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Capitalism In Philip K. Dick's Ubik

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Living in an advanced world, Joe Chip, who is always looking for coins to access places, learns the power of money that can either provide opportunities or put characters at risk. Throughout Philip K. Dick’s Ubik, large corporations play a major role which becomes the driving force of events. Characters perceive other characters based on their social status and treat them differently. Furthermore, the use of advertisements communicates the value of products to attract customers. Advertisement supports capitalism, in which everything has its own value and price. The recurring theme of money emphasizes the reality of social structure and the system the world runs by. Large corporations are willing to commit crimes to bring other companies to …show more content…

Before Glen could complain about Jory consuming Ella, Herbert asks, “Is something the matter, Mr. Runciter?” (Dick, 15). After identifying the problem, Herbert explains to Glen, “When we return her to the bin, we won’t install her near Jory again. In fact, if you’re agreeable as to paying the somewhat larger monthly fee, we can place her in a high-grade isolated chamber with walls coated…” (Dick, 17). Unlike the son who receives poor services, Glen, who has a higher status in society, clearly receives a thorough explanation and options he can consider. Dick decides to write a chapter with these two extremes to demonstrate one’s attitude can change greatly based on the client’s worth, which is, in this case, based on their income, which allows readers to reflect on natural human …show more content…

Under any circumstances, the door would not open unless characters put coins in. Even at the regressing period, the door still asks for five cents before it opens. Joe says to himself, “One thing, anyhow, hadn't changed. The toll door had an innate stubbornness to it; probably it would hold out after everything else” (Dick, 142). Money represents by a door because it opens up more opportunities to characters. Without money, Joe, who is portrayed as a poor psi, can only work under Glen, his employer, and there is a limit to what he can do and where he can go in life. Furthermore, the door represents the evil in capitalism because the corporation that runs the door will continuously demand money to make profits on structures used in everyday lives. It is a system that will continue to shape the world and will not regress over time. Readers feel frustrated for Joe because normally, who pays a door to leave his own house? As the idea of money operated door conveys capitalism and the system used in real life, it also allows readers to relate to and connect with

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