Galactic Pot-Healer
Encyclopedia
Galactic Pot-Healer is a science fiction
novel by Philip K. Dick
, first published in 1969. The novel deals with a number of philosophical and political issues such as repressive societies
, fatalism
, and the search for meaning in life.
Dick also wrote a children's book set in the same universe, Nick and the Glimmung
, in 1966. It was published posthumously in 1988.
Five) for a mystical quest, which is to raise the sunken cathedral
of Heldscalla from a surreal alien ocean
.
, the “Communal North American Citizen's Republic.” The United States government has become extremely intrusive and repressive, monitoring
the actions, speech and even thoughts of its citizens.
The protagonist, Joe Fernwright, is a pot-healer, one who can perfectly restore pottery
to brand new condition. Joe finds himself constantly depressed and idle at the opening of the novel. He is unemployed and on a war veteran's social security
benefit, given that ceramic pottery has been replaced by plastics, and his profession is not in great demand. He longs for purpose and meaning in life
. His one entertainment is to call various friends on the worldwide telephone network and swap puzzles. These puzzles are based on imperfect translations of sayings and book titles obtained by using language translation computers available to anyone. The object of the game is to guess the original from the translation.
Joe finds meaning when he is summoned to "Plowman's Planet"/Sirius Five by a mysterious highly evolved alien, Glimmung, with seemingly godlike powers. Along with other similarly talented but depressed and alienated people and creatures from all over the galaxy they are employed by Glimmung, in a grand endeavor to raise an ancient sunken cathedral from the ocean floor.
Glimmung is also in a struggle with the Kalends, a species gifted with precognition
who are constantly writing a book that supposedly foretells the future, one which inevitably is proven right. Glimmung is determined to continue with his struggle, even when the book predicts certain failure.
At the conclusion of the book, Fernwright and his companions are offered the opportunity to join a gestalt or hive mind
that also encompasses Glimmung. Fernwright and an unnamed octopoid companion alone refuse the offer. Fernwright is then given various options, such as going back to earth, going with the octopoid to its planet, going to Mali's planet ( a young humanoid female he had become romantically involved with and who chose to become a part of the collective conscious ) or stay back on Sirius Five. The gastropod also suggests to him that he should start creating pots with the tools Glimmung has given him instead of just healing them. The story ends by saying the first pot he created was 'awful.'
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
, first published in 1969. The novel deals with a number of philosophical and political issues such as repressive societies
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
, fatalism
Fatalism
Fatalism is a philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate.Fatalism generally refers to several of the following ideas:...
, and the search for meaning in life.
Dick also wrote a children's book set in the same universe, Nick and the Glimmung
Nick and the Glimmung
Nick and the Glimmung is a children's science fiction novel, originally written by Philip K. Dick in 1966, it was first published by Gollancz in 1988...
, in 1966. It was published posthumously in 1988.
Plot introduction
The story concerns a man who thanklessly fixes pots in a totalitarian future Earth, only to be summoned by a godlike alien known as Glimmung, who has recruited him as part of a multispecies specialist team sent to "Plowman's Planet" (or SiriusSirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
Five) for a mystical quest, which is to raise the sunken cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
of Heldscalla from a surreal alien ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
.
Plot summary
The novel takes place in a dismal future AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the “Communal North American Citizen's Republic.” The United States government has become extremely intrusive and repressive, monitoring
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
the actions, speech and even thoughts of its citizens.
The protagonist, Joe Fernwright, is a pot-healer, one who can perfectly restore pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
to brand new condition. Joe finds himself constantly depressed and idle at the opening of the novel. He is unemployed and on a war veteran's social security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
benefit, given that ceramic pottery has been replaced by plastics, and his profession is not in great demand. He longs for purpose and meaning in life
Meaning of life
The meaning of life constitutes a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of life or existence in general. This concept can be expressed through a variety of related questions, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the meaning of it all?" It has...
. His one entertainment is to call various friends on the worldwide telephone network and swap puzzles. These puzzles are based on imperfect translations of sayings and book titles obtained by using language translation computers available to anyone. The object of the game is to guess the original from the translation.
Joe finds meaning when he is summoned to "Plowman's Planet"/Sirius Five by a mysterious highly evolved alien, Glimmung, with seemingly godlike powers. Along with other similarly talented but depressed and alienated people and creatures from all over the galaxy they are employed by Glimmung, in a grand endeavor to raise an ancient sunken cathedral from the ocean floor.
Glimmung is also in a struggle with the Kalends, a species gifted with precognition
Precognition
In parapsychology, precognition , also called future sight, and second sight, is a type of extrasensory perception that would involve the acquisition or effect of future information that cannot be deduced from presently available and normally acquired sense-based information or laws of physics...
who are constantly writing a book that supposedly foretells the future, one which inevitably is proven right. Glimmung is determined to continue with his struggle, even when the book predicts certain failure.
At the conclusion of the book, Fernwright and his companions are offered the opportunity to join a gestalt or hive mind
Group mind (science fiction)
A group mind, hive mind or group ego in science fiction is a single consciousness occupying many bodies. Its use in literature goes back at least as far as Olaf Stapledon's science fiction novel Last and First Men ....
that also encompasses Glimmung. Fernwright and an unnamed octopoid companion alone refuse the offer. Fernwright is then given various options, such as going back to earth, going with the octopoid to its planet, going to Mali's planet ( a young humanoid female he had become romantically involved with and who chose to become a part of the collective conscious ) or stay back on Sirius Five. The gastropod also suggests to him that he should start creating pots with the tools Glimmung has given him instead of just healing them. The story ends by saying the first pot he created was 'awful.'