Marxism Theory in Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

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Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? continues to resonate with modern society based on its take on how different elements function today. Dick evokes unique social commentary and criticism of modern American society amid the existing hyper-capitalism. Understanding these concepts is best approached through the application of a theoretical concept. The story can be analyzed through different cultural theories, including structuralism, psychoanalytical criticism, postmodernism, post-structuralism, and Marxism. These theories provide different reiterations of how society works based on existing pillars. The current paper looks at how the theory of Marxism can be used to explain the novel due to the rejection of aesthetics and commodification by focusing on societal structures and hegemony.

A significant portion of the novel is composed of Dick’s profound use of social commentary by envisioning a dystopian future where robots have established the world order. There are evident depictions where capitalism and consumerism promote the emergence of socialist components despite the world’s challenges. This illustrates the Marxism theory, which focuses on the struggle between the working class and capitalists. According to Marx, a lasting power relationship between these two elements creates an exploitative society leading to class conflict (Barry). Dick illustrates this concept through Deckard, who is at crossroads in understanding his place in society through the contempt of his electric sheep. This way, Dick highlights the power of material possession and how it can influence social status. Some might consider these possessions to bear little significance, especially if the world has just undergone a devastating disaster. However, Dick chooses to illustrate the opposite in the narrative by highlighting the significance of material wealth. Therefore, Dick includes various instances of Marxism in the novel to show how dystopian societies would find material possession to be of much importance and illustrate a capitalist-consumed society.

The analysis uses Raymond Williams’ idea of Marxism, where he introduces the concept of hegemony. According to Williams, hegemony is a political ideology founded on the relationship between states (McGuigan). He notes that Marxism is an extension of this idea as it introduces the relationship between social classes. This concept also traverses cultural and ideological elements, where culture is a social process where life and ideologies are defined and transformed. In Marxism, culture is a collection of values and meanings expressed or projected to specific class interests, leading to an active process continuously transformed by people. In the narrative, capitalism is hegemonic, underlining how people perceive and construct things in society. Additionally, it determines how different social classes relate to society. This observation is vital in connecting Marxism to Dick’s novel by illustrating what happens to those who live in a hegemonic capitalist society.

Another observation is how Dick wants readers to understand the definition of ‘being human.’ He introduces the robot and animal society, where both coexist. However, since robots control a significant portion of society, the existence of animals can be seen as an element of capitalism. From the narrative, the existence of animals has had its consequences for many characters, including Deckard. Deckard, like other people, is safe from becoming a robot since they already possess robot-like features and are drained of all their natural feelings. They will continue doing so as they objectify their surroundings.

At the beginning of the narrative, Dick illustrates the existing relationship between humans and robots. For instance, Deckard is depicted as a man troubled by his wife, who accuses him of murderous acts hired by cops known to kill “poor andys” (Dick 2). Deckard visits his electric sheep to maintain his sanity and escape his wife. In traditional society, this may appear strange, but for Deckard and others, this is the only alternative to owning an animal due to the consequences of war. During his escapade, Deckard tries to understand how the sheep came into existence and how it manages to stay alive, chomping on simulated serenity. He also wonders how many households in his area have similar ‘fake’ animals. However, Dick illustrates that Deckard knows too well not to ask this question out loud and would be seen as a breach of manners greater than asking someone if their teeth or hair are real (Dick 3). People are only meant to ‘enjoy’ what instruments of power dictate without questioning.

Here, it is evident that questioning the realness of an animal is distasteful or rude, a culture that has been passed down as offensive in society. This highlights that a higher power prevents people from getting into details about their sheep. The same power would prevent them from divulging the details about their animals or looking for information from others. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the people do not know that their animals are not authentic. They know so but still choose to own them, depicting fetishism. In other words, they attribute inherent value or power to their electric sheep, an idea that Williams identified as internalized control strengthening some views so that they are not questioned. However, not all people see these sheep as important. According to Dick, some consider these animals worthless and incapable of replacing real animals. This idea depicts that the concept of social class is also evident in Dick’s novel.

It is also important to consider the role of norms in society. Norms are standards for expected behavior that act as guidelines dictating and helping people understand how others respond to their behaviors (Cole). In the narrative, Dick illustrates the relationship between Deckard and Barbour, his neighbor, to explain the concept of social norms. For instance, Deckard maintains social norms by not enquiring about Barbour’s horse, although he is jealous. To counter his feelings, he focuses on the bible to check how much a horse costs because “he wished to god he had a horse, in fact, any animal. Owning and maintaining a fraud had a way of gradually demoralizing one” (Dick 7). This illustrates Deckard’s urge to own a real animal but emphasizes that this need is not related to him wanting to be closer to the animal. This is an illustration of a concept planted in Deckard by society.

Deckard craves to possess what Barbour has. Barbour also has dreams, as his eyes “glazed over, imagining such possessions; he drifted by degrees into a trance (Dick 4). These two do not talk about their animals regarding what value they bring to them but only about the idea of possession. They see their animals as material possessions that they can show off to others to illustrate their place in society. Here, the concept of cultural consumerism exists to exploit and victimize others, creating a society where people are known for the value of what they own. Dick illustrates this when Barbour asks Deckard how he would feel if he (Barbour) owned two horses instead of one but Deckard asks if he could buy one of the horses, saying, “for you to have two horses and me none, that violates the basic theological and moral structure of Mercerism” (Dick 7). This evokes the concept of commodity aesthetics, whereby owning a horse is a depiction of high social class. Therefore, the two only value their animals due to their value and not that they love them.

Another observation from this conversation is the clear reflection of how religion directly impacts material possessions. Various religions have different reflections on material possessions. Frunzaru and Frunzaru (2017) show that some will be staunch on guidelines and warnings to believers, and some will be supportive. According to Masoom and Sarker (2017), the acquisition of property to pursue the good life has often translated to form materialism and materialistic value-orientation. Therefore, religion has always been used as a moral compass to guide people against or for property ownership. Dick illustrates this through the conversation between Deckard and Barbour, illustrating that possessions and religion are directly related. Deckard mentions Mercerism, a sacred pillar to which society subscribes and follows its guidelines. This depiction differs from what other religions, such as Christianity, highlight. Instead of preventing a consumerist society, Mercerism promotes it, and Deckard feels like he has the right to own one horse.

These excerpts in the narrative help to illustrate the concept of Marxism across various pivotal lines ranging from existing social classes and the conflict between them and the role of instruments of power such as religion. Dick manages to communicate these feelings through the depiction of contravening attitudes among people struggling to live in a dystopian society amid what those in power demand from them. In a way, the author seeks to warn or educate readers about the underlying elements of capitalism that shape relations in societies.

Works cited

Barry, Peter. “Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory.” Beginning theory (fourth edition). Manchester University Press, 2020.

Cole, Nicki. “What is a norm? Why does it matter??” ThoutCo, 2018, Web.

Dick, Philip K. Do androids dream of electric sheep? (Mandarin Edition). Simon and Schuster, 2014. Web.

Frunzaru, Valeriu, and Elena Monica Frunzaru. “Materialism and life satisfaction. A sociological and Christian comparative approach.” Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies 16.48 (2017): 31-45.

Masoom, Muhammad Rehan, and Md Moniruzzaman Sarker. “The effect of materialistic value-orientation on religiosity in Bangladesh: An empirical investigation.” Religions 9.1 (2017): 6.

McGuigan, Jim. Raymond Williams: Cultural analyst. Intellect Books, 2019.

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Marxism Theory in Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

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