Journal Entry: Does it remind me of other texts, movies, songs? T.V. Shows? Why?

When I read the book, the first thing that it reminded me of was of The 100.

The 100 is a TV show about how a nuclear Armageddon destroys civilization on Earth and that the only survivors are those on the 12 international space stations in orbit at the time. The show doesn't have Androids or anything like that but when the space stations start running out of oxygen , they send down 100 juvenile prisoners to earth to see if they're able to live down there. The main character in the show sees a deer down on earth, but forgetting about how the nuclear radiation would have mutated it's genes, she sees it's face and is terrified, for the fact that it was actually 2 faces fused together(*). This book reminds me of The 100 because in both plots, the humans were sent to live in space (either on another planet, or in space stations) and for both, majority of the animals have gone extinct. Both plots are dystopian, which also links them.

(*I've included a picture of the deer*)  

Journal Entry: What does this book say about life?

Where most people would interpret this question as "What was Philip K. Dick saying about life?" I take this question a different way. After reading this book, I interpret this question as "What does this book make you think about life?"

After reading "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" I thought about how Philip thought of how our society would be (considering this book is set like 6 years away from our time). He thought that we would be overtaken by war, that there would be barely any animals left and that we would still be judged for being different. Blade Runner made me think of how lucky we are, that even though we do get judged for being different, it's not as bad as Isidore was. Even though some animals are going extinct, we still have thousands of species, after reading about how Deckard was embarrassed to have an electric sheep, it made me feel lucky about having my horse and dog. The author of this book made our future seem sad and bleak, the way the author made the future sound makes me appreciate what we have now more. We don't have to live with fake animals, we haven't been overtaken by war and we have the freedom to express ourselves.

What I think this book says about life is that we should appreciate the life we have, and not take anything for granted.

Narrative Style/Point of View Answers

1 - I think that the author Philip K. Dick chose not to tell us whether or not Deckard was an android because it made is moral dilemma more interesting, in fact he is referred to as the mandroid. If Rick was a human he would have no doubts or hesitations about killing and android and he would have no option other than killing his partner Phil Resch who they later find out if and android. If Rick was an android, he wouldn't take the job of killing the androids and he would be living under the radar. Keeping his true nature a secret gives suspense to the story and gives the impression, to the reader, that Deckard could be empathetic and un-empathetic at the same time. "This man - or android - Rick Deckard comes to us from a phantom, hallucinatory, non-existent police agency allegedly operating out of the old departmental headquarters on Lombard.

2 - I think the author went into depth about the rarity of animals because it shows how fragile the future is. In 2021 Philip K. Dick described the future as dark, empty and destroyed; so badly that animals are for the rich. In fact owning a real animal is Deckard's motivation for killing the androids. He focused on the animals because in today's world it's something we over look, something that we wouldn't fight to the death for. But in his depiction of the future, he tells us that the world becomes so fragile that animals are worth killing for.

3 - I would say that Deckard tries to come across as strong and like nothing can shake his opinion. But deep down he faces some ethical dilemmas that tell us he is not as confident as he wants people to believe. Rick has a strong personality type he knows what he needs to do but he struggles mentally with what he knows is right. He is often swayed by his loyalty to his religion Mercerism and it often changes how he behaves, especially towards the end of the novel.

4 - I don't think that Philip is hopeful for the future. The story may take place in a post nuclear war setting, but the adjectives he using are very dark and powerful. Even though he wrote about robots, hover cars and electric animals, he found a way to make them a bad thing; the robots were fugitives and the electric animals were for the poor. "In a giant, empty, decaying building which had once housed thousands, a single TV set hawked its wares to an uninhabited room."

5 - John Isidore's character had the most impact on me. I liked John because he was what they called a "chickenhead", someone who was effected mentally by radiation. Because of his condition he was stuck on earth and wasn't considered a part of society, he was also an easy to take advantage of. Pris Stratton was an android that stayed with John and her would cook for her every night. I say that John Isidore had the most impact on me because, in a complicated world, he was simple and slowed the story down enough for me to take in what was happening.

6 - Because Philip K. Dick's writing style is very descriptive, I found that the second chapter was the most gripping. "This ownerless ruin had, before World War Terminus, been tended and maintained. In chapter two, Philip used his extensive descriptions, to tell us how the broken world came to be. What makes Blade Runner a good book is it's mysterious intriguing back story of the war. It's in the second chapter where the history is explained and the story comes to life. I found myself most interested in the novel when reading chapter two.

7 - I don't think that the mood of the story changes throughout the novel. The mood is solemn and destructive at the same time. Deckard is a straight to the point kind of guy but he is relaxed when he speaks. The mood highlights it because there aren't that many people so it's often quiet . But at the same time it's destructive because it does take place after a nuclear war.

8 - It's from Rick Deckard's point of view, that we get both sides of the story. In the beginning he was all for killing the androids because he wanted to be able to afford a real animal. But as he works more with androids such as; Rachael Rosen and Phil Resch, he finds himself feeling more empathic towards the androids. As his morality starts to tear his mind, we reach a point in the story where Rick is both mentally human and android. Contrary to the beginning of the story, towards the end of the novel, he finds it much harder to "retire" an android.

