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The Way Life Is
The Way Life Is
By Laslow Poke
The effects of an environment upon the psyche of a living person has always been a hot topic in the field of psychology. If a child were raised in upstate New York as compared to Harlem, would he still end up being the same person, or would the environment meld him into a completely different entity? These questions are explored through literature consistently in the science fiction genre. The characters in Samuel Delany's "Driftglass," inhabit an aquatic world in which people are divided into enhanced humans and land dwellers. This scenario asks the questions of how alien do people become with a physical change in a similar environment by exploring the world through the eyes of a man who is part of both worlds. "The Fifth Head of Cerberus" by Gene Wolfe, addresses the question of if two people are raised in similar unwholesome environments whether or not they will turn out to be the same person. In Isaac Asimov's "The Martian Way," the idea of isolation and a repressive government are explored in regards to the effects of pressure being put onto an already stressed people. While all the stories are fantastical in nature, the human centered finales of each piece works to mirror how people in our own time might turn out in the same situation.
The representations of two very different characters within "Driftglass" allow one to see how physical enhancements can change the way people see themselves, and also the world around them. The character of Cal allows the reader a vision of a man who has undergoes transformation to a physical elite. Due to a mishap in the line of duty, though, he is reverted to where he was before his operation. Through the eyes of Cal the reader is capable of understanding the very different philosophies people would have in his reality. Having become and worked for the amphimen, Cal sees the positive aspects of working for their society. “The Corp would mean education, travel, interesting work, the things that make up one kind of good life“ ( Delany 294). By undergoing the transformation, the person ends up turning their back upon the society that they once belonged to and an air of superiority and invulnerability seems to seep into the psyche. The character of Tork is a shining example of this. Through his attempting to succeed where Cal failed, he seals his own doom. While it would be possible to set the fishing lines elsewhere, it is the innate feeling that anything is possible that leads Tork to attempt to once again lay the power line in the Slash. As well, the Mermen, though they attempt to help the land dwellers, are in reality only looking out for their own best interests. When Tork talks about setting down lines again in the Slash, he says "If we laid the cables farther up, we chance disrupting our own fishing operations as well as those of the fishermen on shore." (Delany 300).
Within this story, the concept of adapting to survive is a central theme. It is through this adaptation that a rift begins to form within humanity. While coming from the same point of origin, it seems the only true way for survival is to modify one's self into an alien being and change ones perceptions. Through Cal's narrative it is seen how hard things are for land dwellers when he comments on how his friend Juao's children “Wouldn't look twice their age when they were thirty-five” (Delany 294) if they received the operation. Adaptation for survival helps stress the ironic turn of events at the end of the story with Tork's death. While the adaptation gives the aqua men a feeling of having cheated fate and saved themselves from poverty, it is a false sense of superiority and leads to their demises.
This idea of adaptation in order to survive is further explored in "The Martian Way" by Isaac Asimov. Unlike a physical change occurring in humans as seen in "Driftglass," "The Martian Way" explores how people change when put into both an alien environment and one of isolation. The moral of the story is one of perseverance in that face of any obstacle and the idea that when pushed far off, man can accomplish the impossible. By living upon a planet of abject poverty, such as Mars, the scavenger class that immerges is one with little to no ability to improve their living conditions. When the threat of losing their livelihood appears, though, the idea of how far a man will go to accomplish a task and persevere is explored. Through the actions of Long, the idea that man will expand his boundaries when placed in a precarious situation is addressed. It is best summed up by the when he comments "You're still thinking Grounder style. You won't think the Martian way" (Asimov 283). These words are the corner stone for the mentality of the men of Mars. While the Grounders (Earthlings) necessitate short trips into space due to the world they've grown up in, the Martian mentality is one of exploration and adventure, making it evident that they have the capacity to make the improbable, possible.
However, the emphases of the story lies within the effects of isolation on people. In order to fight off the effects of isolation, the Martians travel in pairs. Despite the comfort of human interaction, though, it also leads to several problems with tolerance, especially on the Martians trip to Saturn. By placing themselves in direct contact with each other for an elongated period of time tensions rise. The key factor of the story is the tension created by continuous personal involvement with a small crew. This though is outweighed by the necessity of the situation that the Martian homeland is in. In fact, it is an even further isolation from each other that allows the crew to relate so well. During the long trip, by leaving the ship and floating outside of it they get the feeling that “Space closed in and it was like sleep” (Asimov 292), a testament to the serenity of the act. Just as the Martians were able to adapt to a lifeless planet like Mars, they were then able to adapt to life in the outreaches of space, further showing the innate will to live within all beings.
