Dr. Bloodmoney by Philip K. Dick
"Dr. Bloodmoney: Or, How We Got Along After the Bomb" is a science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick that explores the aftermath of a nuclear war and the complex interplay of its characters' lives. Set in 1981, the narrative begins in Berkeley, California, and swiftly transitions to a post-apocalyptic world where the protagonists strive to rebuild their existence. Key characters include Stuart McConchie, a television repairman; Hoppy Harrington, a physically disabled man with telekinetic abilities; Walt Dangerfield, an astronaut stranded in orbit; and Dr. Bruno Bluthgeld, the titular "Dr. Bloodmoney."
As the story unfolds, the characters' paths intertwine amidst the chaos of their new reality. Walt Dangerfield's satellite broadcasts serve as a crucial link for the fractured community, providing a sense of unity through music and literature. The tension escalates with Hoppy's increasingly malevolent use of his powers, which culminates in a conflict involving young Bill Keller, a homunculus residing within his twin sister Edie. The narrative delves into themes of survival, identity, and the moral complexities of power, ultimately leading to an unexpected resolution that highlights the interconnectedness of the characters and their struggles. This intricate tale offers a thought-provoking examination of humanity in the wake of catastrophe.
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Dr. Bloodmoney
First published: 1965
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—post-holocaust
Time of work: 1981 and several years following
Locale: Berkeley, California, and Marin County, California
The Plot
Dr. Bloodmoney: Or, How We Got Along After the Bomb is a good example of Philip K. Dick’s masterful control of complex plotting, moving from the banal to the extraordinary in deft, swift strokes. The novel is also an example of Dick’s multifocused plotting, which begins by delineating the separate, idiosyncratic lives of several characters who do not initially know one another but whose lives eventually will be intimately bound together.
The story begins in 1981, with introductions quickly provided of virtually all the characters who will find their lives connected after the nuclear war. The story moves quickly, from its quotidian beginning one morning in Berkeley, California, to the nuclear blast that demolishes the city, to the post-holocaust setting in rustic West Marin County, north and west of Berkeley. The lives of the many characters intertwine as they attempt to rebuild their lives in the post-holocaust world.
The primary characters are television repairman Stuart McConchie; Hoppy Harrington, who was born without arms or legs but has managed to develop telekinetic powers, or the ability to move objects with his mind; Walt Dangerfield, an astronaut trapped alone in his spaceship as it endlessly circles Earth; Bonny Keller, who conceived her child, Edie, on the day of the nuclear attack; Bill Keller, Edie’s tiny, wizened twin brother who lives as a homunculus within her abdominal cavity and who telepathically communicates with her; Dr. Stockstill, one of the few benevolent psychiatrists depicted in Dick’s fiction; and nuclear scientist Dr. Bruno Bluthgeld, the “Dr. Bloodmoney” alluded to in the novel’s title. Strangely enough, it is Walt Dangerfield, the astronaut trapped in orbit by the nuclear war (there is no way to bring him down), who provides the means of bonding the fragmented postwar society. Using the vast musical and literary holdings on board the satellite, Dangerfield becomes a disc jockey. The community meets to listen during his daily appearance as he orbits Earth.
In an unpredictable development, it is Hoppy Harrington who becomes the antagonist as he slowly refines his telekinetic powers. Even though he uses his power to do apparent good—he kills the unstable Dr. Bluthgeld—he also begins to use his powers to control others, even seeking to destroy Walt Dangerfield and usurp his place in the hearts and minds of the community. The resolution of this tension comes from a highly unlikely hero, Bill Keller. Hoppy learns that Edie Keller carries the homunculus within her, and to his horror he learns that Bill Keller can communicate with the dead. He plots to kill Bill by using his power to draw Bill from within Edie’s body, knowing that Bill is unable to survive outside her. Hoppy’s plan backfires. With his body freed from Edie’s, Bill transmigrates his soul into the body of Hoppy Harrington and casts the soul of Hoppy into his own dying, wizened body. With Dangerfield’s life saved, the health of the community seems ensured.
Bibliography
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