly demonstrates how consumerism and capitalism can create a society loaded with socialist elements, even in a world that has suffered nuclear war. Through Deckard who contemplates his place in society via his disdain of his electric sheep, Dick forces the reader to consider the importance of material possessions and how they can affect social status. One would assume that material things would have less significance in a world that has suffered a nuclear holocaust, however, Do Androids Dream shows the opposite; namely, a scenario where one's possessions in society are of the utmost importance. To illustrate how a dystopian society would still hold material possessions in such high regard, Dick embeds numerous Marxist elements into his work as h
Table of Contents
Introduction
Thesis Statement
Theoretic Framework
Analysis and Discussion of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper explores Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" through a Marxist lens, specifically employing Raymond Williams' cultural theory to examine how the near-future dystopian society creates a regime of total commodification and hegemonic social control.
- Application of Marxist cultural theory to a dystopian narrative.
- Critique of commodity aesthetics and the reification of life.
- Analysis of the human-to-animal relationship as a reflection of social class.
- Examination of "Mercerism" and empathy as tools for political hegemony.
- The role of consumerism in shaping identity and social status.
Excerpt from the Book
Analysis and Discussion of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
As previously outlined, Williams' definition of the concept of hegemony presumes the existence of something that is truly total, something that is so deeply ingrained in society that it is almost invisible or at the most viewed as "just the way things are". In the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? capitalism has become hegemonic in that it underlines how everything is perceived and constructed within that fictional society. It also determines the relationship between the different social classes of that society. This is particularly relevant in terms of viewing the novel as a Marxist critique of capitalism, because, through Deckard, Philip K. Dick shows what happens to people who are subjected to a society, where capitalism is hegemonic. The reader also see how this influences and distorts Deckard's attitude towards his wife, his neighbour, to strangers but also towards androids and animals.
Following on from this, this section will focus on an aspect of Do Androids Dream that I feel have been overlooked in other analyses, namely the importance of animals, both electric and real.
Do Androids Dream explores the question of what it means to be human through two comparisons: androids versus animals. Thus, the representation of animals can be argued to be essential to the novel's critique of capitalism and the commodity fetishism. By focusing on the centrality of animals in the story, we can fully observe the ramifications of Deckard's change. Deckard and other humans do not run the risk of becoming as android-like as the androids because they are already android-like, emotionally detached and drained of all natural feelings. A state they will remain in as long as they continue to objectify the world around them.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter introduces the post-apocalyptic setting of the novel and establishes the author's intention to provide a Marxist critique of the society depicted by Philip K. Dick.
Thesis Statement: This section outlines the central argument that the novel rejects commodity aesthetics through the application of Raymond Williams' cultural theory.
Theoretic Framework: This chapter defines the theoretical basis of the paper, focusing on the concepts of hegemony, social control, and ideology as described by Raymond Williams and Antonio Gramsci.
Analysis and Discussion of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: This core chapter examines how consumerism, the animal-human relationship, and the character development of Rick Deckard illustrate the pervasive influence of capitalist hegemony.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that while characters are trapped in a commodified society, their potential for empathy offers a path toward rejecting alienating social structures.
Keywords
Marxism, Hegemony, Philip K. Dick, Commodity Fetishism, Consumerism, Dystopia, Raymond Williams, Social Control, Alienation, Empathy, Mercerism, Reification, Animal Ethics, Capitalism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper provides a Marxist analysis of Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", focusing on how the fictional society mirrors real-world capitalist structures and the effects of commodity fetishism.
What theoretical framework does the author use?
The author primarily utilizes the Marxist cultural theory of Raymond Williams, specifically his conceptualization of hegemony as a lived system of meanings and values.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to demonstrate that the novel is a critique of a society dominated by capitalist logic, where human and non-human life are stripped of their intrinsic value and reduced to commodities.
Which scientific or analytical method is employed?
The author uses literary analysis grounded in Marxist cultural and literary theory to interpret the novel's themes of social control and class relations.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body analyzes the significance of animals, the role of Mercerism, the function of empathy tests, and the character arc of Rick Deckard as he moves from an enforcer of the system to someone who begins to challenge it.
Which key concepts characterize the analysis?
Key concepts include hegemony, alienation, commodity fetishism, the human-android distinction, and the role of social norms in maintaining power.
How does the author relate the concept of "hegemony" to the society in the novel?
The author argues that hegemony is so deeply ingrained in the novel's society that capitalist consumption is viewed as the "natural" order, effectively suppressing dissent and defining human existence through material possessions.
What role does the animal-human relationship play in the author's argument?
The author argues that animals are treated as status symbols rather than living beings, which serves as a metaphor for how humans in a capitalist society are alienated from nature and from each other.
Why is Rick Deckard’s character journey considered significant?
Deckard’s journey is significant because his shifting empathy—moving from treating androids as disposable tools to recognizing them as sentient—ultimately challenges the moral and political foundation of his society.
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- Martin Lausten (Autor:in), 2016, Dreams of lost humanity? A Marxist analysis of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/324270
