“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” Chapter 1 Analysis Essay

Thesis statement

Animals are the best friends to human beings. The key theme in this essay is the relationship man has to animals as well as the emotional attachment that humans had towards animals. It was a status symbol for an individual to own an animal during such times, especially considering the fact that most of the animals were extinct due to nuclear radiations. I would recommend this text to others, to emphasize the love for animals especially now when people maltreat animals.

Introduction

The author of this book is Philip Dick. He is an accomplished author especially in the field or genre of science fiction. As such, his publication under the title “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” was another best seller for him considering the experience and expertise he has in the field. The genre of the book is of science fiction. The main theme is the emotional relationship of man to animals, and the key thesis is how human beings connect with animals especially after their extinction during that period.

Main body

This is a very captivating text. It explores the various features and characters that take place after the environmental degradation of the universe from nuclear war, as well as the extinction of a wider species of animals due to extreme radiation poisoning that emanated from the war. As such, the key characters are considering purchasing a new real sheep to replace the electric sheep that they were keeping initially. “Instead of saving,” he said, “so we could buy a real sheep, to replace that fake electric one upstairs. A mere electric animal, and me earning all that I’ve worked my way up to through the years.” The above quote by Iran’s wife points to the love she had for animals and how she wanted to replace the electric sheep they had with a real sheep using the bounty money brought in by her husband from work.

In summary, the first chapter of the book covers a discussion that Iran has with his wife in their house when they both failed to fall asleep. As such, they ended up threatening each other as they both wanted to change settings that would be favorable for them to sleep. It was during this conversation that the wife called the husband a killer as quoted below. “You’re worse,” his wife said, her eyes still shut. “You’re a murderer hired by the cops.” She even suggested that they use the money he brings home on purchasing a real sheep in order to replace the electric sheep that they had upstairs.

An analysis and evaluation of the text provides that human beings have a lot of affection to animals. As mentioned above, animals during this period were extinct. Therefore, it was an honor and a privilege for one to own any live animal because most had died from extreme radiation as aftermath of the nuclear war. Consequently, people resorted to living with electric animals in order to replace the real animals that they were supposed to have, existing freely within nature. For instance, the couple in the first chapter has their own electric sheep that fills the void of a real sheep. It appears that their favorite animal is the sheep.

As the book explores the emotional, as well as the empathic feelings that humans have towards animals, it is evident from the first chapter that the two main characters love animals and are even willing to spend more for them, especially considering their general costs during such tough times. As quoted above, the wife suggests that they buy a real sheep to replace the electric sheep that they had kept upstairs. This alone is a gesture of love for the animals, as well as a high financial status within the society. This is because they would have to spend a high amount of money, obviously not affordable by the common citizen, in order to purchase a real sheep.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the activities that man engages in today have a clear and negative effect on the environment today. For instance, the book captures the after math of World War Terminus, which was a nuclear war that caused an extreme level of radiation poisoning during the war. Seemingly, the most affected organisms from the radiation were the animals, which went into extinction. As such, during these times it was prestigious for one to own an animal as it signified his or her social status within the society. The people resorted to purchasing electric animals to fill the void of real animals, and as for the couple in the first chapter, they had an electric sheep, which they intended to replace with a real sheep, purchased from the bounty money brought in by the husband.

Works Cited
Kratky, Michael. Science Fiction Analysis: Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Boston: BoD – Books on Demand, 2007. Print.
Philip, Dick. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? New York City: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2012. Print.
Roberson, Chris. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep: Dust to Dust, Volume 2. Boston: BOOM! Studios, 2011. Print.