Option 1

The technological impact upon representation in the world of Do Androids Dream of Electric sheep was huge. The novel is very futuristic being set in the year 2021. Like many other futuristic novels as well as films, technology tends to play a major role. It seems as though most novels that are set in the future tend to increase the impact and importance of technology. It rarely goes the other way around where technology fades away and people go back to their old ways. In Do Androids Dream of Electric sheep this trend seems to be no different and the impact technology has on representation in the world of the novel seems to be the preface of the book. World War Terminus changed the way the world was looked at in the book. From hoover cars to false animals to video calls to advanced high technological android analysis programs. I would say technology is definitely representative of the novel in a tremendous way.

One thing I found interesting thing I observed was that technology was so prevalent in the novel that it was not of the upmost importance or even the most valuable thing that could be had. After WWT, with earth covered in radioactive dust and the extinction of many animals, the technological things were taken for granted and not as valuable as even an animal which before WWT may have been taken for granted. The animal had quickly become the most valuable luxury one could have as opposed to a car or house or computer. The reason I find this so interesting is because in today’s society its sort of the opposite way around. With technology advancing today, many people, young especially, want to be up on the latest technologies and could care less about owning an exotic animal. Many of the animals of value in the book we eat today or use them for some personal gain such as a sheep’s wool. I think this point is illustrated very well when Mr. Deckerd is examining Rachael Rosen with the Voigt- Kanpff test. Some of the questions he presents to her show that pre-WWT certain behaviors were acceptable that would, in year 2010, make someone cringe. For example, when he asks her about what she would do if she received a calf skin wallet or what she would do if she saw a hunters deer head hanging above his fireplace or what would happen if she saw someone eating a lobster. All of these questions reflect actions that were common and normal pre WWT were as after the war it was downright immoral.

When this book was first published in the late 1960s, I can imagine it must have been very farfetched and unbelievable. Today however, with technology advancing at such a rapid pace, it doesn’t seem to be too unimaginable. A situation similar to that in the book could actually happen in the future. It seems as though in today’s society any technology and/or technological advances are conceivable and anything may be possible in the future.