Another Earth

            While watching Another Earth with my class, many people, including myself, could not help but to point out the fact that the Earth seemed to keep increasing in size. Because nothing was mentioned in the movie about “Earth Two,” or the other planet identical to Earth in the plot line, getting closer at all, I believe that this effect was largely symbolic. For instance, we first see Earth Two as if it were a somewhat large star, while it is mentioned on the main character Rhoda’s radio that Earth 2 has just been discovered. However, as time goes on, and people start finding out more about Earth Two, the size keeps increasing.

 By the time Rhoda wins the ticket for travelling to Earth Two, it is quite huge, and if I recall correctly, it was as big or bigger than the moon, symbolizing that Earth Two is now closer than anyone had ever imagined. This is also interesting because still, probably nobody else has really travelled to the moon yet since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did so. Perhaps this symbolizes that people are now just way past the moon, or just far more interested in Earth Two for it probably is saying that people are much more concerned with trying to find themselves or change their pasts somehow, and do a lot of things differently. By the time Rhoda’s “twin” makes it to Earth (One), Earth Two is huge, probably symbolizing that a full connection has finally been made.

One lingering question I have after watching the movie is: how it is possible that when people on both Earths saw each other, that the simultaneity was broken? Of course, if I had realized there does exist another “me” out there, I would also start questioning what kind of life decisions the other me has made, and start looking extra carefully at every single movement I make from that point on. However, assuming that the other me had gone through the exact same experiences and thoughts as me up to that point, psychologically, shouldn’t the other me be thinking the exact same things still? Therefore, I personally believe that the simultaneity should have been broken right at the moment at which both of the same person meet together.

Bridesicle by Will McIntosh

“…through life and revival, to have and hold…”

“’What’s that I’m hearing? Is that a marriage ceremony?’ Mira asked."

            In Will McIntosh’s “Bridesicle,” technology has advanced so far that people can now be cryogenically frozen after they die, and older dead people can “hitch” onto the lives of people still alive to live vicariously through the “hitchee’s” body. Specifically in the case of the cryogenically frozen people, it appears that many, if not all, of the females end up one way or another in what is called a “Bridesicle.” There, men come and partially “revive” them for short periods of time to see if any of the women there are willing to marry them, in which case they fully revive the woman by paying a fee. The main character, Mira, is such a woman who is currently still very much “dead” and frozen and inside the Bridesicle, but she happens to be gay

            I feel like the above quote from a marriage vow (as well as from the short story) really sums up a lot of the challenges and themes in the story. For one, it seems as if the humans in the future have really interpreted that phrase quite literally, for the brides are literally given “life and revival.” And, that is what Mira had been missing when she took her own life (and subsequently ended up in a bridesicle). Her lover, Jeanette, had died, and her mother, who was hitching on her, had not been so approving of the union. In a way, perhaps McIntosh is saying that even though we sometimes want people to see what we see, it is a big risk to do so, especially if it’s all the time. And besides, you will never see, or “have and hold” the hitchers ever again. On the other hand, McIntosh also showed us a success story of the hitchers through Lycan and his grandson.

            However, even though the bridesicles absolutely seem to violate the rights of a woman (why are they put into a bridesicle after they die? And why are there no “groomsicles” then?), it did really allow for true life and revival between Mira and Jeanette. Allowing themselves to be frozen allowed them to transcend a time where they could not be together, and therefore their love happened to be revived as well.

Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang pg. 1-15

Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life”, pages 1-15, seemed very different from all the previous science fiction novels and short stories that I have read. It seemed to be more in tune with actual reality than what I normally find science fiction to be like. This probably lends itself to the fact that the story alternates between the normal, familiar moments to human beings every day, about growing up, and then living in the alien world. The story starts off in a world that seems very normal to me, in a way that I did not even guess what kind of science fiction tidbits were in store for me. The story talks about how the narrator wants to tell her child how she was born, as well as the narrator’s reflections on her child growing up. It also is the story of how the narrator is sent to help decode an alien language, the language of the “Heptapods,” and how the narrator meets the child’s father through this. However, in the beginning, we know of the child’s start and end, for the narrator says “I’d love to tell you the story of this evening, the night you’re conceived, but the right time to do that would be when you’re ready to have children of your own, and we’ll never get that chance” (117). The fact that we know of the child’s birth as well as death definitely helps set up the rest of the story—what happens in between that time. However, the alien story seems to go in chronological order while the story of the narrator’s daughter growing up is rather nonlinear. Since I have not yet finished the story at this point, I cannot say for sure what I think this implies, but for some reason it evokes to me a sense that perhaps the mother, or narrator, will start to view her career in translating the alien language as ever more so important than child rearing, for she is so organized in her approach towards telling the story of the aliens. Or, if the memories are simply recollections as she thinks through her story, then perhaps this theory is not so.