9 - I believe that the author, chose to write about a promising future with a dark underlying story, because he sees what the future can be in terms of technology such as; androids, hover cars, and electric animals. But, the dark underlying story represents the weakness in human nature that our destructive nature could ruin what could be beautiful. He showed how as a people we are too destructive and if we continue on our path we could eventually wipe ourselves out.

10 - I wouldn't say that the point of view of the story influenced the way I felt about the novel. What really made an impact on me was the setting. Having a broken world being an aftermath of our destruction, but at the same time having technology that we dream to have someday. I thought it was a really good idea to have written the novel that way. .

Aydin's Journal prompt #4

                Throughout the story, of Blade Runner Deckard must look upon himself and upon the androids to decide essentially what is the difference between them? The movie’s adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep brought up a question of who Rick Deckard really is. During the film we witness key scenes which give the viewer insight on Deckard and his past life. In the scene where Racheal asks Deckard whether he has passed the Voight-Kampff or not, she receives no answer. Similarly, there is no mention of his previous life, other than his apparent divorce.  This poses the question of whether Deckard is a human or is he an android? The movie leaves the auidence in ambiguity. That is until the Director’s and Final cut addition of the movie. The audience is provided with a new scene and ending that gives us our definitive answer. The scene begins with Deckard looking at old photographs, he then falls asleep and dreams of a unicorn running through a forest. This dream is never mentioned in the movie until the very end, where at the door of Gaff’s apartment he finds a small origami unicorn. This suggests that Gaff knew about Deckard’s unicorn dream and the only possible explanation for this is that Deckard’s memories (and dreams) were implanted. This gives us our final answer, that Deckard is an Android. Or is he? In the novel it is conclusive that Deckard is a human; however, the movie states otherwise. So is Deckard a human or an android? That’s not the question we should be asking ourselves: The bigger question is,  what’s the difference? 

Theme Questions

Theme Questions

1.       How is Deckard’s toad at the end of the novel a reflection of a changing theme of Blade Runner?

2.       How are Mercerism and Buster Friendly’s show similar? Is either better than the other?

3.       Discuss the contrast between ignorance and empathy present in Blade Runner.

4.       Do you believe Deckard to be a Human or Android? Is there a difference?

5.       In the film, both Racheal and Roy Batty succeed in saving Deckard’s life. How does this act of Empathy towards Deckard show the changing state of emotions in androids?

6.       “I rode down with two creatures, one human, the other android…and my feelings were the reverse of those intended. Of those I’m accustomed to feel-am required to feel”. Discuss how this quote demonstrates the change in Deckard’s empathy towards humans and androids.

7.   Are the values of Mercerism still valid knowing that the religion is fake?

8.       Is Blade Runner a cautionary tale or a tale of acceptance? Explain your answer.

9.       Is Deckard in love with Racheal or is it purely a sexual love?

10.   Throughout the novel animals are tended to very carefully, not because of love or compassion but rather because they are a symbol of status. Discuss what this novel says about consumerism and values of humans as they compare to today.

Article about Philip K. Dick

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/25/AR2011022503903.html

Book Review

Hi Again,

Here's a review of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by Philip K. Dick. This review was found on The Guardian and was written by Ben East in 2012.

Enjoy your reading!

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/apr/29/do-androids-dream-electric-dick-review

Answers to Character Questions

Answers to Character Questions:

1. Androids are organic materials engineered together to resemble a human. They look, feel, and sound like humans. The only difference is that they lack real emotions. Androids are programmed to feel and act how a human would act, but with flaws. Not everyone reacts the same way, we’re all unique. However, they are practically like a human in every other sense. “Would Rachel really do it? Evidently. Androids thought and functioned that way. Yet he had never come across anything quite like this.” This quote shows how some androids are different, just like humans.
2. I think Isidore felt wanted and happy. He may be being used and taken advantage of, but he doesn’t mind because for once, he has some company in the old ruined building. “You’re androids,” Isidore said. But he didn’t care; it made no difference to him.”  The androids at least  appreciated Isidore’s presence. “They don’t treat him very well either, as he said. And what we did on Mars he isn’t interested in; he knows us and he likes us and an emotional acceptance like that- it’s everything to him.” He felt useful, unlike his usual feelings. “I hope,” Isidore said happily, “ I can help make your stay here on Earth pleasant.” He felt sure he could.”
3. No, I do not agree with Deckard. Garland attempted to trick Deckard into believing that Phil Resch, a bounty hunter like Deckard was an android when really he was  human. Garland mixes facts with lies to manipulate Deckard’s thinking. If 2 bounty hunters worked together, it would make the job easier. That’s why Garland wanted Deckard to kill Phil so that Garland and his android friends could have a greater chance of escaping.
4. My initial impression of Deckard was that he’s cold and desires what everyone else desires; money. He wants more money so he can buy himself a real animal, instead of his electric sheep. Owning a real animal displayed wealth, like owning a beautiful home or car today. His personality can very much be compared to our policemen today. Deckard is stable and tends to stay on task. He wanted to retire all the andy’s, and he did so in 24 hours. He wasn’t just killing to kill, he made sure it was legal first. For example, when the police suspect a person, they don’t just arrest them right away. They find proof for their case, then go from there.  
5. Wilbur Mercer is the messianic figure of Mercerism. Mercerism is a religion that encourages humans to fuse together to share their suffering. By fusing with Mercer, the world is able to draw on the power to survive. We can compare Wilbur to any messianic figure of any religion. For example, God is the messianic figure of Christianity. Those who are Christian go to church and pray together. The same beliefs and acts of conducting the same actions relate Wilbur to any messianic figure.
6. John R.Isidore would fit into the present because today the world is more accepting. Many things have been accepted compared to the past, such as girls playing sports, going to school, working in the government, same-sex marriage, and more. He would not be considered lower class, nor will he be isolated. There are so many campaigns and organizations that help kids deal with such disheartening acts. For example, kids help phone. John appears to be very friendly and right when he heard Pris downstairs, he was quick to make an offering to help with whatever he can. Seeing how quickly John made friends with Pris, I believe he would have no trouble making friends in our time today.
7. The character that changed the most in the book may be Iran. She hated the electric sheep at the beginning of the book, and when Deckard bought a new goat home, she was overwhelmed with contentment. “See, now we have nothing to hide; what we’ve always wanted has come true. It’s a dream!” This quote illustrates the hate Iran had for the electric sheep, and how much she didn’t care for it. At the end of the book when Deckard brought home a toad, she was surprised as they are marked as extinct animals. She then realizes that it’s a fake animal, an electric toad. But instead of treating it like the electric sheep they once had, she decided to take very good care of it. “I want it to work perfectly.”

