Deus Ex Machina in PhilDick's Writings

External Since: Nov 26, 2004 Posts: 15

January 6, 1999:

'I think what needs to be asked is not, "what is Dick's best book?," but, "what
is his most believable book?" If there is a flaw in Dick's writing, it is that
some of his plots don't quite hang together, like trying to bake a loaf of bread
out of rice flour. Things happen for the sake of the plot rather than as a
logical extrapolation of current conditions. There is a term for this: Deus ex
machina. It is almost synchronistically ironic in that Dick's contrived
conclusions are often just that, gods delivered by means of a mechanism
analogous to the crane used by the Greek dramatists. A good question for a quiz
in some future literature class on mid 20th Century novelists: "Phil Dick's
writing may be summarized by what term from Classical Greek drama?"'

--
Steve Franklin
http://www.lordbalto.com/

External Since: Jul 25, 2004 Posts: 26

"Steve Franklin" <trash RemoveThis @lordbalto.com> wrote in message
news:lgGAd.5790$Y57.46@trnddc08...
> January 6, 1999:
>
> 'I think what needs to be asked is not, "what is Dick's best book?," but,
"what
> is his most believable book?" If there is a flaw in Dick's writing, it is
that
> some of his plots don't quite hang together, like trying to bake a loaf of
bread
> out of rice flour. Things happen for the sake of the plot rather than as a
> logical extrapolation of current conditions. There is a term for this:
Deus ex
> machina. It is almost synchronistically ironic in that Dick's contrived
> conclusions are often just that, gods delivered by means of a mechanism
> analogous to the crane used by the Greek dramatists. A good question for a
quiz
> in some future literature class on mid 20th Century novelists: "Phil
Dick's
> writing may be summarized by what term from Classical Greek drama?"'
>
> --
> Steve Franklin
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.lordbalto.com/</font" target="_blank">http://www.lordbalto.com/</font</a>>

When there is no deux ex machina ending, the conclusion is usually even more
unsatisfactory, as in "Scanner Darkly". For all his often-underrated
craftsmanship
as a novel-writer, Phil wasn't very good at endings. The main reason must
be that
he wasn't any good at endings in life or in his thoughts.

I believe the worst of all is "Now Wait for Last Year", in which Dr.
Sweetscent
decides to take care of his deranged wife. The interaction between the two
of
the them throughout the novel is wrenchingly, painfully realistic and
psychologically
right on the money. The ending is just wishful thinking, of the kind that
Phil often
indulged in but knew himself that he was incapable of sticking with.

-- Bill Cleere