Hijab Scenes #7 Body Paragraph

            The poem manages to show that even though so many people assume that she has no freedom or will not speak out, the narrator is a strong, confident Muslim American woman with independence, and a voice willing to fight back. Kahf shows this through the lines “Yes, I speak English; Yes, I carry explosives; They’re called words; And if you don’t get up; Off your assumptions, They’re going to blow you away.” In contrast to the beginning of the poem, where many lines questioning her American identity started off with the word “No,” a “Yes” is given for the part that makes her more American, for speaking English. She shows that she has been tired of people assuming that she is not an American citizen, and that she is not willing to just stand by and let others draw conclusions about her without her even getting a voice in the matter of determining who herself is. Therefore, she describes her “explosives” as being “words.” The part “explosives” also implies that she has been bottling up these feelings for awhile, letting some assumptions about her slide, even though she herself knows that she is American, just like those asking her the questions. Therefore, “blow away” not only implies that the ignorance of people will lead to their downfall, but also that the knowledge of the language, used to fight back, will be an eye-opener for certain people.

The Lathe of Heaven II

In Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven, one of the alternate realities Haber makes George dream up has aliens in it. There is supposed to be “peace on Earth,” but instead there is an alien invasion on the moon which unites all the “earthlings” together against the alien threat. Regarding this topic, I found the following quote by Haber quite interesting:

            “It’s been over six years now since their first landing on the Moon, and they still haven’t made it to Earth. By now, our missile defense systems are completely efficient. There’s no reason to think they’ll break through now, if they haven’t yet” (87).

            Here, I’d like to point to things that have happened in reality. I believe that Le Guin is trying to say something along the lines that we always over prepare, overreact to every threat that we are faced with. The novel was indeed written in the Cold War Era, in which an arms race was about to happen (no Reagan yet though, which makes this novel seem like a precursor!). There was also a space race as well, which perhaps inspired the bit about the moon. Even today, America is equipped by nukes to the brim, more than we’ll ever possibly need, as a threat. However, we still have terrorists and etc. coming by, and now we’ve pretty much made the Middle East very angry at us. I think Le Guin is saying that no amount of deterrents will really protect us—I think perhaps, she thinks it would be better to talk things out instead (perhaps using diplomatic means to solve problems instead of using our fists).

The Lathe of Heaven I

            In Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Lathe of Heaven, the main character, George Orr, has the power to change the world through his dreams. His ability scares him, and makes him afraid of dreaming, which is how Orr ends up having to see the therapist Haber. Haber, however, is compared to a mad scientist at points, using George to try controlling the world to how Haber wants it. However, George still thinks that “He’s not…not an evil man. He means well. What I object to is his using me as an instrument, a means—even if his ends are good. I can’t judge him—my own dreams had immoral effects…that’s why…I got into this mess” (48).

            I find it interesting how George thinks that he is the immoral one when he has no control over what he is doing. It is also interesting how Haber thinks that he is the one benefitting the world, and that he is the good person for he is helping everyone in his own way. I feel like perhaps he is inspired by Hitler or some other dictator/leader, for this book was written after World War II as well. Perhaps Haber is a combination between Hitler and Victor Frankenstein. Perhaps it is something like, “What would Frankenstein have done if he really liked his creation?”

            I also find it strange how George seems to be panicked by the fact that Haber wants to change reality. This implies that George actually likes this world in a way. Even though the world has a lot wrong with it (protein deficiency, war, etc.), George still wants to be a part of it. Therefore, I think Ursula K. Le Guin is trying to get at themes of perhaps conservation at this part of the novel.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick pt. 2

From page 163 to 165 of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick, the lines between humans and androids are extremely blurred. The passage really provokes the question of, to what extent the humans being humans and the androids being androids? I am also intrigued by all John Isidore says during this passage, for his words remind me of Aye, and Gomorrah in particular.

            It is so fascinating that the androids are able to find some common ground with Isidore, perhaps in a way that relates to empathy. For one, Irmgard notes that “They[Society] don’t[doesn’t] treat him[Isidore] very well either” (164). Isidore is a “special,” and so neither he nor the androids are really accepted by the rest of society. It implies that Isidore and the androids could really become “friends” in a way and appreciate each other. It also makes the androids seem more empathetic than human beings in a way. For one, the androids seem to be accepting Isidore a lot better than the society treats and accepts Isidore. Instead of just pushing Isidore off to the side, the androids are actually willing to enlist Isidore’s help. Also, Irmgard and Pris both have deiced to call Isidore “special” but in a good way.

            Isidore also seems to have a rather large mental capacity, which makes me question whether the test to find one’s a special was legitimate or not. It makes me think of Aye, and Gomorroh, perhaps there is a performance after each one.