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Chapter 9
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Humanity and Empathy
Reality vs. Artificiality
Alienation
Religion and Faith
Consumerism
Summary
Analysis
Rick arrives at the unfamiliar Mission Street Hall of Justice, where Officer Crams books him on charges of impersonating a bounty hunter, asking inappropriate questions, and killing someone he claims was an android. The existence of this parallel police agency disorients Rick, as neither he nor his department know of its existence. Inspector Garland, a senior officer, interrogates him, questioning the validity of his Voigt-Kampff test and accusing him of carrying a list of human targets rather than androids. Rick offers to take the test himself to prove he is human but becomes further unsettled when his call home reaches a stranger instead of Iran.
The existence of a parallel police agency introduces an added layer of paranoia, suggesting that the systems meant to maintain order might be compromised. Inspector Garland’s interrogation further destabilizes Rick by attacking the credibility of the Voigt-Kampff test, the tool that underpins his work as a bounty hunter. The call to Rick’s home, answered by a stranger instead of Iran, deepens the sense of alienation, forcing Rick to confront the possibility that his perception of reality is being manipulated.
Themes
Garland reviews Rick’s assignment list and discovers a startling detail: Rick’s next target is Garland himself. This revelation prompts Garland to summon Phil Resch, another bounty hunter. Resch, suspicious of both Garland and Rick, discusses the potential for android infiltration within the police force. When a lab report confirms Polokov was an android, Rick feels vindicated, while Garland grows defensive. Resch points out the need to test everyone present, citing the implications of androids working within their department.
The confirmation of Polokov’s android status provides Rick with fleeting validation, but Garland’s defensive reaction exposes the fragility of the institutions Rick has placed his trust in. Resch’s call to test everyone emphasizes the pervasive uncertainty, underscoring the novel’s exploration of identity and the challenges of distinguishing truth in a world where so many things are artificial.
Themes
