VALIS:

AnIntroductoryGuide

ASeniorSeminarPaper

Presentedto

FacultyoftheDepartmentofEnglish

SchoolofArts&Humanities

FerrumCollege

Ferrum,Virginia

InPartialFulfillment

oftherequirementsforthedegreeof

BachelorofScience

by

MichaelGeorgeGresham

2016

Acknowledgments

MythankstoDr.JohnKitterman,Dr.EdmondHally,Dr.GaryAngel,andDr.Lana

Whitedfortheirconstanthelpandsupport.Thispaperwouldnothavebeenpossible

withouttheirexpertise.

Iamindebted,aswell,tomyclassmates,RebekahMotleyandRebeccaMorey.Their

feedbackthroughoutthesemesterhelpedtremendouslyinthedevelopment,editing,and

streamliningofthisguide.

Last,butcertainlynotleast,Iwouldliketothankmyfather,DaveGresham,my

grandfather,GeorgeGresham,andmygrandmother,ElaineGresham.Theyhaveshown

infinitepatiencethissemester.Withoutthem,thisproject,andallthatitrepresents,would

neverhaveexisted.

Abstract

ThepurposeofthisguideistointroduceVALIStonewreadersvia“duality.”The

novelcanbedifficultfornewreaders,buttheilluminationofseveralkeyideas—seen

throughthelensofduality—willhopefullymaketheexperiencemoreenjoyable.

Thefirstpartgivessomeneededbackgroundonthenovelandtheauthor.It

introducesseveralelementsthereaderneedstoknowinordertounderstandthequestions

andanswersthatfollow.Theseelementsinclude:abriefplotsummary,alookatthemain

character,adescriptionofhisprivatenotebook,andthenatureofthetitularentity,VALIS.

“Duality”isdefined,andexamplesfromthenovelarepresented.

ThesecondparttalksaboutGnosticism.Itsbasicbeliefsarepresented,alongwith

informationaboutthediscoveryofGnostictextsatNagHammadi.Theconceptofa

“syzygy”isintroduced,followedbyadescriptionofValentinianGnosticism.Finally,the

womeninthemaincharacter’slifearediscussedinrelationtotheGnosticconcepts

previouslyconsidered.

ThethirdpartdiscussesC.G.Jungbriefly,enhancingpreviousideasandclarifying

thepurposeofthenovel.Jung’smainideas—the“collectiveunconscious”and

“archetypes”—areintroduced.Next,theanima,animusandtheDeusAbsconditusare

explainedintermsofVALIS.Thelasttwoquestionsspeakfurtheraboutthemain

character’smentalissuesandhisproblemswithwomen.

Thefinalpartdescribeswherethereadermaywanttogoafterreadingthisguide.

AnappendixattheendprintsacomicbyRobertCrumbthatbrieflysummarizes

PhilipK.Dick’sstrangereligiousexperiences.