As such, the idea of a drifter existence and the effects it can have on a person come into play. By growing up in a world of limitations (such as enclosed environment) the Drifter class that is the population of Mars is capable to live a nomadic existence where they are continually pushing their own boundaries. In order to solve the problem of boredom, the group does not merely think of a game, they further isolate themselves by staring at the skyline in space. It is the individual ability to adapt that makes the conclusion of "The Martian Way" all the more fitting. Through there singular abilities to adapt and grow stronger, the Martians are able to achieve their goal. As well, despite the individual power that each character in the story possesses, in times of strife they are able to pull together for the greater good, much like how the team works together at the Saturn in harvesting the ice and attempting to hurry things as much as possible when imminent danger looms above them.
A third example of an environment shaping an individual is presented in "The Fifth Head of Cerberus". What makes the story different from other environment stories is that it attempts to do away with the idea of innate feelings and individuality by portraying the protagonist as a fifth-generation clone. This reveals the effects of what an environment will do to a person. By using clones, the piece also loses impact due to that lack of practicality. When the main character of the story begins to emulate his father's behavior in scientific exploration, the ways in which he takes after his father are somewhat formulaic, lacking the impact of having, perhaps, twins separated and grow up in two environments. Within the story, though, it can be seen how a morally loose house can shape the thought process of a person. By being surrounded by unscrupulous hybrid females and scientists the roll that the main character inevitably ends up taking becomes understandable. The thought lingers in the back of the reader's head whether or not there is more going on with him than what is shown.
What makes the story less poignant is the emphasis on drug use to manipulate the protagonist. The role that the drugs play within the context of the story is not fully developed and the reader is left to wonder whether the drugs do more then simply cause the protagonist to black out. The question of whether or not the drugs are for the use of mind alteration works against the shaping by society. Due to the drugs, the protagonists says “I felt that I had lost myself.” (Wolfe 384) furthers the idea of molding by outside forces. While it is open for debate as to whether the use of drugs is part of society or not, it changes the protagonist in unpredictable ways.
After examining these stories one can relate them to the situation that humanity currently lives. The idea of nature versus nurture presented here varies believability and social relevance. In the case of "The Fifth Head of Cerberus" the story has the potential to show that people from similar situations walking the same path with slight alterations will become separate individuals. The point is dulled by the appearance of drugs and the fact that the people are the exact same carbon being. With "Driftglass," the idea of a small physical change in similar environment works to emphasize how something so minor can work to breach humanoids. Through the eyes of the middleman narrator, Cal, the division in society and mentality of both sides of the "conflict" are presented. While this works as a good medium for showing both sides, the extremes to which they must go in order to expose this are a bit too much. By using a man that is basically an unhappy shell of a person there is no major commentary on what is occurring despite a few side notes the are exposed by the scenery. While the division is noted, it is not fully explored in a way to make one feel much of anything for either side.
In reflection, the most poignant of all the stories turns out to be "The Martian Way." It's representation of humanity continually striving to better itself by overcoming obstacles is universal in its tone. It works to emulate the same frontier spirit of not only the Era of Exploration, but the expansion of the United States as well. When countless limitations are put upon any group of people, they will most often rise up and take a risk to make things better. Documented throughout history, when faced with similar circumstances, men and women have put their lives on the line for a chance to stand on equal ground with others (ex. Revolutionary War). The character present are representative of the frontier spirit that has allowed humanity in modern times to branch out and expand itself not only across the globe, but into the stars as well.
To summarize, the general exploration of the effect of the environment in all these stories works to show how small differences can completely change the way a people act or think. By exploring people in foreign realities, the readers of these can see how people truly are shaped by their surroundings. Whether led to become something that a person can not understand, or rise to an occasion due to oppressive activities, the world that surrounds a person tends to have a profound effect on the way any person grows up. As such, while these stories do not fully explain the effects of nurture upon a people, they speak worlds about the way in which society shapes an individual, whether it be via alienation or social practice.
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