In the Man in the High Castle we see the thin line between supposed-reality and true-reality and how closely related the two can be. When we first started reading the novel we thought it was effective because the alternative reality was so similar to our reality. There were cars, adequate technology for the time period and the fundamentals were the same it was just the social and cultural difference that we really picked up on. What really made this novel uncomfortable and eerie was the fact that we were able to connect more so with the alternative reality within the novel. Because of this, we are sent into a tizzy about what to believe. Which is were the central theme of authenticity once again comes into play. We do not know which life is truly authentic; whether it is the world where the axis won the war or the allies. Both are legitimate in our minds because of their similarities, but because of their differences we are able to stay at a distance and not shy away from the novel. For Juliana and Mr. Tagomi the world in which the allies win the war becomes authentic because they witness it .
Then, the world that Childan and all of the other characters live in is just as real, and since only two characters truly saw the “real” world and are not blinded by this “alternative reality” how can we say which one is reality and which is the alternative? If this was a majority wins situation, the axis power’s rule should be “reality” for this novel. But this pushes the idea of what reality is and if there can be two separate realities operating simultaneously. How can this be? Well, we cannot prove that it cannot happen. And its important because we can study both of these simultaneous realities to gain more knowledge. It allows us to understand and think critically about history and what could have been. This kind of knowledge or understanding can aid decisions in the future and allow us to see things from other perspectives. One thing we can take out of this novel and all the other ones that we have read is a base understanding and acceptance of multiple perspectives.
I also have been contemplating this idea of two separate realities existing simultaneously and I agree that all we are left to do is study both realities and gain what knowledge we can. I think we can learn a lot about not only history but the nature of the characters as well. Tagomi is markedly different inside the alternate San Francisco and becomes highly contemplative at that point in the novel.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with both of you in that there is much to study between the two realities, and even our own. That said, we have to remember not to take one reality as the "real" reality over the other and, i believe, this includes our own reality. We must keep an open mind to the many possible realities that lie out there. WE must remember not to be stuck in one, for, like the characters of Mr. Tagomi and Juliana, our world how we see it can be dramatically changed disrupted if we do.
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