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Chapter 12
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
John drives home from work with a bag of rare and expensive groceries, including peaches, cheese, and a bottle of Chablis he has been saving for a special occasion. When he reaches his apartment building, he bypasses his own floor to visit Pris, carrying the food and wine. Pris initially seems surprised and pleased by his visit, but her mood quickly turns somber as she declares the gesture wasted on her. She reveals that she is upset because she believes bounty hunters have killed her friends. Unfamiliar with the concept of bounty hunters, John expresses disbelief and offers to protect her, though Pris dismisses the idea.
John’s arrival with carefully chosen groceries shows his desire to make a meaningful connection, contrasting starkly with the desolation of his world. The peaches, cheese, and Chablis are more than provisions—they symbolize his effort to bring something rare and valuable to someone he admires. Unlike many other products in the novel, they are not bought on the basis of a mindless consumerism. Pris’s initial surprise feels like a fleeting crack in her defensive facade, but her mood quickly shifts, highlighting her continued derision for beings she views as lesser—such as the “special” John. Additionally, this passage makes it very clear to readers that Pris is an android, and that John—if he picks up on that at all—still sees her as a valuable being worth protecting.
Themes
In an attempt to distract herself, Pris joins John at the table and begins to eat the meal he prepared. She shares her experiences of life on Mars, describing its loneliness and the synthetic comforts that settlers rely on, including androids and smuggled pre-colonial fiction. Pris reminisces about her former companions, especially Roy and Irmgard Baty, whom she deeply misses. A knock on the door interrupts their conversation. Pris grows anxious, fearing it might be a threat. John nervously answers and finds Roy and Irmgard standing outside. The reunion brings relief to Pris, who warmly embraces Irmgard, while John steps aside, observing the moment and Roy’s imposing presence.
Pris’s descriptions of life on Mars paint a picture of a life defined by artificiality, where smuggled pre-colonial fiction serves as a lifeline to something authentic and unattainable. Her loneliness draws parallels between her and John, who’s also very lonely—though Pris remains very uninterested in trying to alleviate her loneliness by actually befriending John. And John’s wariness as he studies Roy suggests that now that Pris has her real friends, John will become even more disposable.
Themes
