What does Brown (2001) identify as the central themes and concerns of the novel? What elements conform to the wider generic features of SF?
The Man in the High Castle is a twisting schizophrenic tale of an alternate universe, filled with characters and plot scenarios, that although mostly separate; seem to be intimately linked by fate and the characters drive to have control over something that may be uncontrollable. The central themes of High Castle remain debateable in my eyes, the notion of fate; that you can control ones own, or fail to; or even come to the realisation that you never can; all seem to be prelavent themes and plot devices throughout the pages of High Castle. This twisting and unreal sense of reality seems to be a theme enforced upon characters within Dick's stories. As Brown(2001) states, a character in High Castle "...makes a discovery that changes her perception of reality- always a dominant theme in Dicks work.."
High Castle delves into a complex and elussive alternate reality, in which the Axis prevailed over the Allies and the world exists on a knifes edge; caught between the psychotic fantacism of the current Reich, and their rivals; the calculating, elitist, but spiritually enlightened Japanese empire; who stand in stark opposition to the trigger happy and frantic powers of the Reich. This is part of a grand theme in the book, a clash of Idealogies of the supposedly superior. Brown (2001) proposes that High Castle is "...an examination of the conflicting ideas of totalitarianism and eastern philosophy..." as well as "In opposition to Nazi ideology, Dick posits the philosophy of Tao which offers a means of examining the universe through the principles of interconnectedness." I interpreted the philosophy of Tao as still being almost a neutral force within the book; althougth the Japanese appear to be a more responsible than the viscious Reich; I believe the Japanese empire almost use the Tao and idea of eastern philosophy and prophecy as a form of control and means by which to prove their superiority and rightful place as rulers; guiding events with their superior knowledge and interpretation of the present and future. This may not have been intentional by Dick, more a natural evolution of the narrative and another subtle layer of the grandoise plot.
The use of Tao and the I Ching in High castle almost destroys the will of the characters to seek their own fate, instead allowing them to devolve into paranoia over whether their choices or interpretation of prophecy are correct, this point contributes to another in Brown (2001) "The terror of implicit evil, the claustrophobic sense of being imprisoned in a world seemingly without hope." the characters "find themselves trapped in circumstances they cannot control."
I believe the only element that conforms to the wider scifi genre is the idea of an alternate reality, where events transpire far differently from those seen in the real world. The rest to me seemed very different and refreshing from mainstream science fiction.
According to Mountfort (2006), what role does the I Ching have as an organisational device in the structure of High Castle? How does the use of this device illuminate the character of the novel’s protagonists?
The I Ching is an extremely integral feature of High Castle. It seems to guide the characters at every junction, the prime catalyst for all interactions and scenarios. Dick himself claims that "the I Ching itself [sic] has in a sense written High Castle." Mountfort (2006).
Dick literally used the I Ching to guide the entire storyline of High Castle. Mountfort (2006) states that Dick consulted the I Ching prophecy text, "he posed it questions at various critical junctures, regarding the situations his characters face...." and "how he should proceed in the writing of the novel and its plot development".
Whilst reading the novel we assume the I Ching is simply a means of creating a surreal spiritual realm within the universe, where the characters isolation and ignorance of eachother, gives way to the characters individual interpretations of the I Ching. Guiding them to create events that they are affected by, or end up affecting themselves. Mountfort (2006) claims that the character's "..consultations also illuminate the subtarranean fate lines that connect characters who never meet but whose decisons and actions affect eachother in concrete ways."
With these revelations we can easly come to the conclusion that the I Ching is the one most important aspect in The Man in the High Castle. Having directly guided the plot and storyline through Dick and his characters interpretations. At the end of the novel we discover the I Ching proposes the characters entire universe may be fake, or unreal. Upon discovering the authors use of I Ching, this final insight took on a whole new meaning. Did Dick plan from the beggining to reveal the experience as fake? Did he simply interpret the final I Ching Prophecy in a way as to add the new revelation? Or was it simply an idea that the I Ching revealed to him spur of the moment? Interesting to say the least.
References
Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.
Mountfort, P. (2006). Oracle-Text/Cybertext in Philip K. Dick's The Man in High Castle. Conference Paper, Popular culture association/ American culture Association annual joint conference, Atlanta, (2006)
Two interesting and well-written responses Rory, your point on the "examination of the conflicting ideas of totalitarianism and eastern philosophy..." as a central theme in tMitHC is a valid one. This had me serching the net to examine the history behind Japan's involvement in WWII. Your reading of Paul's article also provides some useful comments regarding the use of the i-Ching in the novel.
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