Comparison of The Matrix and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

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Comparison of The Matrix and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Andy and Larry Wachowski's movie, The Matrix parallels many of the characters and themes that are explored in Philip K. Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.

There are five main characters or groups of people that are explored in Dick's novel. First, Morpheus, the leader of the "unplugged" individuals, emulates the role that the Rosen Association plays. Next, Cypher, an underhanded man, who is comparable to Rachel Rosen, a typical android, shows no empathy towards anyone. Surprisingly, Rick Deckard, an android killer and the main character, resembles the "agents" in The Matrix. Following Rick, the androids represent the enlightened men and women in The Matrix. Lastly, John Isidore, an unintelligent man, symbolizes the mass amount of people plugged into the Matrix.

On a grander scale, the Matrix itself is very much like Mercerism, a way of life, which is explored in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. In addition to this, both futures contain the results of world-wide-wars. To start, the Rosen Association, an android producing and harboring organization, compares to Morpheus in a variety of ways. The Rosen Association creates new androids just as Morpheus frees minds. Neither of which, are easy tasks. Rick is talking with the head of the Rosen Association, Eldon Rosen, about a test he needs to perform on some androids. Eldon complies with Rick, but he explains to him that it is not that easy, "We can't just phone down to production and ask for a diverse flock of items"(44). Androids are very complex and cannot just be mass produced.

Morpheus has a similar problem. Humans are also extremely complex. It is dangerous to free a mind that i...

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...p? and The Matrix, both contain futures that are strikingly similar in a number of ways. Primarily, the characters in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? match up perfectly with those in The Matrix. Dick's characters and creations: The Rosen Association, Rachel Rosen, Rick Deckard, the androids, and John Isidore resemble Morpheus, Cypher, the "agents," the "unplugged," and the people plugged into the matrix respectively. Interestingly, both stories involve global warfare. Finally and most obviously, Mercerism and the matrix itself serve the same exact purpose, which is to blind people from the truth in oder to control them with more ease.

Works Cited

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. New York: Ballantine Books, 1968.

Matrix, The. Dir. Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne. Film. Warner Brothers,1999.

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