The Transmigration of Timothy Archer by Philip K. Dick
"The Transmigration of Timothy Archer" is a novel by Philip K. Dick that explores themes of religion, identity, and personal loss through the lens of its unique narrator, Angel Archer. Set against the backdrop of significant events in the 1970s, including John Lennon's murder, the story delves into Angel's reflections on her troubled past, particularly her marriage to Jeffrey, a Beatles enthusiast whose life is overshadowed by his father's legacy, the Episcopal bishop Timothy Archer.
The narrative unfolds as Jeffrey's obsession with his father and his academic pursuits lead to his emotional decline and eventual suicide, a tragedy mirrored by the fate of Kirsten Lundborg, Timothy's mistress, who struggles with addiction and also takes her own life. The character of Timothy Archer is loosely based on Bishop James A. Pike, a figure known for his controversial theological views and personal scandals. As Timothy embarks on a spiritual quest in the Israeli desert searching for a mythical mushroom called anokhi, which is said to provide direct revelations from God, he meets a tragic end.
Intriguingly, the novel proposes the idea of transmigration, suggesting that Timothy's spirit inhabits the body of Bill Lundborg, Kirsten's son. As Angel grapples with grief and the question of faith, she attempts to reconcile the complexities of love and loss in her life. The narrative ultimately reflects on the search for meaning and understanding in the face of personal and existential challenges.
The Transmigration of Timothy Archer
First published: 1982
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—theological romance
Time of work: 1970-1980
Locale: California, primarily Berkeley
The Plot
The Transmigration of Timothy Archer was published shortly after Philip K. Dick died. The novel is narrated by Angel Archer, the only female narrator in any of Dick’s novels. As the book opens, Angel arrives at a religious workshop given by local guru Edgar Barefoot. Angel has just learned of John Lennon’s murder. This triggers memories of her former husband, Jeffrey, a Beatles fanatic whose suicide in the 1970’s left her emotionally scarred. From this point, Angel narrates most of the book in recollection.
She first describes the gradual disintegration of their marriage, as Jeffrey’s obsession with his graduate work in history begins to reflect his own dangerous obsession with his father, the famed Episcopal bishop Timothy Archer. Jeffrey’s breakdown occurs soon after Timothy falls in love with Kirsten Lundborg, a friend of Angel. Kirsten becomes Timothy’s mistress and travels with him to London to research ancient, countertraditional Christian documents recently unearthed by biblical scholars. Timothy’s research leads him to search for the anokhi, supposedly a wild mushroom that offers direct revelation of God. Those who consume the anokhi therefore can bypass the authority of the church itself.
Both Timothy’s research and his relationship with Kirsten eventually result in scandal. Jeffrey’s obsession with his father and his jealousy of Kirsten trigger his suicide. Kirsten also eventually kills herself, worn out from drug addiction and the demands of her relationship with the difficult Timothy.
Timothy Archer’s life and his eventual death in the Israeli desert are modeled roughly on the life and death of Bishop James A. Pike, an acquaintance of Dick during the 1960’s. Both Timothy Archer and Pike exerted great political influence in liberal theological circles, and both became the source of theological and sexual scandal in their respective churches. Timothy’s religious quest mirrors Pike’s. The quests of both led them to the Dead Sea Desert, where both died lost, each surrounded only by an open road map and two empty bottles of Coca-Cola.
Timothy dies while searching the area in the desert where the anokhi supposedly grows, but he apparently returns, transmigrated into the body of Bill Lundborg, Kirsten’s son, who spends the novel in and out of mental institutions. Speaking as Timothy, he tells Angel that he indeed found the anokhi, but not in the Holy Land. Instead, he discovered the anokhi growing in a cedar grove on the grounds of the mental hospital to which he is confined. Angel remains skeptical as to whether Timothy Archer really has transmigrated into Bill’s body. The novel ends roughly where it began, at a Barefoot seminar in 1980, with Angel attempting to understand the deaths of those in her life she most loved.
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