8. I believe Mr.Sloat is supporting Isidore. It’s tough love, the way he is trying to support Isidore. Isidore has said no one wants a chickenhead, but he’s lucky because he’s got a job and that is because of Mr.Sloat. In the book, Isidore accepted a real dead cat and is responsible for replacing it. However, Isidore has a  “phobia about the vidphone and found making a call, especially to a stranger, virtually impossible. Mr. Sloat, of course, knew this.” Mr Sloat is getting old, and the dust is getting to him. That’s why he wants Isidore to learn and handle situations on his own, instead of always going to Milt, the other worker, and Mr.Sloat.
9. In chapter 16, Deckard finds himself attracted to Rachel. Even though she is an android, she is practically a human. Like they were intended, androids were meant to be almost identical to us. If you literally think about it, then no, he is just playing with some material. But really, he is attracted to a “human”, which is sinful to his wife, Iran. Later on in the book, Deckard doesn't display any guilt or recognition that what he did was wrong. He also never told Iran about it.
10. Based on Phil Resch actions, I believe Phil would kill himself. Once he killed Garland, Phil asked Deckard if his department would take him on so that he can continue to retire andys. He also requested Deckard to test him to see if he really was an android. “ After we retire Luba Luft- I want you to-” His voice, husky and tormented, broke off. “ You know. Give me the Boneli test or that empathy scale you have. To see about me.” Phil doesn’t hesitate when it comes to killing the androids. Deckard acknowledges that and Phil himself even said that he will kill himself. “The way you killed Garland and then the way you killed Luba. You don’t kill the way I do; you don’t try to- Hell,” he said. “ I know what it is. You like to kill. All you need is a pretext... “I wonder what you’re going to do when you fail to pass the Boneli test. Will you kill yourself? Sometimes androids do that.” “Yes, I’ll take care of it,” Phil Resch said.

Journal Response #2: What effect does this book have on me? Does it excite me, confuse me, bore me? If so, why?

This book bores me, to be honest. When Aydin described this book (and film) to me, he made it seem like it was this AMAZING action book that would keep you on your toes the entire time. Therefore, I read this book with high expectations of excitement and action. With all that in mind, I kept reading, assuming that the book would get better, waiting for more trepidation, more adventure, and I was left with boredom and confusion. Is Deckard a replicant or isn't he? It was never explicitly said in the book, so I don't know. The effect that this book has on me is that I would never, ever, recommend it to anyone that enjoyed reading books such as Divergent and The Hunger Games. It took so much for me to finish this book, heck it took a lot to get past the first few chapters, but I kept saying to myself "just wait, there'll be something really good soon, just wait for the climax of the book!" I got to the end of the novel and wondered if I had missed something, if pages from my copy were ripped out, but alas, no, it was just a boring book. It was boring and that was a shame, considering I had such high hopes for it.

All in all, it's just another book like Cinder, a book that was recommended by people who said it was great and seemed good by the blurb but ended up boring me to tears.

Narrative Style/Point of View Questions

1. Why do you think the author Phillip K. Dick chose not to tells us whether Deckard is an Android or not?
2. Why do you think the author spent so much time describing to us that most of the animals are electronic, and that only the rich people can afford real animals?
3. Based on the way Deckard speaks and behaves, how would you describe his personality?
4. Based on Phillip's writing style, do you believe he is hopeful for the future?
5. What character made the biggest impact on you, based on the narrative style? Why?
6. Which chapter do you believe is the most emotionally gripping based narrative style?
7. Does the mood of the story change throughout the novel? What is the mood?
8. From which character's point of view do we get both sides of the story?
9. Why do you think Phillip wrote about a promising future with a dark underlying story?
10. Does the point of view the author chose to write the story in, influence the way you feel about the novel?

