Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

This is our discussion of the short story....

The Days of Perky Pat • (1963) by P.K. Dick

From the anthology The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories by Philip K. Dick. See The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories discussion hub for more info on the anthology and pointers to discussion of its other stories.

This one was odd - I liked it OK but nothing special. I did enjoy reading the notes where PKD mentioned that it was inspired by his daughter's Barbie dolls. I also notice that he used some of Perky Pat in his novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch but I haven't read that novel so I can't comment on any similarities.

I am a bit confused on why it was said that Sam Regan lost his wife after the win against the Connie people. And what was that argument all about? About some did not want to open up Connie?

And the setting. I actually wanted to know more about the Martian careboys.

Randy wrote: "I did enjoy reading the notes where PKD mentioned that it was inspired by his daughter's Barbie dolls...."

I liked PKD's observation in the Notes that "I always thought that Ken should buy his own clothes." :)

A really odd story in a post-apocalyptic Earth, where what's left of humanity lives in underground "fluke pits" to protect them from the radiation. The adults spend a lot of their free time playing with dolls & dollhouses, a reference to the Barbie™ Doll ensemble. The kids don't seem to understand it (and neither really do I.) Perhaps PKD intends that it's a way of reminding the adults of the way quotidian life used to be, before the nuclear war.

There's actually a game going on with the dolls and their elaborate layouts, though the rules are never described, based on the players moving their dolls through a typical day. It uses a spin wheel or dice. The participants put a good deal of effort into creating new accessories: clothes or appliances; one is very proud of the garbage disposal he's fashioned for his Perky Pat. It put me in mind of a game of Dungeons & Dragons™, with the figures & dice & such (though that game wouldn't be invented for another decade at the writing.)

And then they hear about a fluke-pit in Oakland that doesn't use Perky Pat™ dolls, but Connie Companion™. They simply must arrange a face-off (my 29th level mage can kick your 32nd level fighter's butt!)

Eventually they discover that the main difference is Perky Pat is molded plastic/mass-produced, but Connie Companion is carved, and seems to have grown up (at least as far as her mid-20s), gotten married, has a job. They're all quite scandalized because sweet sixteen virginal Perky Pat would never let Leonard get to second base. (When near the end, Norn says of the Connie doll, "Be carefully with her… She's going to have a baby" I really laughed.)

Silvana wrote: "I am a bit confused on why it was said that Sam Regan lost his wife after the win against the Connie people. And what was that argument all about? About some did not want to open up Connie?..."

I think the underlying metaphor here is that Perky Pat, 16 and unchanging, represents an eternal status quo, whereas Connie represents growth and change. As a result of being exposed to the Oaklanders, Norm & Fran see the possibility of change, possibly even improving their lot for themselves instead of depending on the care packages. On the return, they're treated as if contaminated, Connie being more of a change from Perky Pat and they can handle.

Sam decides to throw in with Norm & Fran as they return to Oakland, to "grow up"; his wive, Jean isn't ready to join them, doesn't want change, so he just leaves her behind (rather casually, actually.)

I thought it was even stranger that Norm & Fran are all set to start back, and it's only when their son, Timothy, actually asks if he can go, too, that they seem to think of him. Timothy is certainly ready to kick the radioactive dust of this fluke off his boots and leave. But it seems like Norm & Fran were quite ready to just take off and leave him behind. Family bonds not what they used to be.

Yes, the way he left his wife was just so casual. over a friggin doll!

I wonder why they play with girly dolls and not more masculine toys action figures like GI Joe or something they could make themselves like stuffed animals or whatever.

G33z3r wrote: "They're all quite scandalized because sweet sixteen virginal Perky Pat would never let Leonard get to second base. ..."

funny; yeah, G33z3r I got the same read on the flukers reminiscing about the everyday luxuries of the good ol' days & that the reaction to Connie is a resistance to accepting the end of their world and choosing to move on in a new one -- but even though I thought I got some of the "message," I didn't really buy the horror about pregnant Connie. (PKD can be an interesting mix in terms of characterization, where frequently characters' actions, while progressing the storyline, don't seem believable at all -- forget about Timothy -- while at other times PKD really does seem to be focusing convincingly on a particular character's psychology -- the character's phobia in "Recall Mechanism" seemed very believable; Mrs. B in "Captive Market" is a bit of a type but acts consistently.)

Hillary wrote: "I didn't really buy the horror about pregnant Connie. ..."

I don't think it was out of prudery (though I suppose anything is possible with PKD.) My guess is that the child would represent something really new... the prospect of not just a Connie & Paul, but a whole new kid in town. Hence the extra horror when they opened up Connie and displayed the fetus; clearly the Oaklanders were quite serious in moving forward.

Clearly Norm & Fran went through quite a transformation while playing with the Oaklanders. Initially on learning Connie is married, they think they can't even bring themselves to play. Faced with the possibility of forfeiture (and losing their precious Perky Pat), they persist. On return, their neighbors aren't ready to make the same change, except for Sam (& forgotten Timothy.).

I didn't catch enough of a timeline to get the sense of whether Timothy and his friends were born before or after the fluke-pit.

Definitely a bit out there and for Dick that's saying something. Didn't grab me though.