Misplaced Pages

#953046

39-550: It is the first book in the incomplete VALIS trilogy of novels, followed by The Divine Invasion (1981). The planned third novel, The Owl in Daylight , had not yet taken definite shape at the time of the author's death. Dick's final novel, The Transmigration of Timothy Archer (1982), builds on similar themes; Dick wrote: "the three do form a trilogy constellating around a basic theme." In March 1974, Horselover Fat (the alter-personality of Philip K. Dick) experiences visions of

78-533: A blind, mad creator deity called Yaldaboath or Samael . The novel frequently references the 1945 discovery at Nag Hammadi . The action of VALIS is set firmly in the American popular culture of its time, with references to the Grateful Dead , Frank Zappa , and Linda Ronstadt , as well as the fictional rock musicians Eric Lampton and Brent Mini (likely based on David Bowie and Brian Eno respectively). However,

117-481: A delivery person from the pharmacy brought his pain medication, he noticed the ichthys necklace she wore and asked her what it meant. She responded that it was a symbol used by the early Christians , and in that moment Dick's religious experiences began: In that instant, as I stared at the gleaming fish sign and heard her words, I suddenly experienced what I later learned is called anamnesis —a Greek word meaning, literally, "loss of forgetfulness." I remembered who I

156-400: A hard-headed Dick gently mocks the weird metaphysics of Fat through a series of wonderfully insane conversations and misadventures: a slapstick-tightrope-dance over a bit of potential insanity, a wrestle with demons in which (both inside and outside Valis ) Dick is the unexpected winner." Thomas M. Disch reported that "the fascination of the book, what's most artful and confounding about it,

195-522: A journal which eventually ran to hundreds of thousands of words. This work became known as the Exegesis , selections of which were published as The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick . Dick's leading hypothesis was that he had been contacted by a transcendental, mystical mind he called VALIS (vast active living intelligence system). In the summer of 1976, Dick completed a novel based on these so-called "2-3-74 experiences," which he titled VALISystem A . The novel

234-403: A laser accident caused by Brent Mini. Undeterred, Fat (who has now resurged) goes on a global search for the next incarnation of Sophia . Dick also offers a rationalist explanation of his apparent theophany, acknowledging that it might have been visual and auditory hallucinations from either schizophrenia or drug addiction sequelae . Phil, Fat, Kevin, and David decide to call themselves

273-507: A pink beam of light that he calls Zebra and interprets as a theophany exposing hidden facts about the reality of our universe, and a group of others join him in researching these matters. One of their theories is that there is some kind of alien space probe in orbit around Earth, and that it is aiding them in their quest; it also aided the United States in disclosing the Watergate scandal and

312-458: A science fiction movie, also called "VALIS," that the characters see). By that time, Dick had completed a second novel, one also filled with his thoughts about religion and philosophy and very indirectly linked to VALIS (the VALIS entity gets but two mentions), which he called VALIS Regained and which was published as The Divine Invasion . Dick soon began talking (in letters and interviews) about

351-681: A search for the light; the condition of the quester is one of doubt, not certainty." V ALIS has been described as one node of an artificial satellite network originating from the star Sirius in the Canis Major constellation. According to Dick, the Earth satellite used "pink laser beams" to transfer information and project holograms on Earth and to facilitate communication between an extraterrestrial species and humanity. Dick claimed that VALIS used "disinhibiting stimuli" to communicate, using symbols to trigger recollection of intrinsic knowledge through

390-518: A summary of an unpublished Gnostic exegesis included in VALIS . Dick wrote: Once, in a cheap science fiction novel, Fat had come across a perfect description of the Black Iron Prison, but set in the far future. So if you superimposed the past (ancient Rome) over the present (California in the twentieth century) and superimposed the far future world of The Android Cried Me a River over that, you got

429-448: A third novel to complete a "VALIS Trilogy." After Dick's death, several omnibus editions of the "VALIS Trilogy" were published, with his final mainstream novel The Transmigration of Timothy Archer . Timothy Archer does not cite VALIS, yet Dick himself called the three novels a trilogy, saying "the three do form a trilogy constellating around a basic theme." [1] The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick

SECTION 10

#1732947971954

468-566: Is a 2011 non-fiction book containing the published selections of a journal kept by the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick , in which he documented and explored his religious and visionary experiences. Dick's wealth of knowledge on the subjects of philosophy, religion, and science inform the work throughout. Dick started the journal after his visionary experiences in February and March 1974, which he called "2-3-74." These visions began shortly after Dick had two impacted wisdom teeth removed. When

507-399: Is a malfunction—a failure—of memory retrieval ." At one point, Dick claimed to be in a state of enthousiasmos with VALIS , where he was informed his infant son was in danger of perishing from an unnamed malady. Routine checkups on the child had shown no trouble or illness; however, Dick insisted that thorough tests be run to ensure his son's health. The doctor eventually complied, despite