Conflict Questions

1. What do you believe is the main conflict in The Blade Runner novel? The paranoia that everyone(thing) feels throughout the book, or the android issue?
2. Do you think, at the beginning, that Deckard is right in his "job" to retire androids? Would you do Rick's job?
3. Describe the conflicts between Deckard and the androids.
4. Deckard's job is "retiring" androids, and throughout the book it never truly states that he, himself, is not an android. Give evidence for your choice, is Deckard an Android or isn't he?
5. If Deckard is an android, state the ethical conflicts that he would face while "retiring" other androids.
6. If Deckard isn't an android, state the ethical conflicts that he would face while "retiring" androids 
7. At the beginning of the book we meet Iran (Rick's wife), she states that she had ordered 6 hours of depression, why do you believe Rick has such an issue with her choice? Would you order depression? Why or Why not?
8. When Rick goes to see his "sheep" he talks to his neighbour, who finds out that the sheep is electronic and tells Rick that he won't tell anyone else. Why do you believe that other people knowing that Rick's sheep is electronic is an issue? Would you be as embarrassed to own an electronic animal? Why?
9. Rick believes that having an electronic animal is embarrassing, why do you think that he thinks that? 
10. Do you feel that, with the different conflicts, the mood changes often? Does each conflict carry the same mood?

Ramtin journal entry #4

A major theme in the book is how far humans should go in their pursuit of technological advancements before it is considered unethical. Due to the futuristic setting of the novel, there are many technological advancement in the story that are not currently used in today’s society. Examples of these technologies are hover vehicles, laser guns, robotic animals that look and behave exactly like real animals, androids that look exactly like humans, and machines that are able to control emotions. Also, Mars is colonized in the book which most likely required technology that has not been used in the real world yet. These technologies raise questions about when we should decide to stop before it goes too far. While I do believe that hover vehicles, faster transportation, and colonizing other planets would be mostly positive, I do not think that robotic humans and animals, as well as machines controlling emotions are necessary. Emotions are one of the special elements of being a living creature and controlling them is like programming yourself like a robot. I also believe androids’ looking exactly like humans is unethical because it is disturbing to have something fake behave and look exactly like a human. The book also had the main character fall in love with an android which once again shows how too much technological advancement is unethical. Overall, the characters seemed to lack many qualities that humans in the real world have and they seemed to have very ‘robotic’ personalities. Even though the examples of future technology in the book is very extreme, the question of “how far technology should go” could even be asked in today’s world. While the technology advancements over the past century and specifically the past decade have led to countless positive consequences, some would say that our reliance over technology is already higher than what it should be. Many people in today’s world would have trouble going a full day without a phone, laptop, TV, or any other technology they might use. However, before the 2000’s, many people could function normally without these types of technology which shows how much society could advance in a short period of time. Overall, everyone will have different opinions on how much technological advancement is enough, but the book does a good job of showing the extreme levels of what humans could be capable of.     

Setting Questions

Questions

1. Does the plot complement the setting?

2. Do you think that society after a nuclear war would be similar to the book? If not, what do you think the world would be like?

3. Do you think that people would be willing to move to another planet if it was possible in the real world? Would you personally be willing to do this?

4. Are there any flaws in the setting? What improvements, if any, could you make to the setting to make the story better.

5. Do you think there is any significance to the story taking place in 2021? Why do you think the author chose 2021?

6. What do you think the mood of the setting is?

7. Do you believe that the technology in the book like hover vehicles, and highly intelligent/life like androids will be something humans will be capable of making in the future?

8. Do you believe that the setting of the book is original? If it is, what aspects make it original? If it isn't, what are some examples of books or movies before 1968 that had similar settings?

9. Do you think that the setting of blade runner is overused in today's movies, TV shows, and books?

10. How do you think the setting would change ten years after the events of the book?

Answers

1- I think that the plot complements the setting for a few different reasons. Firstly, the main problem in the story is the Nexus-6 androids. These androids complement the setting because the setting is set in the future and the futuristic androids in the book do not exist in today’s world. Secondly, Rick wants a real animal throughout the story to ‘fit in’ with the rest of society. This part of the plot makes sense with the post nuclear war setting of the novel. Naturally, everyone in the society wants a real animal knowing that many of them have already gone extinct. Lastly, the lifestyle fits with the setting of the novel. People use new technologies, and have to worry about radiation which fit with the setting. Therefore, the plot complements the setting because of the android conflict, the real versus fake animal conflict, and the lifestyle of the characters.

2- I think that some aspects of society after a nuclear war would be similar to the book and some aspects wouldn’t be. Similar to the book, I believe that law and order would be kept, and radiation would at least somewhat affect anything living. Firstly, law and order would be kept because I think it would be very hard to destroy the world to the extent where people stop listening to their leaders and governments. Secondly, radiation would affect living creatures because the consequences of nuclear weapons and their radiation is scientific fact. Not similar to the book, I do not believe that technology would advance to the extent that it did in the novel in such a quick time period, especially after a nuclear war. Also, I do not believe that humanity would colonize another planet in the circumstances of nuclear war because we simply cannot do that yet. Instead, I believe that in the circumstances of a major worldwide nuclear war, humanity would take a step backward in its development. I believe that survivors would be taken to safe areas by their governments and many of our technological and industrial advancements would take a step backward as well. Therefore, that is what I believe society after a nuclear war would be like.

