Sphere (novel): Difference between revisions
Added original research tag, see talk page |
rm "Interpretation" section, see talk |
||
| Line 69: | Line 69: | ||
-Jane Edmunds |
-Jane Edmunds |
||
==Interpretation== |
|||
{{spoiler}} |
|||
A novel such as Sphere is difficult to interpret in many ways because so little information is presented to the reader, even by the end. For instance, little is truly revealed about the sphere. In fact, all that's revealed by the end is that a.) it endows intelligent life with the power to make their thoughts real and b.) the way to open the sphere is to imagine it opening. The reader is never told what the purpose of the sphere is (whether it was made to test intelligent life, intended as a gift/trophy, or whether its changes to humans is an accident), whether it is alien or not, man-made or not, alive or dead, or how it ended up in the space ship to begin with. |
|||
Even the spacecraft itself remains fairly ambiguous by the end (though there are more certainties regarding it than the sphere.) Of the space craft, the reader is told the date of its flight (2043 A.D.), what the purpose of it was (to send a ship through a black hole), that it was built in a tentative way (the builders not knowing whether travel through a black hole was possible or not), that it traveled to roughly 300 years ago from the present, and that it's an American spacecraft. However, even with those facts, the reader is never told what happened to the crew (assuming there was one, which is never definitively stated) or why the ship was sent through a black hole. |
|||
Thus even with all the information at hand, there isn't much that can be objectively declared in the story. Nonetheless, a few solid conclusions can be drawn about Sphere. The most plausible (and most important) is that Crichton, having written a book whose theme is more or less based on human imagination, wanted to leave the reader imagining the answers to all the unanswered questions. As the psychologist Norman Johnson explains in a few places in the book, what people imagine says more about themselves than it does the objects/situations in question. Thus it seems reasonable to say that in not answering these questions, Crichton wanted the reader (in a sense) to create the story of what happened in Sphere by 'filling in the blanks.' |
|||
The question must also be asked as to how relevant the novel actually is regarding alien life forms and human contact with them. At first, it seems obvious that the book is about nothing but aliens, but as the reader progresses, the disillusionment sets in that little in the plot seems to relate to it. By the end, it's possible to even consider the novel to, in some way, have nothing to do with aliens. The reader is initially led to believe that the spacecraft is alien. However, it's later learned that it's definitely American and not alien. Then there's Jerry, who though initially may seem alien is, in fact, not at all. Jerry is nothing more than a form of Harry's mind. Even the sphere itself, which was classified as being clearly alien when the main characters first see it, is speculated reasonably by Harry in the decompression chamber to maybe not be alien at all. Thus by the end, the three cornerstones supporting the concept of alien life ultimately crumble. |
|||
Yet in another light, Crichton still does make some relevancies regarding aliens. Most notably, he discusses 'The Anthropomorphic Problem,' which basically says that most people envision alien life forms as being essentially human even when, in reality, the probability of humans contacting aliens very similar to themselves (standing upright, having two eyes, a nose, a mouth, assuming human values and thinking in a human way, etc.) would be astronomically small. And in a way, that is actually saying a lot, especially when (from Crichton's view) the only thing one can conclusively say about alien life is that it could be like anything you imagine it to be because there's no way to really know what alien life (assuming it exists) is like otherwise. |
|||
The other possibility is that Crichton was attempting to make the connection that the human mind itself is a sort of alien life form, as it represents something poorly understood in many ways and (as he discusses with the 'anthropomorphic problem') has the potential to 'strike us below the belt' (which contact with aliens would most likely have with people.) The fact that all the objects that are initially believed to be alien (the spacecraft, Jerry, and the sphere) end up turning out to be human (or at least in the sphere's case, quite conceivably human) lends some credence to this possibility. |
|||
So what can really be concluded about the relevancy Sphere has to aliens? In a definitive sense, not very much, except perhaps to say that by the end the book has less to do with aliens than what one might have originally anticipated. The rest is essentially speculation as to the meaning, which again, ultimately says more about the speculator than it does the actual story. |
|||
There is also, intentionally or not, a certain symbolic statement made about the nature of mankind in Sphere. It's striking to note, for instance, that Crichton doesn't end the novel by first having the surviving characters imagine that no one ever died in the underwater accident before forgetting the existence of the Sphere. But even worse is the fact that such an idea never occurs to them at all. Given that much of the psychological examinations of the book are based on the hidden darkside within all people (particularly the Jungian shadow Crichton mentions), it's possible that in some way, Crichton was also attempting to make some sort of negative statement regarding mankind and mankind's thought processes. Although, the reason for that could have also been because it would ruin the suspense (and probably much of the meaning) in Sphere, so the above interpretation must be considered with that in mind. |
|||
And, lastly, as with most books written by Crichton, there comes a cautionary note about scientific exploration in Sphere. The question of 'should mankind attempt to utilize what they don't truly understand?' is always a paramount question in his books, and Sphere, with its dazzling scientific ideas and subsequently disastrous ending, is no exception. |
|||
==Film== |
==Film== |
||
Revision as of 21:56, 10 November 2006
 | This article possibly contains original research. |
| File:Sphere novel.jpg | |
| Author | Michael Crichton |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science Fiction, Techno-thriller, Novel |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
Publication date | May 12, 1987 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) Audio |
| Pages | 385 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-394-56110-4 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
Sphere is a science fiction novel written by Michael Crichton and published in 1987. It was made into the film Sphere in 1998.
The novel follows a psychologist named Norman Johnson, who is called upon by the U.S. Navy to join a team of scientists assembled by the U.S. Government to examine an enormous spacecraft discovered on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The depth of coral covering the craft proves that it has been lying there for over 300 years, and so could only be of alien origin.
