55
votes
Accepted
How are the off-world colonies reached in Blade Runner?
It seems that film and book might have different interpretations of this.
I really don't remember the book that well, so what do we know about the film interpretation related to off-world travel and ...
- 1,361
46
votes
In Phillip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", is Deckard a replicant?
Philip K. Dick stated in an interview (see 1) that Dick created Deckard as a human character who is gradually dehumanized through his violence towards replicants.
"The purpose of this story as I ...
- 461
30
votes
How are the off-world colonies reached in Blade Runner?
The only manned space vessel that I can find in the novel is in some dialogue (bold added):
‘The issue is not the legality of the bone marrow analysis,’ Eldon
Rosen said huskily. ‘The issue is ...
- 1,518
18
votes
In 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', why does Deckard need to apply the Voight-Kampff test at all?
The list that was provided to Deckard was based off "suspicions" as we can see when Bryant tells Deckard:
"Dave used the Voigt-Kampff Altered Scale in testing out the individuals
he suspected (...
- 1,006
14
votes
Accepted
Where are the children in Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"? Are there even any?
Children were rare on earth in the novel due to the fact that most of the people who couldn't emigrate to Mars (or other off-world colonies) had been irradiated too much by radioactive fallout to ...
- 8,976
12
votes
Accepted
Would a human sociopath fail the Voight-Kampff test?
If you read along a little further you'll find that this has been considered. A human with that little social empathy (e.g. none) wouldn't be able to function in society and would be immediately ...
- 718k
10
votes
Accepted
Why create Rachael in Blade Runner?
More human than human
In the movie, the lifespan limitation is a flaw, not a feature. Replicant DNA is more unstable than human DNA - replicants just die earlier.
Tyrell wants to make perfect ...
- 5,087
10
votes
Accepted
How does a Mood Organ work?
It seems that Dick is borrowing this invention from his other book We Can Build You, which is a sort of a prequel to the Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
In this book, a company that produces ...
- 30k
8
votes
How did the androids manage to disrupt communication with the real police station?
How they did it I'm unsure, but it appears to be that he changes the phone line over to use the android lines. We know that the androids are operating what essentially boils down to a parallel and ...
- 144k
8
votes
How are the off-world colonies reached in Blade Runner?
I disagree with the source used in wcullen's answer saying:
the "central issues [are] left un- or under-explained" including, "Where are the 'off world colonies'?"
Indeed, Mars is mentioned ...
- 58.3k
8
votes
Where are the children in Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"? Are there even any?
The clearest reference to children being on earth is at the museum in Chapter 12:
Many people had turned out for the exhibit, including a grammar school class; the shrill voice of the teacher ...
- 81
8
votes
Where are the children in Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"? Are there even any?
As a supplement to @Vanguard3000's answer, it seems likely that the Klugmans had children (or at least one child) before they immigrated to Mars (bold added):
‘Let’s hear from Mrs Maggie Klugman,’ ...
- 1,518
7
votes
Accepted
Why Were Androids Outlawed in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Earth is dying, and the U.N. is actively trying to get everyone to emigrate to colonies and a personal android for colonists is part of the incentive to go.
That had been the ultimate incentive of ...
- 155
7
votes
In Phillip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", is Deckard a replicant?
I thought the Dick novel was absolutely clear that Deckard was not an android.
No android in the book shows any sign of empathy, but Deckard does; the androids hate and mock Mercerism (the religion of ...
- 60.7k
7
votes
How are the off-world colonies reached in Blade Runner?
There's no indication of how the ships work in either the novel or the film (any iteration).
It shouldn't really be a surprise given that the workings of technology are not the focus of the story at ...
- 2,511
5
votes
Accepted
Why weren't bounty hunters provided with pictures of runaway androids?
I have read over the paragraphs where Deckard first talked with Bryant about Dave notes, which had the list of the possible androids. The list was based of suspicions that Dave himself had about the ...
- 1,006
5
votes
How can the androids have important jobs, Garland, Luft?
Luba Luft
Luba, is a Nexus 6 and has only recently arrived. Because of her advanced physiology and intellect, she's managed to get ahead surprisingly quickly through a combination of forged ...
- 718k
2
votes
Accepted
Why do the Police work against the Rosen company?
The core problem for the Police is Law Enforcement. The law is that no replicants are allowed on Earth, and currently the Police have the Voigt-Kampff test to determine whether or not a suspect is ...
- 5,510
1
vote
In 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', why does Deckard need to apply the Voight-Kampff test at all?
The test is fugazi. The test might "work", it might not, but it is certainly far from foolproof. After all, one of the primary themes of the book(and movie) is that androids and humans do ...
- 66
1
vote
How are the off-world colonies reached in Blade Runner?
In brief, the 'off-world' travel in the Blade Runner fictional universe is inconsistent, incomprehensible and leaves every question unanswered.
The very short answer is that in the two original films ...
- 718k
1
vote
How are the off-world colonies reached in Blade Runner?
The only comment I will make is that if you look at an illustration of the Orion constellation then you will see that the position of the shoulder of Orion is occupied by Betelguese. Betelguese is a ...
1
vote
Can someone explain the end of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
I think he goes up to Oregon because it's on the way to Seattle where Rachel is. He's mixed up after retiring all those andies and also sleeping with one. (He thinks he shared something with her.) He ...
- 11
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