3- I think that the reaction to moving to another planet would be very mixed in the real world. I believe that many people would gladly move to another planet if their life was in danger, or if they wanted a new life. However, I also believe that many people would refuse to move to another planet because they would be leaving everything that they had known behind and starting a new life, and they would find it unethical to leave the only planet humanity has ever lived on. I believe that many people’s reaction to moving to another planet would be determined by how their lives are on earth. People who are economically challenged would most likely embrace change more because they have less to lose than a wealthy person who would be leaving plenty behind. I also believe that having your life in danger would determine many people’s reaction to moving to another planet. Those who fear death would most likely move because that would be the safest option but those who don’t may look at the scenario more ethically and make the decision to stay. Lastly, I personally don’t think I would be willing to move to another planet. I definitely know I wouldn’t if my life was not in danger because I would see no reason why. However, if my life was in danger, I am not sure if I would or would not move because I am not sure what my reaction would be to that. Therefore, that is why I think the reaction to moving to another planet would be mixed.

4- I do not think that there are any major flaws to the setting, but I do believe some improvements would have made the book better. The first improvement I would make would be to give more detail about the rest of the world’s situation. It was never made clear if the whole world was in the same situation or if some places in the world had less radiation. I believe that involving different places around the world would have made the book more interesting. The second improvement I would make would be to go into more detail about what the immediate aftermath of ‘World War Terminus’ was to give a clearer picture of the setting at the beginning of the book. This could have removed any confusion the reader may have had and would have been a good replacement of some of the unnecessary content at the beginning of the book. Therefore, that is how I would improve the setting of the book.  

5-  I do not believe there is anything significant about 2021 specifically, but I do believe it is significant that the author chose that general range for the story. I believe it is significant because it shows what type of ideas people had about the future in the 1960’s. Obviously, I don’t think the author expected the world to be full of androids, hovercrafts, and electric animals by the time 2021 occurred, but I think it is significant that Philip Dick thought 2021 would be so far away that these technologies could exist. I believe that Philip K. Dick chose 2021 because he wanted his book to take place in a time long after 1968 so no one would question his plot. It is similar to someone today creating a science fiction book taking place in the year 2068 because they know that no one would question its plot. If a science fiction book took place just a few years after the book was published, readers would think that it is impossible for the events in the book to happen in real life in that short amount of time. It is almost crazy to think that it is currently 2015 and we are only six years away from the setting of this book. If Blade Runner was published today, no one would ever believe that these things would occur in six years, but back in 1968, you could at least wonder “what if?” Therefore, that is my opinion on why the author chose 2021 as the setting of the book.

 6- I think that the mood of the setting is very gloomy and depressing for many different reasons. Firstly, the author makes life on earth, where the story takes place, sound very dead and miserable compared to life on the new colony in Mars. This is shown by constant reminders throughout the book that the earth is now considered second class compared to Mars. Secondly, the large number of fake animals, and the mood organ also make the setting very gloomy and depressing. These factors make the setting seem very lifeless because every living creature is either fake, or has a robotic personality. Lastly, the setting is gloomy because the author makes it clear that everyone living on earth will eventually have mutated genes and will die because of the radiation. The author also makes it clear that being a ‘special’, meaning you have been affected by the radiation, means that you could no longer have children; you could no longer emigrate to Mars even if you wanted to, and you would be looked at differently by society which is very gloomy and depressing. Therefore, that is why I believe the setting of Blade Runner is very depressing and gloomy.

7- I do believe that the technology in the book will be something humans are capable of making in the future for different reasons. Firstly, there is already proof that humans could make hover vehicles and intelligent robots. Though it is nothing close to the technology in the book, there have been hover vehicles and very advanced robots made in today’s world that would surely become more advanced in 20 or more years. Secondly, our technological advancements over the past two decades show how quickly our idea of technology could change. In 1995, no one could have imagined how far technology would go, from touch screen technology, internet, redesigned cars, new ways of communication, and much more. Since no one imagined it in 1995, it is very possible that in 2015 no one would think about the technology we will see in 2035 either. Therefore, that is why I believe the technology in Blade Runner will be something humans are capable of making in the future.    

8- I believe that the setting of the book was original at the time it was published for many reasons. Firstly, I believe the setting is original because the book was published in 1968. If the book was published after the 1990’s, it would have been very unoriginal because there are plenty of science fiction books and movies with somewhat similar settings. However, since the book was published before the genre of science fiction became very popular, I believe that makes the book’s setting original. Secondly, the setting was original because of its features. For example, the use of human like androids, and very advanced technology in a post nuclear war environment is a very interesting setting and was definitely original at the time it was published. Lastly, I believe that the setting is original because it is harder to think of a setting like the one in Blade runner in the 1960’s than it is today. Due to all the technological advancements today, writing a book about them would be very unoriginal but to write about them in the 1960’s without very much inspiration is much more original. Therefore, that is why I believe that the setting of Blade Runner is original.               

