Otis Singleton
'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' is a 1968 dystopian science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, where Earth's life has been greatly damaged by a nuclear global war. The main character, Rick Deckard, is a bounty hunter tasked with retiring rogue androids. The novel explores themes of empathy, the meaning of life, and what it means to be human. The story inspired several adaptations, including the 1982 film 'Blade Runner' and its 2017 sequel, 'Blade Runner 2049', as well as comic books, a stage play, and a radio drama.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the novel | Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? |
| Author | Philip K. Dick |
| Year of publication | 1968 |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Main character | Rick Deckard |
| Rick Deckard's profession | Bounty hunter |
| Rick Deckard's job | Hunt down and "retire" rogue androids by killing them |
| Rick Deckard's motivation | Bounty money to replace his electric sheep with a live animal |
| John Isidore | Works at Van Ness Pet Hospital, which repairs electric animals for those who can't afford live ones |
| Wilbur Mercer | Enigmatic and messianic figurehead of Mercerism |
| Buster Friendly | Android talk show host who is openly opposed to Mercerism |
| Harry Bryant | Rick's boss at the San Francisco Police Department |
| Dave Holden | Bounty hunter who works under Harry Bryant |
| Roy Baty | Leader of the escaped androids Rick is hunting |
| Inspector Garland | Runs a fake police department filled with androids |
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![By Philip K. Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (2012-02-16) [Paperback]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51s+NVQ6atL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Rick Deckard, the bounty hunter protagonist
Rick Deckard is the protagonist of Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel, 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, where Earth's life has been greatly damaged by a nuclear global war. Deckard is a bounty hunter for the San Francisco Police Department, tasked with "retiring" rogue androids by killing them. He hopes to use the bounty money to replace his electric sheep with a live animal, a sign of prestige in a world where most animals are now endangered or extinct.
Deckard's character is central to the novel's exploration of empathy and what it means to be human. As the story progresses, he increasingly struggles with his job, questioning whether the androids he kills are actually living beings. This crisis of conscience forms the moral dilemma at the heart of the novel.
Deckard's targets include Max Polokov, an android who poses as a human officer of the Soviet Union's police force, and Luba Luft, a crafty android with an appreciation for art and a beautiful singing voice. He is also tasked with hunting down Roy Baty, the leader of the escaped androids, and Irmgard Baty, Roy's romantic partner and a member of the Nexus-6 androids that escaped from Mars.
Rick Deckard's character was portrayed by Harrison Ford in the 1982 film adaptation, 'Blade Runner', directed by Ridley Scott. The film, along with its 2017 sequel, 'Blade Runner 2049', helped to establish 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' as a defining work of science fiction.
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John J.R. Isidore, a special who works at Van Ness Pet Hospital
John J.R. Isidore is a central character in Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel, 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, where the Earth has been devastated by a nuclear global conflict. In this world, owning and caring for an animal is considered a virtue and a status symbol, as many species are now extinct or endangered.
John J.R. Isidore is a "special", a human whose mental faculties have diminished due to radiation poisoning. He works at Van Ness Pet Hospital, a business that secretly repairs electric animals for those who cannot afford real, live animals. Isidore is lonely and feels empathy for his fellow humans through Mercerism, a prominent religious movement in the novel. However, his classification as a "special" also excludes him from society. Isidore's boss at the hospital is Hannibal Sloat, and he works alongside a technician named Milt Borogrove. One of his clients is Mrs. Pilsen, who replaces her deceased cat with a fake one.
Isidore aids the fugitive androids in the story and plays a crucial role in the plot, which revolves around Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with "retiring" or killing rogue androids. Deckard, who only owns an electric sheep, struggles with his job as he begins to question whether the androids he hunts are truly living beings. The novel explores themes of empathy, the meaning of life, and what it means to be human, blurring the lines between humans and androids.
John J.R. Isidore's character highlights the impact of radiation poisoning in the post-apocalyptic world and the social exclusion faced by those deemed "special". His work at Van Ness Pet Hospital also underscores the value placed on animal ownership in this world, where electric animals become substitutes for the real thing.
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Inspector Garland, an android who runs a fake police department
Inspector Garland is an intriguing character in Philip K. Dick's novel, 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. Garland is an android who assumes the role of a police inspector, operating a shadow police department in San Francisco. This department is filled with androids, and its purpose is to protect other androids living secretly on Earth. Garland is, therefore, a rogue android himself, one of the escaped models that the protagonist, Rick Deckard, is tasked with hunting down and 'retiring' (killing).
