Seriously. What's up. These characters are stuck in a "going-out-of-existence" and "coming-into-existence," two terms that look like they've come straight out of Heidegger's Being and Time (112). Spanish talks about being "moved [...] into another world" and then "restored" to their "rightful universe" when Pat stunts her mental powers (60). Philip K Dick is the only science fiction writer I've encountered who has made me even more confused than I was at the beginning. I believe that it's too early in the game to make any calls about what's actually going on here. However, I do have a feeling that Pat's powers have something to do with this.
On a more thematic note, both responsibility and aging have a significance in chapters 5-8. Before the incident, Runciter acknowledges the "irreversible burden on responsibility and age" which is another way of saying only two things are certain: death and taxes (63). After taking command of the squad, Joe suggests that they "blame [the incident] on Runciter" because he lead them to Luna and on page 96, it says that he feels angry at the fact that this may have been his own fault. Joe's lack of responsibility is evident in both this and his financial instability. Not once does he pay for himself throughout these four chapters. Joe also claims to be "a positive-thinking; powerful man" who "worked his way step by step to the top" (102). However, it is quite clear through his financial problems and inability to take responsibility that he is none of those things. He can talk the talk, but he can't walk the walk. He shows utter disrespect towards Runciter by claiming to be the heir of his business while being nothing more than lazy and irresponsible.
I would have to disagree with you about Joe's laziness and irresponsibility. To start, Joe has not been given much time to recupurate from the Mr. Runciter's murder, yet he seems to be completly in charge and motivated. His lack of money is due to his debt, as he explains, and he even mentions that once he recieves his new salary he will repay his debts and live a new life. From what we see in chapter 8, Joe is dealing with the newfound issues rather than pushing them off to other characters or completly ignoring them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis on much of the chapter, John, as I was very confused as to what was actually going on for the majority of it, especially with all of the deterioration of the objects, but then again with the appearance of Runciter's face all over the place. Just speculation, but I'm thinking that Pat did something, like accidentally activated her power and caused this strange turn of events.
ReplyDeleteI agree more with David on the point of Joe though. I don't really think he tries to be this lazy, irresponsible guy, and he does realize that he has issues with this when he recognizes that he is wasting away his money, like at the coffee shop. And, although he may not be great with money, he does seem to be the logical choice as the next head of Runciter associates, so I don't think of that as him being disrespectful to Runciter or irresponsible, since stepping up and filling in the role is actually the responsible thing to do in that situation.
"I've got to get back to New York, he said to himself. All of us who were there on Luna - all of us who were present when the bomb blast went off. We have to work this out together; in fact, it's probably the only way it can be worked out. Before the rest of us die, one by one, the way Wendy did. Or in a worse way, if that's possible." (107).
ReplyDeleteThat right there kind of sums up the leader that I think we'll see Joe Chip become. He's had this role thrust upon him with the sudden loss of his boss, Mr. Runciter. On top of this, there are strange things happening to the members of the group. Even though there are a lot of different things going on, Joe is able to visualize that path that needs to be taken. He might not be the best leader and he might have been glad to accept the position because of the benefits it offers, but he still steps up to the challenge.
So, I agree with David in that I disagree with John. Mostly.
I have to agree with most of John's analysis of Joe Chip. What all of you say above is true. It is hard to recuperate after your boss/friend was murdered. It does seem like he has a clear goal for the future. It looks as if he will pay back his debt (after he gives himself a nice little raise). Overall, Joe Chip seems to want to get Runciter Associations back on track. However, desire to do something does not equal ability to do so or action. As seen in the earlier chapters, he cannot pay his way out of his own house, he makes threats to the door that will not allow him to leave, and quite frankly he doesn't even know who he is. Therefore, I do not believe that he would make a good leader for Runciter Associations. He does "talk the talk and can't walk the walk." Then again, he may be the best option because nobody else has proven to be any better but that should not be confused with his ability to lead. Just because you are the best, doesn't mean you are good. To conclude, I disagree that he shows "utter disrespect" towards Runciter but rather has a character flaw as a leader.
ReplyDeleteIn chapters 5-8, I really liked PKD’s method of further alienating the reader by messing with one of the most basic aspects of our human experience: our perception of time. The way we experience time, it is very linear, it moves in one direction, and time passes for everything and everyone at the same rate. In the novel, PKD takes all of this and throws it out the window. I was very confused by what was going on. Things seem to happen out of nowhere without a logical cause and effect, and accelerated decay/aging happens all around the members of the mission to Luna. Toward the end of chapter 8, the surviving employees try to make sense of everything, but their proposed explanations just made me even more confused. Their reasoning explains one occurrence, but not another, etc.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing that Pat is responsible for the utter chaos and confusion surrounding the Runciter Associates team. Her abilities add a rather unsettling aspect to the plot of the novel. The fact that she can go back and alter time pathways means that nothing in the present, or past for that matter, is set in stone as we know it to be. Pat can change things any time and they might not know it. As a side note, I think I noticed a discrepancy in Pat’s claims about her power. She said she couldn’t stop the bomb from exploding on Luna because it had been too long, but I thought that earlier she had demonstrated her power by making it so that she and Joe Chip had been married for a year. Maybe I misunderstood that earlier part, but if not, then it’s something to think about.
Sorry John, but I would have to agree with the Nagel's point of view that although Joe does shown some form of leadership skills, he is not the ideal leader for Runciter Associations. However, with the circumstances that come up in the chapters read, it almost seems like the job of taking charge just falls into Joe's lap. To me, it has been too easy for him to just simply rise to power and take over Runciter Associations. That is why I believe Pat had more to do with all the events that have occurred in these chapters than we are led on to believe. Her cool demeanor through everything that happens to the group makes it seem as though she is aware of what is actually going on. That is why the feeling that Pat knows, or has done, more than she says she has. I'm interested in seeing if she did play more of a part in Runciter's death than she makes us think she did.
ReplyDeleteIn the spirit of my fellow commenters, I must somewhat disagree with John, though there might be some worth to his words. In transporting their boss, Joe tells Al that “Runciter would never have taken a tranquilizer under circumstances of this sort”, shortly after describing him as the “most life-loving, full-living man” he had ever met. I feel it isn’t utter disrespect he exhibits, but rather as my peers have stated, a confidence in himself that he’ll ascend to a position of leadership in the association, having studied the man and attempting to coolly emulate him. However, he might not be completely responsible or capable of rising to such leadership just yet, as in his recount of Runciter’s greatness, and agitation on the way to the Beloved Brethren Moraturium, he states he’ll only calm down “when [he knows] some form of life, half-life, is still there.”
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ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree with most of the things John has said, I must disagree that Joe Chip is lazy and irresponsible. Now that we have finished the book (or at least should have) we can easily see how determined and strong he is. Not only does he take charge of the his group, doing the best he can to keep everyone alive, but he is also smart enough to eventually figure out the truth of his reality. It not surprising that Runciter, in his will, chooses Joe to be his heir. In fact, Ella chooses Joe to take her place because she knows how committed he’s been to Runciter and his company. If anything, this shows just how responsible and persevering Joe is. At one point in the story, Runciter asks himself how he is ever gong to find a replacement who is as good as Joe was.
ReplyDeleteI think that PDK places Chip into financial instability not to suggest any signs of laziness or incompetence, but rather to show the ‘fallen hero,’ an element very common in Dick’s stories.