9- I believe that the setting of Blade Runner is overused in today’s movies, TV shows, and books. Firstly, there is plenty of proof that there have been similar settings in a variety of movies, TV shows and books. Some examples include movies like oblivion, star wars, terminator and many other futuristic science fiction movies. I believe that the main reason why it is used is because of the large popularity in the science fiction genre. I personally like most of the movies, TV shows, and books in the genre even though I think their settings are overused. Also, I believe that settings like these are very visually appealing in movies especially in today’s world with all of the sci-fi capabilities that movies have at their disposal. Therefore, that is why I believe that the setting of Blade Runner is overused in today’s movies, TV shows, and books.

10-  I do not think that the setting would drastically change ten years after the events of the book but I do think there will be some small inevitable changes. Firstly, I believe that almost all of the human population would be on Mars and any specials would be close to their death on Earth. This is a likely change because anyone who is already off Earth will not return and those who are on earth will either emigrate or eventually die. The second change would be even more reliance on technology. This change is also inevitable because their society seemed willing to embrace any new sort of technology. One example would be the mood organ used by Rick and Iran in the book. The mood organ, like the name suggests, can change your mood to whatever you would like it to be. This type of technology is very unnecessary but its existence shows how far their society would take the use of technology. The last change that I believe might occur would be androids being accepted as humans. During the book, the only difference between androids and humans seemed to be empathy. I believe that their society would eventually look past that and accept them the same way they accept humans. Therefore, that is how I think the setting would change ten years after the events of the book.  

                 

Ramtin journal entry #3

What would the world look like after a nuclear war? That question could have many different answers. In blade runner, the world after ‘world war terminus’ is much different from the world we live in today. Philip K. Dick creates a world that has permanently been affected by nuclear war. The damage and danger has caused many people to leave the planet and those who stay are at risk of becoming permanently affected by the radiation. Many species of animals have gone extinct and those that remain are looked after more preciously. This is shown by the expectancy of owning a real pet in their society. Despite the author creating a world devastated by nuclear war, he did not create a world where the human race had crumbled and chaos had ensued. Instead, the world continued to have order and the human race not only survived, but in many ways thrived by creating new and very advanced technology, and colonizing Mars. In real life, it is almost impossible to know what the Earth after a nuclear war would look like. Would the human race survive, would chaos ensue, would other forms of life survive like animals and plants? The historical inspiration of ‘world war terminus’ in the book was most likely the cold war. Blade runner was published in 1968 which was in the middle of the cold war. The cold war was essentially tension between the Soviet Union and the United States which lasted approximately 45 years. Throughout this time span, the use of nuclear weapons was a serious possibility especially during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, six years before blade runner was published. Also, the book does make multiple references to the Soviet Union. Therefore, ‘world war terminus’ can probably be seen as the cold war if nuclear weapons were actually used. 

Aydin's Journal Prompt #3

The main religion in Blade Runner is Mercerism which preaches two main tenets:  be an empathetic individual and work for the good of the community. Followers of Mercerism don’t attend Church or temples. Rather, they visit devices called empathy boxes. When the sides of the box are gripped the user enters a hallucinogenic state where everyone is connected via Mercer’s mind. On the surface, this religion may seem like it possesses some good values, however, it holds some dark undertones. While patrons are attached to the empathy box, they view Wilbur Mercer undergoing excruciating torture. As Mercer is struck by rocks, everyone in the device experiences the shared pain as well as the joy of empathy simultaneously.  Mercerism also turns out to be a false religion. We learn that Mercer is actually a con-artist and the whole illusion was produced using a sound stage. However, if the values are pure and people such as Deckard and Isadore believe in them, it raises the question of whether the religion really is false?

Aydin's Journal Prompt #2

Mental deficiency versus Intelligence plays a huge role in the story of Blade Runner. It is evident from our first interaction with John Isadore that there is a hierarchy based around the world. Those who are registered as “chicken heads”, such as Isadore, are deemed as second-class citizens. They are not allowed to emigrate to Mars because Mars must stay “pure” and are only allowed to take menial labour jobs. In Dick’s future, empathy is valued above all else, however, some lives are considered more important than others. Throughout the novel, we see that Isadore has the most humanity and thus displays the most empathy towards life than any other character. Isadore appears to be more “human” than many other characters, including, Rick Deckard.

Aydin's Journal Prompt #1

In Blade Runner the theme of empathy acts as the crux on which the entire novel revolves around. The novel focuses on Deckard, who although is inept at empathy, retires Andy’s because they lack the trait. Due to Deckard possessing this ineptitude of empathy, he is able to perform his work as a bounty hunter because he does not believe that androids are capable of feeling true “human” emotion.  From the start of the book, it is believed that empathy is the key dividing factor between humans and androids. However as the novel progresses, Deckard realizes that some humans may be deprived of empathy, just as androids may be full of it. This revelation drastically changes how he interacts with others and how he sees himself.

