Free Example of 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' Essay

The title of the novel intends to elaborate the meaning of being human. Through the protagonist and the androids, the novel brings out certain characteristics that ascertain that one is human. For example, the protagonist's interest is in taking care of animals, especially of real animals. He also has emotions, and that is why he portrays the feelings for Rachael. At some point, he doubts his capability of killing the remaining androids. On the other hand, the androids are incapable of having any emotions or feelings. Rachel feels nothing when he is kissed by Rick (184). In order to show whether the androids can be different, Roy tries to come up with a drug. This will enable the androids to have some religious emotions.

According to the novel, the damage prevailing is an outcome of the Nuclear War. If the animal is not extinct, it is endangered due to the radiation effects of war. These repercussions lead the United Nations to encourage the humans to migrate to Mars as it is safer. On the other hand, the androids are running away from Mars in order to free themselves from their colonizers. In order to fight for the survival, the association updates the androids so that they become as much humane as they can. This increases their chances of surviving in the world which rejects them.

Both races are striving to survive. The androids run away from their land in order to live a free life the same as the humans run to Mars to increase their chances of survival. Contrary to their lack of feelings, they do not kill any human. I can sympathize with them because they only want to increase their chances for the survival. Rachel, Stratton and Roy, amongst other androids, do not kill the humans even though they have many chances to do so. The only wickedness in the androids is depicted by Rachel when he entices Rick to kill Stratton (185) and kills a goat. Stratton and Roy also torture a spider.

Buster Friendly is a symbol of Enlightenment. He reveals that Mercerism is not a true religion as people perceive it to be (18). He explains that Mercer is a product of Hollywood, and so Marcerism is not real. By the end of the novel, the Stratton has identified Buster as a reference point. By declaring that Mercer was not real, the androids could not ascertain the truthfulness of the empathy perception as told by Roy. He tries to destroy Mercerism in order to shake the empathy feelings in humans. However, he does not succeed as Mercer convinces Rick that though Mercer was unreal, the foundation of Mercerism was real.

In the novel, to be "special" is to care for the androids. Isodore cares for the androids even though he knows they are using him (198). To be a chicken means that one is doing out of usual or normal. Isodore concentrates on getting the affection and company, regardless of the emotions’ origin. He finds pleasure in helping and taking care of Stratton regardless of her main agenda and reactions towards him (7). According to Isodore, "kippleization" is when "kipple" (junk) takes over "nonkipple" (order) if one fails to create a stasis that balances the pressures of the two ones (88). This theory shows that he has an intellect. He kills the spider in order to spare it from the misery inflicted by rot and Stratton. Additionally, he relates Mercerism to empathy in the intellectual manner.

The mood organ and the Voight Kampff test are the part of the technological inventions created by Dick in the novel. They are credible as the mood organs can be associated with the internet. Like the mood organs, the internet is not as real although it is always accessible and always working. The Voight Kampff test can be compared to the polygraph test which indicates whether one is lying or not.

Resch and Deckard have a relationship as they are humans who kill the androids for the wrong reasons. While Resch kills the androids for the sake of android itself, Deckard kills them for money and prestige. However, Deckard wants to do away with them. They are also different in that Deckard has the empathy towards some of androids, while Resch has none. Deckard sees Resch as an android because he has no empathy towards his victims. He questions himself because he sees a reflection of himself in Resch. He also asks Resch to help him take the Voight Kampff test.

The novel conveys the theme of mind control. The mood organs and Mercer control the feelings and emotions as well as the mind. The theme of real versus unreal is also present. This theme conveys itself in Mercerism and the empathy box. Regeneration versus decay is another theme present in the novel. This portrayal takes place by the presentation of earth as a decaying planet and Mars as a regenerating planet.

The themes of real versus unreal, decaying versus regeneration, mind control, identity, and mental deficiency versus intelligence are evident differently in the film. Instead of having androids, the film shows replicants. However, the robotic animals are not in the film, thus, the phrase, “Do androids dream?” (82) is unclear. The replicants are on the verge of becoming extinct, thus, the decaying theme is available. Isodore aids the replicants as an intelligent being instead of aiding them (androids) as a “chickenhead” as depicted in the novel. Unlike the novel, where the empathy describes the identity of humans, the film depicts the humans as the race that has lost its identity.