Summary: Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep

Honey Abdul
Eng. 105
Mr. South
April 18, 2018

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
The prevailing theme explored in Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” revolves around the search for identity through internal conflicts between values and obligations. Drastically altered by World War Terminus, the novel focuses on the impacts of the war in San Francisco. With a majority of the population emigrating to Mars, various conflicts of the remaining residents in the nuclear dust contaminated state are scrutinized in depth. Social expectations and standards naturally evolve along with the changes imposed by post-war effects. Inner struggles arising from a clash of morality and duty are showcased to emphasize how such afflictions impact

In a profound sense, aside from struggling with the balance of values, Rick loses grip on the emotions and humanity in him that distinguishes humans from androids. Dick portrays the protagonist as a conflicting character to showcase the main theme of identity search. Rick’s inner turmoil of achieving a social status and his personal morals is an example of a man vs. himself conflict. The constant shifts between choosing his morals and obligations are evident in his missions to retire androids as reluctance stems from his conscience. Mercer’s quote: "You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity" (Dick 179) sways Rick into betraying his sense of humanity as he started developing empathy towards androids, further perplexing Rick’s grip on his morality. Rick is blurred by the line drawn between humans and androids as he starts to lose sight of the supposed differences of human empathy which androids

Phil’s lack of reluctance and empathy towards killing androids leads Rick to suspect he’s an android. However, Phil is indeed a human, and this causes the foundations of Rick’s beliefs on human empathy to crumble. In addition to moral conflicts, Rick engages in a sexual relationship with Rachel who is an android that he is obligated to retire, yet develops an attraction towards, adding more emotional complications to his inner turmoil of career versus morality. Conflicts of man vs. society are shown through the pressure exerted by the society, which acts as a force to manipulate Rick’s mentality, affecting his priorities of value and duty. Dick’s use of characterization and conflicts along with influences of character relations help emphasize the recurring theme of struggles toward identity establishment.
Ironies of the novel help reinforce the crux of the motif in the novel. Dick’s complex portrayal of Rachel Rosen’s character in the novel as an android demonstrates situational irony as her character develops spiteful emotions towards Rick’s animal despite being a robot void of emotions in nature. In another scenario, Rick’s developing attachment towards the female androids he retires is ironic as he is a bounty hunter who supposedly neglects his inner voice of conscience to achieve a social status. The ultimate situational irony displayed in the novel is Rick’s