546-488: Is inspired by Dick's book. Grant Morrison used VALIS as a source of inspiration for The Invisibles , in particular for the Barbelith sentient satellite. VALIS trilogy The VALIS trilogy is a set of science fiction / philosophical novels by author Philip K. Dick which include VALIS (1978), The Divine Invasion (1980), and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer (1982). Dick's first novel about

585-403: Is the way the line between Dick and Fat shifts and wavers." Disch concludes that "as a novel, as a whole novel   ... it went off the rails sometimes. But the first half holds together wonderfully, considering how much there is to be held together." Umberto Rossi posits that some degree of academic discomfort towards the novel has resulted from uncertainty whether Dick genuinely believed in

624-478: Is thematically similar. According to Dick, these three books "form a trilogy constellating around a basic theme." Greg Costikyan reviewed Valis in Ares Magazine #9 and commented that "The plot is minor, the characterization poor, and the prose unexciting; philosophy and deft manipulation of mood are not enough to carry the book." Dave Langford reviewed Valis for White Dwarf #98, and stated that "Here

663-419: The loss of amnesia , achieving gnosis . Drawing directly from Platonism and Gnosticism , Dick wrote in his Exegesis : "We appear to be memory coils (DNA carriers capable of experience) in a computer-like thinking system which, although we have correctly recorded and stored thousands of years of experiential information, and each of us possesses somewhat different deposits from all the other life forms, there

702-471: The 'Sirius Connection', contemplating the idea that alien entities are sending out waves of information that we can tune in on. VALIS specifically mentions the Dogon people , saying that they had encountered three-eyed people who had descended from Ikhnaton . References are also made to numerous deities, including Yurugu (who it associates with Yin ) and Nommo (who it associates with Yang ); it also suggests

741-538: The Empire, as the supra- or trans-temporal constant. Everyone who had ever lived was literally surrounded by the iron walls of the prison; they were all inside it and none of them knew it. VALIS was adapted in 1987 as an electronic opera by composer Tod Machover , and performed at Centre Georges Pompidou , with live singers and video installations created by artist Catherine Ikam. On February 1, 2004, Variety announced that Utopia Pictures & Television had acquired

780-479: The Rhipidon Society. The motto they adopt is, "Fish cannot carry guns." Radio Free Albemuth , a posthumously published earlier version of VALIS , is not included as a component of the VALIS trilogy. Dick completed one more novel after The Divine Invasion , The Transmigration of Timothy Archer (1982), based on Dick's association with Bishop James A. Pike and which, while not referencing VALIS directly,

819-405: The VALIS concept originally titled " VALISystem A " (written 1976), was published as Radio Free Albemuth after Dick's death (March 1982) in 1985. In February and March 1974, Dick experienced a series of visions and other inexplicable perceptual and cognitive phenomena. For the rest of his life, Dick explored the philosophical implications and hypothesized about the origins of the experience, in

SECTION 20

#1732947971954

858-490: The black, prisonlike contours of hateful Rome. But, of much more importance, I remembered Jesus , who had just recently been with us, and had gone temporarily away, and would very soon return. My emotion was one of joy. We were secretly preparing to welcome Him back. It would not be long. And the Romans did not know. They thought He was dead, forever dead. That was our great secret, our joyous knowledge. Despite all appearances, Christ

897-517: The book would form the basis for the sequel to VALIS the movie. In other words, the story of VALIS would form the basis for VALIS 2 ." British indie rock band Bloc Party has a song titled "V.A.L.I.S." on their 2012 album Four . Progressive metal band Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster have songs named "Exegesis", "Valis" and "Black Iron Prison", all inspired by Dick's work, on their 2012 album Exegesis . Portuguese double bassist Hugo Carvalhais's 3rd album Grand Valis (Clean Feed Records 2015)

936-716: The experiences is referred to by several names, including Zebra, God, and the Vast Active Living Intelligence System . From 1974 until his death in 1982, Dick wrote the Exegesis by hand in late-night writing sessions, sometimes composing as many as 150 pages in a sitting. In total, it consists of approximately 8,000 pages of notes, only a small portion of which have been published. Besides the Exegesis , Dick described his visions and faith in numerous other works, including VALIS , Radio Free Albemuth , The Divine Invasion , The Transmigration of Timothy Archer , one brief passage in A Scanner Darkly , and

975-435: The fact that there were no apparent symptoms. During the examination doctors discovered an inguinal hernia , which would have killed the child if an operation was not quickly performed. His son survived thanks to the operation, which Dick attributed to the "intervention" of VALIS . Another event was an episode of supposed xenoglossia . Supposedly, Dick's wife transcribed the sounds she heard him speak, and discovered that he

1014-889: The fictitious film Valis was that of Dick's then-unpublished novel Radio Free Albemuth .) In seeking the film's makers, Kevin, Phil, Fat, and David—now calling themselves the Rhipidon Society—head to an estate owned by popular musician Eric Lampton and his wife Linda. They decide the goal that they have been led toward is Sophia Lampton, who is two years old and the Messiah or incarnation of Holy Wisdom ( Pistis Sophia ) anticipated by some variants of Gnostic Christianity . In addition to healing Phil's schizophrenic personality split, she tells them that their conclusions about VALIS (which Fat had previously termed Zebra ) and reality are correct, and more importantly, that we should worship, not gods, but humanity. She dies two days later due to

