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huangtimI loved Woman on the Edge of Time. Piercy’s book was amazing, and honestly, the first book I’ve read from beginning to end in a few years. The most interesting scene of this week’s reading was the dystopia world of Gildina. Piercy’s depiction of Gildina really made me think about the course that science was taking, and the impacts it would have on life in the future.
One thing I noticed about Gildina’s universe is the nature of its appearance in the story. This alternate future appears after Connie’s brain implant, but the future reverts back to Luciente’s world after Connie kills the doctors that were experimenting on her. This implies that Gildina’s future is a result of the science that was researched and developed on Connie and other patients. Piercy seems to be suggesting that if a science ever becomes exploitative, as in the case of the mind control devices of Dr. Redding, the future would be a bad, bad place. The ability to control others and program what they do would lead to the complete objectification of humans as sex machines, complete with serial numbers, as shown by Gildina.
Gildina’s universe is Piercy’s speculation on what would happen if science were exploitative in its research and development. This seems to be a theme that is resonant throughout Woman on the Edge of Time. Connie mentions several times of the heartbreak that she went through when Claud died, as a result of the illegal, immoral testing of hepatitis on Claud when he was in prison. Luciente and Connie have a whole conversation on who pharmaceutical drugs are to be tested on; Connie is especially concerned, and questions Luciente when she says that people “volunteer” for testing. A little background research on Marge Piercy shows that she is a social activist. Perhaps this theme in Woman on the Edge of Time was just a way to voice her social concerns.
One thing I noticed about Gildina’s universe is the nature of its appearance in the story. This alternate future appears after Connie’s brain implant, but the future reverts back to Luciente’s world after Connie kills the doctors that were experimenting on her. This implies that Gildina’s future is a result of the science that was researched and developed on Connie and other patients. Piercy seems to be suggesting that if a science ever becomes exploitative, as in the case of the mind control devices of Dr. Redding, the future would be a bad, bad place. The ability to control others and program what they do would lead to the complete objectification of humans as sex machines, complete with serial numbers, as shown by Gildina.
Gildina’s universe is Piercy’s speculation on what would happen if science were exploitative in its research and development. This seems to be a theme that is resonant throughout Woman on the Edge of Time. Connie mentions several times of the heartbreak that she went through when Claud died, as a result of the illegal, immoral testing of hepatitis on Claud when he was in prison. Luciente and Connie have a whole conversation on who pharmaceutical drugs are to be tested on; Connie is especially concerned, and questions Luciente when she says that people “volunteer” for testing. A little background research on Marge Piercy shows that she is a social activist. Perhaps this theme in Woman on the Edge of Time was just a way to voice her social concerns.