Christina Journal Entry #4

It's absolutely mind blowing how humans have created what we have today. We've created phones in 1876, light bulbs in 1879, and how can we forget the internet in 1969. Our knowledge of technology continues to be enriched with more and more information, and material needed becomes more accessible. Living now compared to the early 1800's is like an unwanted piece of hair in a bowl of soup. We can consider the past to be the hair and the present the soup. It's impressive how we have clean water at the touch of our fingertips, and colourful pixel displays, showing whatever we want for our spoiled needs. The hairy past, has nothing on such a bright and appealing present, right? Or we can view the present as the unwanted hair? Air has never been so polluted, resources are becoming scarce, animals are disappearing, and Earth itself is just hurting. Technology has benefitted humans and poked fun at the only planet that supports life. Tell someone that planting trees will give them free wi-fi, then they may plant 10's, 100's or heck, maybe even 1000's! But tell them it only produces oxygen for us to breath, how many would actually get their hands dirty? Blast into the future and we can potentially be living our lives like Deckard. Desiring real animals because they've become such rare treasures or injecting fake emotions because we can't handle reality. Is technology manipulating us, or are we just too greedy, stuck in our own little world to realize that we are destroying Earth?

Ramtin journal entry #2

This book reminds me of many different movies. The first is Oblivion. This 2013 movie starring Tom Cruise takes place in a post apocalyptic and futuristic setting, the only difference being that it was caused by aliens in this movie and by nuclear war in the book ‘blade runner’. Another similarity is that humanity is evacuating to another planet in both stories; Mars in blade runner and Saturn in Oblivion, but the main character in both stories remains on Earth.

The second movie is terminator salvation. This 2009 movie also takes place in a post apocalyptic setting similar to blade runner. Also, it is similar because the plot is about humans fighting against robots, some of which are highly intelligent just like in blade runner. In blade runner, there is a large issue with androids looking and behaving like humans, and in terminator, the main character ends up being a robot even though he looked and behaved exactly like a human.

The last movie is dawn of the planet of the apes. While this movie isn’t futuristic, it is still post apocalyptic due to a majority of the human race being killed by a disease. The story greatly involves the relationship between humans and the apes in a post apocalyptic world which can be compared to the human and android relationship in blade runner.   

Characters Questions

1. Should androids ethically be regarded as humans?

2. How do you think John R. Isidore felt around the Androids?

3. Do you agree with Deckard "You androids, don't exactly cover for each other in times of stress."

4. What is your initial impression of Deckard? How does his personality compare to our policemen?

5. Who can Wilbur Mercer be compared to today?

6. Would John R. Isidore fit into our world today? Or would he be treated the same as he was in the book?

7. Which character displayed the most change in beliefs since the beginning of the book?

8. Is Mr.Sloat supporting Isidore or trying to put him down?

9. In chapter 16, were Deckard's actions towards Rachel considered sinful?

10. Phil Resch said if he was an android he would kill himself. How believable is this statement based on his actions?

****Bonus****
11. Do you believe that androids dream of electric sheep?

Below are the characters in the movie.

Christina: Journal Entry #3

This book shows how androids desire to be human, and how humans even though they may not know it, are like androids. Androids want to be able to feel empathy; to love lives other than themselves. Beneath the explicit android desires, humans are reciprocal to the androids' benefits. For instance, John R. Isidore wanting the androids' IQ, and humans using the Penfield Mood Organ dial. This device allows you to dial from a wide range of moods. For example, "a creative and fresh attitude towards one's job," "the desire to watch TV, no matter what's on it," or "pleased acknowledgement of husband's superior wisdom in all matters." This demonstrates how humans are much like the androids; programming their emotions. The only difference is that androids are programmed, and humans can program whichever mood they fancy. The mood selected is not the true reaction of how one would feel under those circumstances.

Lyrique Journal Entry#4: What effect does this book have on me? Does it excite me, confuse me, bore me? If so, why?

I like this book, because it has an interesting plot line, it's exciting in the sense that it takes place in a possible future, showing us that creating a better world, can create a worse one. Although it's fictional, it does speak some truth. In the beginning, the novel is confusing because it talk mainly about the Penfield mood organ and the rarity of animals; before explaining to us who Deckard is and what happened during and after World War Terminus. I have to say that overall, the book bored me, it didn't grab my attention because it took too long to get to the point. However, I do recommend reading Blade Runner if you're interested in post nuclear war setting. The plot of the story has been used in other works such as; IRobot and District 9, if you're interested in those types of stories, you would love to read Blade Runner.

Lyrique Journal Entry #3: What is the book saying about life?

This book takes place during a time of destruction where as the human race, they've destroyed their home, earth, and nearly the entire race; and they were forced to move to off-world colonies. But even living in these new colonies, they managed to nearly destroy man-kind's culture once again. The book is set in the future with flying cars, and robots; it paints us this picture of a dream life. But the underlying story tells us that the future is not all happy. Phillip K. Dick writes that no matter how good we try to make life, new problems always arise. We can't fix life because it's in our nature to screw things up. If we try repair something, something else will malfunction. Just like how the in Blade Runner the humans tried to better their lives by creating the android, but after everything the androids were taking over the human race. From what we've learned about human nature, as a people we can't have anything dominate us, and our only solution is to "retire" the problem.