Garland's false police department serves as a foil to the real San Francisco Police Department, where Deckard works as a bounty hunter. Deckard's job is to track down and kill rogue androids, with the bounty money going towards his goal of replacing his electric sheep with a live animal. Deckard's internal struggle forms a central part of the novel, as he increasingly questions whether the androids he is tasked with killing are truly non-living beings.
Inspector Garland's character adds to this central theme of the novel, exploring the blurred lines between humans and androids. Garland, as an android, has assumed a position of authority and power, and his department serves to protect other androids, further emphasising the agency and sentience of these artificial beings. This directly challenges Deckard's mission and raises questions about the morality of his profession.
Garland's role as a police inspector, a typically trusted and authoritative figure, also adds to the novel's exploration of empathy. The reader is forced to consider whether Garland, despite being an android, evokes feelings of empathy, especially as his department aims to protect other androids. This theme of empathy is central to the novel, with the religious movement of Mercerism promoting empathy towards fellow humans.
Overall, Inspector Garland's character serves to complicate the relationship between humans and androids in the novel, forcing readers to question their own definitions of life, consciousness, and empathy.
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Pris Stratton, an escaped android who has come to Earth in secret
Pris Stratton is an escaped android who has secretly made her way to Earth. She is the same type of android as Rachael Rosen. Stratton is one of the rogue androids that Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter for the San Francisco Police Department, is tasked with hunting down and "retiring" (i.e., killing). Deckard intends to use the bounty money to replace his electric sheep with a live animal.
Pris Stratton is a decisive and brutal leader of a small group of androids that have recently arrived on Earth. She is also the romantic partner of Roy Baty, another escaped android. Baty is the leader of the escaped androids that Rick is hunting. Stratton and Baty are both aware of their identities as androids and part of their cover identity is that they are married.
In a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, Earth's life has been greatly damaged by a nuclear global war. Most animals are now endangered or extinct, and owning a real animal is considered a civic virtue and a status symbol. Those who cannot afford live animals discreetly repair electric ones.
Pris Stratton's character raises questions about the nature of being and existence, empathy, and what it means to be human. These are some of the main questions that author Philip K. Dick poses to the reader.
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Roy Baty, the leader of the escaped androids Rick is hunting
Roy Baty is a Nexus-6 android who escaped from Mars and is now on Earth. He is the leader of a group of escaped androids, including his romantic partner, Irmgard Baty, and Rick Deckard is tasked with hunting him down. Roy is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain his freedom, and his character serves as a shadow double of Rick, displaying similar traits and motivations but in direct conflict with him.
Roy is one of six escaped Nexus-6 model androids that Rick, a bounty hunter for the San Francisco Police Department, must "retire" or kill. Rick struggles with his job throughout the story, questioning whether the androids he kills are actually living beings. He hopes to use the bounty money to replace his electric sheep with a live animal, as owning a real animal is considered a status symbol. Roy, on the other hand, yearns for a "normal" life, posing as a married man with Irmgard as his wife.
Roy Baty and his group of escaped androids represent the central conflict in the novel, exploring the ethical dimensions of androids and the theme of empathy. As Rick deals with his moral crisis, Roy is willing to do whatever it takes to remain free, showcasing his decisive and brutal nature as a leader. This dynamic sets the stage for a confrontation between the two characters, with Roy's fate left to be determined in their clash.
In the context of the story's world, where radiation poisoning has caused significant illness and gene damage, the pursuit of Roy Baty by Rick Deckard highlights the complexities of a society grappling with the implications of human-like androids and the value of empathy in defining what it means to be human.
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Frequently asked questions
Rick Deckard is the protagonist of the novel and a bounty hunter for the San Francisco Police Department. His job is to hunt down and "retire" rogue androids by killing them. He hopes to use the bounty money to replace his electric sheep with a live animal. Throughout the story, Deckard struggles with his job, questioning whether or not the androids he kills are actually living beings.
John "J.R." Isidore is a "special," a human whose mental faculties have diminished due to radiation poisoning. He works for Van Ness Pet Hospital, a business that discreetly repairs electric animals for those who cannot afford live animals. Through Mercerism, J.R. feels empathy for his fellow humans but is excluded by his classification as a "special."
Inspector Garland is an android posing as a Police Inspector. He operates a shadow police department in San Francisco, protecting androids living secretly on Earth.
Roy Baty is the leader of the escaped androids Rick is hunting. He is one of the Nexus-6 androids that escaped from Mars and that Rick is attempting to destroy. Roy is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain his freedom.
