22 pages • 44 minutes read
The Eyes Have It
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Themes
Distinguishing Reality From Illusion
Like many of Philip K. Dick's works, which consistently challenge the distinction between reality and illusion, “The Eyes Have It” grapples with the question of knowing reality. In this unique storytelling mode, Dick presents worlds in which the boundaries of reality are blurred, inviting readers to question their own perception of reality. He blends larger themes of identity, memory, perception, and the subjective nature of reality, often leaving readers with a sense of existential unease. In this story, Dick focuses on a narrower theme of the psychological confusion that results from seeking this distinction.
The narrator frequently finds himself questioning the authenticity of both what he reads and of his perception of reality. He struggles to discern whether his experience or his reading is genuine and does not even pause to question whether either is a mere figment of his imagination or of paranoia. This may make him an unreliable narrator, as his perception of reality is clouded by his own belief and mental state. Throughout his reading, his mental state is demonstrated through his visceral reactions to the pulp novel. For example, he experiences “vague chills” (Paragraph 4), “gasp[s] with horror” (Paragraph 8), “sicken[s]” (Paragraph 20), and later grows “feverish, [with] teeth chattering” (Paragraph 22). He faces real-world consequences for questioning his own reality.
The theme of the complexities of distinguishing between reality and illusion touches on the existential concept of the nature of reality itself. The narrator grapples with the existential angst of not being able to differentiate between the two, leading to a sense of paranoia, confusion, and inaction. Late in the story, the narrator confesses he “had really stumbled onto something here. [His] mind reeled as [he] made out this passage” (Paragraph 16). Beyond this, the narrator also struggles to reconcile his wife’s perceived inability to differentiate reality from illusion; he refuses to tell her anything about his reading (Paragraph 10).
By challenging traditional notions of reality and posing philosophical questions about the nature of existence, the boundaries of reality, and the illusory nature of the human experience, this work depicts a character who grapples with the power of the human mind to interpret reality. Through this single, mostly solitary character, Dick probes the fragile nature of the human mind and the influence of psychological factors on one's perception of reality. The willful inaction of the narrator at the end leaves readers with a sense of ambiguity and an implied philosophical conundrum regarding what is to be done when reality is unmasked.
Kitsch as the Tension Between the Mundane and the Extraordinary
The tension between the mundane and the extraordinary is one of the Gnostic themes to which Philip K. Dick continually returns. As a philosophy, Gnosticism posits a tension between the physical world and a “concealed” world that is unlocked through esoteric knowledge. To demonstrate and develop this theme, Dick contrasts mundane, kitsch objects, such as a paperback novel and the board game Monopoly, with the search for meaning. These kitsch items—cheap, gaudy, or tasteless art or objects—represent the tensions between consumerism and artificiality.
Dick’s focus on establishing this contrast imbues textual details that might otherwise seem insignificant with a deeper meaning. For example, the narrator finds a “paperbacked book” (Paragraph 2), an object that is cheaply made and easily discarded or left behind. In this case, “someone had left [it] on the bus” (Paragraph 2). Mass production of anything, be it cars, books, or homes, threatens to make commodification commonplace and, therefore, devalues all objects. Thus, the accepted treatment of objects as expendable because they are perceived as cheap is one of the dangers of mass consumer society to which Dick draws attention. Likewise, kitsch erodes authenticity—authenticity of art and craft and of standards. Heightening this erosion, the fumbling Government produces “a pamphlet on the repair and maintenance of frame houses” (Paragraph 1). The pamphlet exemplifies this exploration of kitsch, as it is widely and cheaply produced, easily thrown away, and forgotten without consequence. In this context, it also has a pretense to authority because of its source: the Government. The narrator, however, dismisses this pamphlet as easily as the stranger left the book behind on the bus.
Dick transforms kitsch—the lowbrow aspects of culture—into a theme of deep significance. Because one of Dick’s other perpetual themes is distinguishing what is real from what is illusory, kitsch bridges the gap between the mundane and the extraordinary. Kitsch itself may be real or counterfeit—much like reality itself. Kitsch in the form of a board game distracts the narrator’s family while he explores the paperbacked novel (Paragraph 22). Even if he thinks his activity is in some way better or more extraordinary than theirs, in essence the activities are the same: Both are kitschy distractions from reality.
The narrator believes his revelation is at the same time extraordinary and completely mundane (Paragraph 1), even as it causes him deep dread (Paragraph 24). Although his newly discovered perceptions do not coincide with reality, the narrator decides to abandon his search for meaning in favor of a world filled with superficiality. Kitsch reveals the tension between these options, showcasing the instability of both. “The Eyes Have It” implicitly asks what the next kitschy book on the bus will be, how it will be misread, and how reality will change because of it.
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By Philip K. Dick
