Donovan's Brain by Curt Siodmak
"Donovan's Brain" is a novel centered around Dr. Cory, a middle-aged scientist deeply invested in the study of animal brains. His life takes a dramatic turn when a plane crash presents him with the opportunity to experiment on a human brain, that of the ruthless business tycoon Warren Horace Donovan. Keeping Donovan's brain alive in a vat, Cory discovers that the brain not only survives but gains superhuman concentration and the ability to communicate through Morse code and telepathy. As he becomes increasingly consumed by the brain's power, Cory finds himself losing his own identity and succumbing to Donovan's malevolent influence, which includes a sinister mission to protect a murderer at the expense of an innocent girl's life.
Throughout the ordeal, Cory receives warnings from his colleague Dr. Schratt about the dangers of his unethical experimentation. Ultimately, with the help of his devoted wife Janice, he realizes the importance of human connection over scientific ambition. By the end of the story, Cory is faced with a harrowing decision to confront the brain’s threat and reclaim his life, leading to a significant transformation as he abandons his research to embrace a simpler existence as a rural doctor. This tale delves into themes of obsession, morality, and the consequences of playing god in the name of science.
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Donovan's Brain
First published: 1943
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—cautionary
Time of work: Approximately 1940
Locale: Arizona and Los Angeles, California
The Plot
Patrick Cory, a middle-aged doctor, is devoting his life to the study of animal brains. The novel consists of a journal of his records. He has a patient, loving wife named Janice whose private fortune enables him to live in seclusion and spend his waking hours in his laboratory.
The crash of a private airplane gives him an opportunity to experiment with a human brain. One of the victims is Warren Horace Donovan, a business tycoon notorious for his ruthless methods. Cory keeps Donovan’s brain alive in a vat, with nutrient-fortified blood pumped through the brain tissue.
Donovan’s brain not only survives but grows larger and larger, until it threatens to fill its entire vat. The brain is free of the requirements of a normal brain of regulating bodily functions and attending to everyday concerns; thus it has a superhuman ability to concentrate. Cory is able to communicate with the brain by tapping messages on the glass in Morse code. The brain develops the capability of sending messages to Cory through telepathy. Cory’s alcoholic colleague Dr. Schratt warns against the possible dangers of such inhumane and unorthodox experimentation. Cory, however, is so obsessed with his quest for scientific knowledge that he is willing to risk his soul.
Cory finds that he is falling under Donovan’s power and losing his own identity. He gains access to Donovan’s bank accounts and safe-deposit box by knowing certain aliases and being able to duplicate signatures perfectly. He has a fortune at his disposal but is unable to enjoy it because his thoughts and actions are controlled by the increasingly powerful brain. His main mission as Donovan’s minion is to save the life of a vicious murderer named Cyril Hinds, the son of a man to whom Donovan feels obligated. In order to save Hinds, Cory must murder an innocent thirteen-year-old girl who is scheduled to testify against Hinds at his murder trial.
Under Donovan’s spell, Cory finds himself trying to run down the girl with his car. The attempt fails. Cory realizes that he must destroy the brain but feels helpless to regain his old identity. The brain can read minds and has the ability to kill anyone who attacks it or tries to shut off the motors that keep it alive.
Cory recovers his sanity through the devotion and understanding of his wife, who helps him to see that human love is more important than esoteric knowledge. Returning to his Arizona laboratory, Cory discovers that Dr. Schratt has sacrificed his life to destroy the brain by dragging the hideous pulsating mass of tissue out of its nest of tubes. Cory gives up his research to live the simple life of a rural doctor.