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| '''A Scanner Darkly''' is one of ]'s semi-autobiographical ]s. It is set in |
'''''A Scanner Darkly''''' is one of ]'s semi-autobiographical ] ]s. It is set largely in ], in a ]n time, presumably in the ], his then near-future. A number of Dick’s books extensively portray ]-involved consciousness, and ''A Scanner Darkly'' can be considered his master statement on drugs. | ||
| The "scanner" of the title is both a visual-surveillance device appearing in the novel, and an implicit reference to a Biblical verse in ] that includes "we see as through a mirror darkly", and thus refers to the main character's weak grasp on reality. | |||
| ⚫ | The |
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| problematic aspects of society that were of growing interest when he was writing in the 1960s: police surveillance and drug abuse. | |||
| ⚫ | The novel twists American society into a very ] setting, in conflating two | ||
| ]s of growing interest as he wrote it in the ], namely: | |||
| ''Warning: ].'' | ''Warning: ].'' | ||
| * police ] - in the novel, highly technologically advanced even viewed ] | |||
| 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. | |||
| * ] - in the novel, involvinb widespread drug-abuse-induced mental collapse that is treated in numerous and widespread ] clinics that amount to a nationwide,m non-governmental but federal-government-entangled, institution. | |||
| The main character is |
The main character is both one of a house of ] drug-users, and an undercover police agent assigned to spy on them. He must shield his true identity both from those in the ] and, ], from the police, who apparently must be presumed to include corrupt elements and/or double agents. He takes drugs in part so he can fill his reports with satisfyingly ] activities, but he has fallen in love with his drug. His drug intake leaves him unable to distinguish any longer among himself, his job, and the frauds he uses to combine them, leading to ]. He deteriorates into reporting on himself, without realizing it, and eventually enters the rehab-clinic system. | ||
| The novel captures the language and conversation and culture of drug users in the 1960s with a rare clarity. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like in those days, review the extended conversation on " |
The novel captures the language and conversation and culture of drug users in the 1960s with a rare clarity. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like in those days, review the extended conversation on "]s" 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 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/or death as a result of their drug use. This is mirrored in the involuntary goodbyes that occur throughout the story. | ||
| Dick was himself |
Dick was himself a patient in a ]-type recovery program at one point, as is portrayed in his ] novel ''The Dark-Haired Girl''. Presumably this is a source of the vividness and accuracy with which the clinic is portrayed. | ||
| Dick’s standard themes |
Dick’s standard themes appear here: | ||
| * the construction of reality in consciousness, | |||
| * an admirable, fascinating, but unattainable and marginally insane woman, | |||
| * humaneness in extreme situations | |||
| Readers should be prepared for a very depressing, but gripping, entertaining, and easy, ]. | |||
Revision as of 17:04, 13 November 2003
A Scanner Darkly is one of Philip K. Dick's semi-autobiographical science fiction novels. It is set largely in Berkeley, California, in a dystopian time, presumably in the 1970s, his then near-future. A number of Dick’s books extensively portray drug-involved consciousness, and A Scanner Darkly can be considered his master statement on drugs.
The "scanner" of the title is both a visual-surveillance device appearing in the novel, and an implicit reference to a Biblical verse in I Corinthians 13 that includes "we see as through a mirror darkly", and thus refers to the main character's weak grasp on reality.
The novel twists American society into a very surreal setting, in conflating two social problems of growing interest as he wrote it in the 1960s, namely:
Warning: Misplaced Pages contains spoilers.
- police surveillance - in the novel, highly technologically advanced even viewed as of 2003
- drug abuse - in the novel, involvinb widespread drug-abuse-induced mental collapse that is treated in numerous and widespread rehab clinics that amount to a nationwide,m non-governmental but federal-government-entangled, institution.
The main character is both one of a house of hippie drug-users, and an undercover police agent assigned to spy on them. He must shield his true identity both from those in the drug subculture and, ironically, from the police, who apparently must be presumed to include corrupt elements and/or double agents. He takes drugs in part so he can fill his reports with satisfyingly subversive activities, but he has fallen in love with his drug. His drug intake leaves him unable to distinguish any longer among himself, his job, and the frauds he uses to combine them, leading to mental breakdown. He deteriorates into reporting on himself, without realizing it, and eventually enters the rehab-clinic system.
The novel captures the language and conversation and culture of drug users in the 1960s 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/or death as a result of their drug use. This is mirrored in the involuntary goodbyes that occur throughout the story.
Dick was himself a patient in a Synanon-type recovery program at one point, as is portrayed in his 1988 novel The Dark-Haired Girl. Presumably this is a source of the vividness and accuracy with which the clinic is portrayed.
Dick’s standard themes appear here:
- the construction of reality in consciousness,
- an admirable, fascinating, but unattainable and marginally insane woman,
- humaneness in extreme situations
Readers should be prepared for a very depressing, but gripping, entertaining, and easy, read.