Blade Runner Trailer Link

Hopefully the link works!


https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDoQtwIwAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKPcZHjKJBnE&ei=oPVwVZ6cEIHnsQW764LYCw&usg=AFQjCNEsx_bz_FVF8v-5oFDIwaYdGnnaFA&sig2=WyJyIpFTwD1jCikgTjavqA&bvm=bv.95039771,d.b2w

Christina: Journal Entry #2

"A special, a chickenhead; what do I know? I can't marry and I can't emigrate and the dust will eventually kill me. I have nothing to offer." (page 62) John R. Isidore is a chickenhead, they are treated as second-class citizens, with no respect and no value to the world. In a way, this reminds me of how we used to treat the "disabled". I used quotation marks because I believe they are, in fact not disabled, but rather abled in a different way. Blade Runner was written in 1968, but the book's setting takes place in 2021. By then, I would have thought looking down towards the "disabled" would be shameful and rude, not accepted and accustomed. As time passes, I believe we are attempting and succeeding to reconfigure what society has shaped. For example, same-sex marriage. It was always looked down on but since 2001 it's been legalized and is more widely accepted as a choice. The world has changed from the past, and it will constantly change. What we believed 50 years ago, are not the same beliefs we have now. Blade Runner is an example of how much society has changed; how society looked at the future then, to how society would look at the future now.

Lyrique Journal Entry #2: How does this book compare to other books you've read?

I don't read books very often, but when I do, they're books of adventure and action. I'm drawn to books that have exciting story lines such as Blade Runner. Growing up I was surrounded by comic books which is why I find myself attracted to that genre of novel. On the other hand, the beginning of this book is rather slow, and takes a while for the rising action to develop. Which is the complete opposite from a comic book. The overall plot for Blade Runner is interesting and attractive however, I find that the story is overly detailed and stretched out too long. So, in comparison to other books I've read, Blade Runner isn't as action packed as I'm used to.

Ramtin Journal Entry #1

Though I find the genres of science fiction, action, and adventure interesting, I did not think that the beginning of this book compared well with other books I have read from these genres. This is largely due to the book being very slow and boring in the first four chapters. In my opinion, the author put more information than was necessary in the early chapters. One example of this would be the long conversation Rick Deckard had with his neighbour in the later parts of chapter one. The only important facts from this six page conversation were that in this society, everyone was expected to have a real animal, and that Rick only has a fake one. This conversation made the book start very slowly and gave me the impression that the rest of the book would be the same way. I believe that the most important part of a book is often the beginning because it sets the stage for the rest of the book. Also, the author failed to give readers anything to anticipate or look forward to in the early chapters due to the lack of action. The book tried to show the everyday life of Rick Deckard in this futuristic setting in the first four chapters. Unfortunately, this was very uneventful and once again gave more information than was necessary to the reader. 

Lyrique: Journal Entry #1 - Does it remind me of other texts, movies, songs? T.V. Shows? Why?

The Blade Runner story line follows the same plot as other stories/movies such as; District 9 and I, Robot. Blade Runner takes place in 1992 or as in other versions in 2021 after a nuclear world war Terminus. As a background to the story, the UN advised everyone to leave earth and move to other planets in order to preserve the human race. Once they've emigrated to off-world colonies, they were provided with what they call "andy's" or androids to act as their servants.

I, Robot is similar to Blade Runner because robots are used and public and personal servants. Later detective Del Spooner uncovers a coup d'etat secretly unraveling under the government's thumb and takes it upon himself to "retire" the robots. But unlike in Blade Runner, Spooner has help from an unexpected ally, a robot named Sunny, who was different from the rest; he was more human-like.

District 9 takes place in 2010 where an alien race "the Prawns" who had been kept in a South African base called District 9. After years of cohabitation, the Multi-National United is contracted to forcibly remove the Prawns from the base. Just like in Blade Runner, Deckard was tasked to "retire" the humanoids. But for him it's a moral dilemma.

Journal Entry: How Does It Compare with Other Things I Have Read?

How does it compare with other things I have read?

As a person that normally reads books such as The Hunger Games, Divergent, Max Ride and other books like that, with the occasional book like The Longest Ride, I'm not used to the Sci-Fi genre.

 It's a hard book to get into when you aren't used to the genre, I'm not going to lie. Unlike the Max Ride series, The Blade Runner starts off slow, giving a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of information, such as the fact that Deckard has a fake (machine) sheep, and that he wants his neighbor's Percheron colt (not that I wouldn't want a Percheron colt myself, as they are beautiful, strong and willing horses). The other thing that we learn is that most of the humans have emigrated to Mars, but there are still humans on earth. Comparing this book to Divergent, I'd say that they're both slower at the beginning (but Divergent is a more exciting slow) and that they both have the whole dystopian thing going on, and the same with The Hunger Games. Comparing it to The Longest Ride would be like comparing the Arctic and China, uninhabited vs. surpopulated, Country music and Bull Riders vs. Androids and Penfield Mood Machine. They're polar opposites, enough said.

All in all, it's been more boring than my other books, but keeping in mind that I'm only on chapter 3, I assume it'll speed up soon. (Well I hope)