The novel begins as a fairly straightforward science fiction story, but quickly transforms into a psychological thriller, ultimately exploring the nature of the human subconscious.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler In the book, the group of scientists, including psychologist Norman Johnson, mathematician Harry Adams, biologist Beth Halpern, and astrophysicist Ted Fielding, (along with the navy personnel) are placed in a deep sea habitat at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to explore the spacecraft.
To their surprise, they soon discover that the spacecraft is in fact not alien, but an American craft constructed fifty years in the future and apparently sent through time. On further exploration of the spacecraft, the team discovers a mysterious spherical artifact of clearly extraterrestrial origin, which quickly becomes the focus of their mission and the plot. At this point a Pacific storm keeps the scientists on the ocean floor without contact or support from the Navy on the surface for what could be a week or more.
The story soon focuses on first asking thought-provoking questions about the sphere (namely whether it should be opened or not) and then on attempting to actually open the sphere and learn its nature, contents, and origin. Harry eventually opens it and goes inside. Upon returning he has a terrible headache and he remembers little about what happened inside the sphere and how he opened it. The rest of the team cannot figure it out either.
As they continue to study and theorize, they are contacted by an intelligent, seemingly friendly alien life form that calls itself Jerry who apparently is from within the spherical alien artifact. But while they struggle to come up with answers to their questions surrounding Jerry and the sphere, bizarre and increasingly deadly events transpire involving sea creatures such as giant squid, sea snakes, and jellyfish, and soon it is apparent they are being manifested by Jerry himself. Members of the team start to die in various attacks while the survivors struggle to placate the unthinkably powerful, childlike and temperamental Jerry, who seems to have no concept of death and finds them a source of amusement.
Now Norman has a suddenly important role as he realizes he has to use psychology to keep the surviving team (now only himself, Beth and Harry) alive by placating Jerry and keeping him from killing them all. But in a shocking twist he discovers that Jerry does not actually exist, and that the sphere, in fact, holds the power to allow subconscious thought to become manifested into reality itself. Thus after entering the sphere, Harry has this power. In other words, Jerry is nothing more than a part of Harry's subconscious mind. Harry has started subconsciously manifesting the squid (he mentions he was terrified of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea as a kid), Jerry, and other such dangerous visions and dreams come to life, and Norman and Beth have to somehow stay alive before Harry's subconscious kills them all.
Beth and Norman decide to tranquilize Harry with a powerful cocktail of sedatives and painkillers from the first aid box, and after successfully doing so, they wait for contact to be reestablished with the surface. However it is at this point that Norman discovers, much to his horror, that Beth has become psychotic and has also entered the sphere (gaining the power). He is now at her mercy as she starts irrationally planting powerful explosives around the spacecraft and the deep sea habitat in an act of self-destruction. Norman escapes and enters the sphere, thus also receiving the power to literally make his thoughts real, and races against the timed explosives to talk Beth out of her suicidal rampage and rescue Harry. Harry regains consciousness at this point and knocks Beth unconscious, and they scramble to the escape sub to the surface just before the explosives destroy the site.
While in the decompression chamber, the three survivors ponder what they are going to tell the navy what happened underwater. Eventually, they decide to use their power to literally get rid of their power, changing reality so that the whole thing never happened and that a leak of toxic gas killed the crew as well as destroyed the habitat instead. They agree it can only work if they all do it together and think it and make it happen. And they do so. However, as a final twist to the tale, it is left ambiguous as to whether Beth really accompanied Norman and Harry in giving up the power or not.
Main Characters
Norman Johnson - Norman is the protagonist of the story and is probably the most important in terms of story revelation. Despite physically being the least fit to be in the underwater habitat, he is arguably the most level-headed of the group, though even he exemplifies moments of irrationality. Nonetheless, Norman is usually the diplomat of the team, trying to make everyone get along with one another.
Harry Adams - Harry is a young, highly intelligent mathematician. However, he is also very arrogant, unsympathetic, disdainful, and often uncooperative with the others. Harry tends to be the most thought-provoking character in the story, often outlining concepts that encourage readers to think about certain issues (some which remain solely within the context of the story and some which don't.) While very secure intellectually, Harry tends to be lacking emotionally.
Theodore Fielding - Though good-natured, Ted is portrayed as an annoyingly enthusiastic opportunist. His pretentiousness tends to inhibit his relationships with the others, despite his good intentions. It is revealed later that his annoying nature is due to his drive to do something that will make him famous, and the reality that (in his eyes) the time for him to do that is running out.
Elizabeth Halpern - Beth is both gentle and caring while at the same time fierce, combatitive, and confrontational. She has seemingly contradictory (yet plausible) traits about her, being a weight lifter (fierceness) while possessing physical beauty (gentleness.) Being that she's the only woman scientist, she tends to be mistreated, often playing as the black sheep or the scapegoat of the story. As evidenced later, she's arguably the most out of touch with her emotions.
Harold Barnes - Harold (Hal) is the one in charge of the underwater scientific investigation. Given that he's more of a military man than a scientific one, his interests tend to conflict with the other main characters. His manner is usually cold, impatient, and distrustful. He also proves deceitful, as evidenced later when some of the others discover his mendacity about certain facts.
Supporting Characters
The following are all female navy crews[wo]men who assist the main characters.
-Tina Chan
-Alice 'Teeny' Fletcher
-Rose Levy
-Jane Edmunds
Film
The book was turned into the film Sphere in 1998, directed by Barry Levinson, with a cast including Dustin Hoffman (Norman Johnson, renamed Norman Goodman), Samuel L. Jackson (Harry Adams), Liev Schreiber (Ted Fielding), and Sharon Stone (Dr Beth Halpern, renamed Halperin).