With These Hands

by C.M. Kornbluth

Throughout his career Kornbluth like many science fiction writers of his generation struggled with the issue of art’s role in an increasingly technologized and dehumanized society. Did the creative artist, the individual work, have any role in a culture which was increasingly devoted to replication, to the homogenization of audience, to the suppression of irregularity or individuality? Was art in fact necessary or merely a distraction? Kornbluth was never able to resolve this personally or in his fiction; perhaps if he had not died in his mid-thirties he would have reached some accommodation. WITH THESE HANDS was written at 27, very early in an ordinary career and a Biblical span, but already late career for Kornbluth and the story knows it. Kornbluth’s painter (a surrogate as is so often the case in literature for the writer) struggles with this issue, with his relevance, with the issue of spirit and is forced to knowledge unwillingly. The story is an excellent example of the prejudice and force of the editing of Horace Gold, the editor of GALAXY magazine: in THE BEST OF CYRIL KORNBLUTH (compiled in 1976 from several earlier collections) the story ends in corporeal despair and a kind of ambiguous spirituality. The original version in GALAXY which of course was mandatory for The Galaxy Project collection has a far more optimistic ending; the final long scene of salvation was obviously either written by Gold or by Kornbluth at Gold’s insistence. This provides unusual insight into the laboratory of writer-editor synergy...whether the ending was actually done by Kornbluth to editorial order or whether Gold added it to the story (he had been known to edit this brutally) is the most significant part of the compound mystery of the novelette.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

MP3 CD

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Cyril M. Kornbluth grew up in Inwood in New York City. As a teenager, he became a member of the Futurians, the influential group of science fiction fans and writers. While a member of the Futurians, he met and became friends with Isaac Asimov, Frederik Pohl, Donald A. Wollheim, Robert A. W. Lowndes, and his future wife Mary Byers. He also participated in the Fantasy Amateur Press Association.

Kornbluth served in the US Army during World War II (European Theatre). He received a Bronze Star for his service in the Battle of the Bulge, where he served as a member of a heavy machine gun crew. Upon his discharge, he returned to finish his education, which had been interrupted by the war, at the University of Chicago. While living in Chicago he also worked at Trans-Radio Press, a news wire service. In 1951 he started writing full time, returning to the East Coast where he collaborated on a number of novels with his old Futurian friends Frederik Pohl and Judith Merril (as Cyril Judd).

He used a variety of pen-names: Cecil Corwin, S. D. Gottesman, Edward J. Bellin, Kenneth Falconer, Walter C. Davies, Simon Eisner, Jordan Park, Arthur Cooke, Paul Dennis Lavond and Scott Mariner.

Reviews

[Shin Gaku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very profund short story. Can art have a role in the future ? The end of the story is sad and hellish. I believe Kornbluth was a pessimistic person.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story which takes place in a post apocalyptic world has its characters question the value of art and culture.

Kornbluth's writing allows readers to ponder these issues as the words wash around us, opening up our appreciation of the story as a piece of art.

[Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plea for art. Kornbluth is educated and his ideas are profound.

[MGB · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nonsense story, unless I suppose you are in the right frame of mind.

[Tony Calder · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story that starts more strongly than it finishes. This story seems particularly relevant to today as it examines the morality of AI-created art as opposed to artist-created art.