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.