‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ by Philip Kindred Dick Essay

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a science fiction novel written by Philip Kindred Dick, and it was published on 1968. Philip Kindred Dick is a famous American writer, who was born on December 16, 1928 and died on March 2, 1982 before completing his last unfinished work The Owl in Daylight. Philip K. Dick is best known for his many famous science fiction novels. Throughout his career, he wrote more than 40 novels and more than 120 short stories.

Although Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was written in third person point of view, we can say that it was written in present tense. This novel takes place on a futuristic San Francisco in the year 2021 after World War Terminus destroyed the planet Earth because of its nuclear radioactive remains. The main characters of the novel include Rick Deckard, Iran Deckard, Roy Batty, Irmgard Batty, Pris Stratton, Rachel Rosen, Phil Resch, Buster Friendly, Bill Barbour, Garland, and Harry Bryant.

Rick Deckard, which is the protagonist of the novel and a bounty hunter, is also a member of the San Francisco Police Department. He is willing to own a real animal he owns only an electric sheep. This is where the conflict begins. In this novel, you were considered a a member of the high class society if you owned a real animal. Rick Deckard is married to Iran Deckard. By reading the novel, we can conclude that she is intelligent and strong, but his husband, Rick Deckard, does not think the same. He thinks he deserves better, therefore, he slept with Rachel Rosen in the chapter 17, We can see this in "Would you ever go to bed with an android again?" "If it was a girl. If she resembled you."(191), and then we can see that Rick developed feelings for her in, "If you weren't an android," Rick interrupted, "if I could legally marry you, I would." Rachael said, "Or we could live in sin, except that I'm not alive."(191).

There are numerous themes that might be considered for Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I think that empathy could be considered the main theme for the novel. Every character in the novel finds a way to develop empathy for a certain person or android. For example, the protagonist Rick Deckard. Rick Deckard is a very strict person when his job is evolved. While the novel continues, he starts developing empathy for androids. We can say that Rick Deckard developed empathy for Luba Luft, an opera singer android. Rick Deckard thoughts and visions toward androids completely changed. We can see this in They can use androids. Much better if andys do it. I can't anymore I've had enough. She was a wonderful singer. The planet could have used her. This is insane (Dick 12.50). However, Iran develops empathy throughout the novel and ended being helpful to his husband because she knows that the eclectic toad is important to him.