This blog is a place for Mr. Sale's Science Fiction class at Arapahoe High School to record ideas about the books, films, and discussion topics we explore in class.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
"'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman"
We read the Harlan Ellison story "'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman" in class on September 19 and 21. If you have comments to add about the story, please post them here.
When I was reading this short story I was wondering whether cigarettes were banned in the future? I think they would be banned because cigarettes are supposed to take time off your life. And since it seems like you have a limited number of hours during your life wouldnt smoking mess up that number?
At this point in history, probably not. They're about 300 years ahead of us, time wise. Considering that in the past 300 years lifespans have gone from 40-50 years to upper 70s, and medical advancements have been occuring more and more frequently, by that time chances are good that smoking will have little to no effect, or will be easily fixable.
As for the general idea of everything, I was just curious as to how they DIDN'T know who the Harlequin was. At the very beginning they said they had his time card, which would mean they would be able to shut him off, correct? In addition to that, they have a map of everyone, as is mentioned when they were talking about the guy who ran away (The dot on the map blinked off when he died). With those two things, wouldn't they have figured out who he was, or just killed him?
Apollo- The Ticktockman does mention that he actually wants to know WHO he was. His personality, his thinking, why he did things and so forth. He didn't want to turn him off until he knew about him and possibly so they could use the tactics from 1984. Just a guess though. As for the map, they may have needed another disc of some sort which the Harlequin chose carefully not to give them. But, I couldn't be sure.
4 comments:
When I was reading this short story I was wondering whether cigarettes were banned in the future? I think they would be banned because cigarettes are supposed to take time off your life. And since it seems like you have a limited number of hours during your life wouldnt smoking mess up that number?
Aaron;
At this point in history, probably not. They're about 300 years ahead of us, time wise. Considering that in the past 300 years lifespans have gone from 40-50 years to upper 70s, and medical advancements have been occuring more and more frequently, by that time chances are good that smoking will have little to no effect, or will be easily fixable.
As for the general idea of everything, I was just curious as to how they DIDN'T know who the Harlequin was. At the very beginning they said they had his time card, which would mean they would be able to shut him off, correct? In addition to that, they have a map of everyone, as is mentioned when they were talking about the guy who ran away (The dot on the map blinked off when he died). With those two things, wouldn't they have figured out who he was, or just killed him?
~D. Tetley
Apollo-
The Ticktockman does mention that he actually wants to know WHO he was. His personality, his thinking, why he did things and so forth. He didn't want to turn him off until he knew about him and possibly so they could use the tactics from 1984. Just a guess though.
As for the map, they may have needed another disc of some sort which the Harlequin chose carefully not to give them. But, I couldn't be sure.
D. Tetley-
Then I'm confused... are you saying that the live for around 250+ years? does anyone even have natural deaths
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