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| '''A Scanner Darkly''' is one of ]'s semi-autobiographical ]s. |
'''A Scanner Darkly''' is one of ]'s semi-autobiographical ]s. It is set in a dystopian near future, presumably an alternate 1970’s. A number of Dick’s books make extensive use of drug-involved consciousness; '''A Scanner Darkly''' can be considered his master statement about drugs. | ||
| ⚫ | problematic aspects of that |
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| The book twists American society into a very surreal setting by inflating two | |||
| ⚫ | problematic aspects of society that were of growing interest when he was writing in the 1960’s: police surveillance and drug abuse. | ||
| ''Warning: ].'' | ''Warning: ].'' | ||
| In the novel, police control is not total, but very advanced |
In the novel, police control is not total, but is very advanced, and drug abuse is a problem leading to the mental demise of many people. To deal with these drug victims, ] clinics have sprung up all around the country, forming a sort of nationwide non-governmental, semi-federal institution. | ||
| ⚫ | The main character is a person who is at the same time a hippie and drug user who lives in a ''hippie house,'' and an undercover police agent with the assignment to spy on his housemates. He must shield his true identity both from those in the drug subculture and, ironically, from the police, who must also be presumed to be have elements who are corrupt or ''double agents.'' He takes drugs in part in order to be able to hand in satisfying reports filled with subversive activities, but he has fallen in love with his drug. His drug intake has the eventual effect that he can't distinguish between himself, his job and his act any longer, leading to his own mental breakdown. He winds up reporting on himself, but being unaware of the fact. Eventually his deterioration leads to his admission into one of the rehab clinics. | ||
| The novel captures the language and conversation and culture of drug users in the 1960’s with a rare clarity. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like in those days, review the extended conversation on ''microdots'' in this book. | |||
| The autobiographical nature of the novel is explained in the moving afterword, where Dick dedicates the book to those of his friends -- he includes himself -- who suffered debilitation and death as a result of their drug use. This is mirrored in the involuntary goodbyes that occur throughout the story. | |||
| ⚫ | The main character is an undercover police agent with the assignment to spy on his housemates. |
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| Dick was himself an inmate in a Synanon-type recovery program at one point, as is documented in the book '''The Dark Hared Girl.''' Presumably this is a source of the vividness and accuracy with which the clinic is portrayed. | |||
| The novel captures the language and conversation of drug users with a rare clarity. | |||
| Dick’s standard themes -- the construction of reality in consciousness, the admirable, fascinating, but unattainable and marginally insane woman, humaneness in extreme situations -- appear here. | |||
| Through his last bit of consciousness, we see another plot twist: the drugs are supplied by the rehab clinics, using the patients as farmers. | |||
| Be forewarned that this can be a very depressing, though gripping, entertaining and easy, read. | |||
| The autobiographic part of the novel is explained in the addendum, where he dedicates the book to his circle of friends, many of whom seem to have suffered drug-related | |||
| mental and physical illnesses, more than once leading to death. This is mirrored in the involuntary goodbyes occurring throughout the story. | |||
Revision as of 14:04, 13 November 2003
A Scanner Darkly is one of Philip K. Dick's semi-autobiographical science fiction novels. It is set in a dystopian near future, presumably an alternate 1970’s. A number of Dick’s books make extensive use of drug-involved consciousness; A Scanner Darkly can be considered his master statement about drugs.
The book twists American society into a very surreal setting by inflating two problematic aspects of society that were of growing interest when he was writing in the 1960’s: police surveillance and drug abuse.
Warning: Misplaced Pages contains spoilers.
In the novel, police control is not total, but is very advanced, and drug abuse is a problem leading to the mental demise of many people. To deal with these drug victims, rehab clinics have sprung up all around the country, forming a sort of nationwide non-governmental, semi-federal institution.
The main character is a person who is at the same time a hippie and drug user who lives in a hippie house, and an undercover police agent with the assignment to spy on his housemates. He must shield his true identity both from those in the drug subculture and, ironically, from the police, who must also be presumed to be have elements who are corrupt or double agents. He takes drugs in part in order to be able to hand in satisfying reports filled with subversive activities, but he has fallen in love with his drug. His drug intake has the eventual effect that he can't distinguish between himself, his job and his act any longer, leading to his own mental breakdown. He winds up reporting on himself, but being unaware of the fact. Eventually his deterioration leads to his admission into one of the rehab clinics.
The novel captures the language and conversation and culture of drug users in the 1960’s with a rare clarity. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like in those days, review the extended conversation on microdots in this book.
The autobiographical nature of the novel is explained in the moving afterword, where Dick dedicates the book to those of his friends -- he includes himself -- who suffered debilitation and death as a result of their drug use. This is mirrored in the involuntary goodbyes that occur throughout the story.
Dick was himself an inmate in a Synanon-type recovery program at one point, as is documented in the book The Dark Hared Girl. Presumably this is a source of the vividness and accuracy with which the clinic is portrayed.
Dick’s standard themes -- the construction of reality in consciousness, the admirable, fascinating, but unattainable and marginally insane woman, humaneness in extreme situations -- appear here.
Be forewarned that this can be a very depressing, though gripping, entertaining and easy, read.