1053-469: The more fantastical aspects of the narrative (further supported by the Exegesis which followed). In detailing the many ideological shunts between skepticism and belief which occur within the plot, Rossi concludes Dick intended neither view to achieve hegemony, but that the synthesis of both effectively depict "the unyielding contradictions in [Dick's] experience of self... Being involved in a quest does not automatically confer enlightenment, but rather involves

1092-484: The novel also contains a number of high culture references such as the poets Vaughan , Wordsworth , and Goethe , and the classical composers Handel and Wagner . In particular, the novel contains several extended discussions about Wagner's metaphysical opera Parsifal . "The Black Iron Prison" is a concept of an all-pervasive system of social control postulated in the Tractates Cryptica Scriptura ,

1131-399: The novel before being interrupted by Locke. John Alan Simon, director of the film adaptation of Radio Free Albemuth , remarked that VALIS will form the basis of a sequel to that film if it is successful: "Since Radio Free Albemuth is essentially the first draft of VALIS , we ended up with rights to both from the estate of Philip K. Dick . If Radio Free Albemuth is successful, VALIS

1170-648: The past. The most prominent religious references are to Valentinian Gnosticism , the Rose Cross Brotherhood , Zoroastrianism and Buddhism , as well as Biblical writings including the Book of Daniel and the New Testament epistles . Many ancient Greek philosophers are discussed, including several Pre-Socratics ( Pythagoras , Xenophanes , Heraclitus , Empedocles , and Parmenides ) as well as Plato and Aristotle . More recent thinkers that are mentioned include

1209-504: The philosophers Pascal and Schopenhauer , the Christian mystic Jakob Böhme , the alchemist Paracelsus , Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud , the Romanian historian of religion Mircea Eliade , and the author and psychologist Robert Anton Wilson . In Wilson's autobiographical Cosmic Trigger (released shortly before Dick commenced work on VALIS ), Wilson describes similar musings concerning

Valis (novel) - Misplaced Pages Continue

1248-474: The resignation of Richard Nixon in August 1974. Kevin turns his friends on to a film, Valis , that contains obvious references to revelations identical to those that Horselover Fat has experienced, including what appears to be time dysfunction. The film is itself a fictional account of an alternative-universe version of Nixon (Ferris F. Fremount) and his fall, engineered by a satellite called VALIS . (The plot of

1287-456: The rights to three of Philip K. Dick's works: Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said , VALIS , and Radio Free Albemuth . VALIS appeared in the TV show Lost . In the episode " Eggtown ", aired February 21, 2008, the character John Locke gives Ben Linus the book to read from Ben's own book shelf, while Ben is being held captive. In " The Other Woman ", aired March 6, 2008, Ben is again shown reading

1326-538: The uncompleted The Owl in Daylight , as well as many essays and personal letters. In Pursuit of Valis: Selections from the Exegesis was published in 1991. In April 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced plans to publish further excerpts from the Exegesis in two volumes. The first, 1056 pages long, would have been released in 2011, and the second (a volume of the same length) in 2012. Editor Jonathan Lethem described

1365-476: Was able to think, speak, and read fluent Latin under the influence of Sandoz LSD-25 . The UK edition of VALIS also included "Cosmology and Cosmogony", a chapbook containing selections from Dick's Exegesis . Theology and philosophy , especially metaphysical philosophy, play an important role in VALIS , presenting not just Dick's (and/or Horselover Fat's) own views on these subjects but also his interpretation of numerous religions and philosophies of

1404-406: Was and where I was. In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, it all came back to me. And not only could I remember it but I could see it. The girl was a secret Christian and so was I. We lived in fear of detection by the Romans. We had to communicate with cryptic signs. She had just told me all this, and it was true. For a short time, as hard as this is to believe or explain, I saw fading into view

1443-399: Was going to return, and our delight and anticipation were boundless. In the following weeks, Dick experienced further visions, including a hallucinatory slideshow of abstract patterns and an information-rich beam of pink light. In the Exegesis , he theorized as to the origins and meaning of these experiences, frequently concluding that they were religious in nature. The being that originated

1482-402: Was sold to Bantam Books , but after editor Mark Hurst suggested some possible revisions, Dick began contemplating a revision so radical as to constitute a new novel. The original VALISystem A was published posthumously as Radio Free Albemuth . The new version, titled simply VALIS , was completed late in 1978 and published in 1981 (the plot of the earlier version appears as the plot of

1521-518: Was speaking Koine Greek —the common Greek dialect during the Hellenistic years (3rd century BC–4th century AD) and direct "father" of today's modern Greek language —which he had never studied. As Dick was to later discover, Koine Greek was originally used to write the New Testament and the Septuagint . However, this was not the first time Dick had claimed xenoglossia: a decade earlier, Dick insisted he

#953046