TABLEOFCONTENTS

PREFACE 1

SECTIONI–THEBASICS

WHOISTHEAUTHOROFTHISGUIDE? 3

WHYISTHISGUIDENECESSARY? 4

WHATISVALISABOUT? 5

WHYDOESTHENARRATORHAVETHESAMENAMEASTHEAUTHOR? 8

WHATISTHEEXEGESIS? 9

WHATISZEBRA/VALIS? 11

ISVALISJUSTAMEANSOFDISSEMINATINGTHEAUTHOR’SBELIEFS? 12

WHATIS“DUALITY”ANDHOWDOESITRELATETOVALIS? 13

WHYWASTHEAUTHORSOINTERESTEDINDUALITY? 14

WHATISANEXAMPLEOFDUALITYINTHENOVEL? 15

WHAT’STHEDEALWITHTHOSEHANDELARIASINCHAPTER2? 18

CANYOUCOMPAREMAURICEANDDR.STONE? 20

SECTIONII-GNOSTICISM

WHATISGNOSTICISM? 23

WHATWERETHEBASICBELIEFSOFGNOSTICSECTS? 24

WHATISNAGHAMMADI?WHATISCHENOBOSKION? 25

WHATISASYZYGY? 26

WHATARETHEBELIEFSOFVALENTINIANGNOSTICISM? 27

WHATISTHESIGNIFICANCEOFSOPHIAATTHEENDOFVALIS? 30

WHATISTHESIGNIFICANCEOFGLORIAKNUDSEN? 32

WHATISTHESIGNIFICANCEOFSHERRISOLVIG? 34

SECTIONIII-JUNG

WHYDOESJUNGHAVEASECTIONINTHISREADER’SGUIDE? 37

WHOWASCARLJUNG? 39

WHATISTHE“COLLECTIVEUNCONSCIOUS”? 40

WHATISAN“ARCHETYPE”? 42

WHATISTHEANIMA?ANIMUS? 43

WHATISTHEDEUSABSCONDITUS? 44

ISFAT’SMENTALSPLITEXPLAINABLEINAJUNGIANCONTEXT? 46

HOWDOESJUNGRELATETOGNOSTICISM?HOWISITDIFFERENT? 47

SECTIONIV–FINALTHOUGHTS

WHERESHOULDIGOFROMHERE? 50

WORKSCITED 53

APPENDIXA–THERELIGIOUSEXPERIENCEOFPHILIPK.DICK 56

Gresham 1

Preface

MyintentionwhencomposingthisguidewastoprovideanintroductiontoVALIS

forneworfrustratedreaders.Inthemidstofitscomposition,however,itoccurredtome

thatIcouldofferamoreentertainingandcomfortablemeansofapproachingthetopic.The

paper’sstructureevolvedintoaquestion-answerformatthatallowsforeasierbrowsing

and,Ihope,amorecompellingexperience.Beaware,thesequestions—andtheir

answers—skimonlythesurfaceofPhilipK.Dick’snovel.Thisguideisonlyan

introduction.Thereforeasubstantialnumberofnames,terms,andideaswillnotbe

mentioned,andtheonesIdotalkaboutwillbeexaminedonlybriefly.Readersareadvised

totraveldownoneofthemanyotherrabbit-holesthatappearwhilstreadingVALIS.They

leadconsistentlytonewwaysofapproachingthematerial.

---~---

SectionI

—TheBasics—

Tellallthetruthbuttellitslant—

SuccessinCircuitlies

ToobrightforourinfirmDelight

TheTruth'ssuperbsurprise

AsLightningtotheChildreneased

Withexplanationkind

TheTruthmustdazzlegradually

Oreverymanbeblind—

EmilyDickinson

Gresham 3

Whoistheauthorofthisguide?

MynameisMikeGresham,I’m32yearsold,andI’mfinishingmydegreeatFerrum

College.IchoseVALISasmyseniorthesistopicbecauseIreckonedIcouldn’tbetheonly

personwhostruggledintryingtoreadthenovel.Personally,ItriedtoreadVALISthree

times,succeedingonlyonmythirdattempt.Thefirstcoupleofstabsendedwitha

restrainedurgetoslam-dunkthebookintotheclosesttrashcan.Ifoundthispuzzling,

becauseIgrewupreadingPhilipK.Dick—heisoneofmyfavoriteauthors—andVALISis

oneofhismostcritically-acclaimednovels.Ieventuallygaveitathirdtry,butthistime

beganresearchingunfamiliarnamesandconcepts,annotatingasIdidso,andfoundmy

enjoymentdramaticallyincreased,especiallywhenIrealizedtheimportanceofdualityin

thenovel.Fromthere,IdecidedtocreateaguidethatexplicatedthepartsofVALISthatI

perceivedtobethemostdifficult.

IfoundthatreadingVALISwasoftenapersonalexperience.MymotherdiedwhenI

wastwoyearsold,andasaresult,I’vefoundthatmyrelationshipsareoftenstrained.Iam

stubborn,canbeobsessivelysingle-minded,andhave,asafriendonceputit,“splintered

edges.”Therefore,IcanempathizewithmanyofVALIS’sthemes.AndthoughIhavenever

experiencedanythingsupernatural,Ihaverelativeswhoclaimtohaveexperiencedevents

everybitasstrangeastheonesPhilipK.Dickclaimstohaveendured.Readingand

criticallyexaminingVALIShelpedmetoachieveagreaterunderstandingofnotonlymy

ownspiritualsearch,butalsohelpedtobetterunderstandtheexperiencesofmyrelatives.

---~---

Gresham 4

Whyisthisguidenecessary?

Icouldn’tfindanythingonlinethatwascomparabletothisapproach,foronething,

andsurmisedthatIcouldn’tbealoneinwantinganintroductoryguidethatilluminatedthe

tougheraspectsofVALIS.Let’sbehonest,tocallitapolarizingnovelistounderstatethe

case.Theaveragereader,potentiallyunfamiliarwithcertainconcepts,confrontsan

onslaughtofacademicconfetti:unfamiliarauthors,terms,andplacesareeverywhere,

typicallywithlittletonoexplanationprovided.Combinethiswithaplotthatisslow-

moving—oneAmazon.comreviewerstatedthatshe“gottwothirdsofthewaythrough

[VALIS]andstillcouldn’tfindanactualstory”(Amazon)—andonehastherecipefora

thoroughlydefeatedbibliophile.

ThisguideoffersnewandfrustratedreadersofVALISapathwaytoapproachthe

novelviathethemeofduality.Specifically,itwillfocusonafewprominentexamples,

followedbyconciseexplanationsofValentinianGnosticismandJungianpsychoanalysis,

explicatingafterwardshowdualityiswovenintothesesubjects.Whilethisguideonly

tacklesafractionofthepossibletopicsthatthenoveldealswith,itshouldprovidean

excellentpositionfromwhichtofurtherinterpretandappreciateit.

---~---

Gresham 5

WhatisVALISabout?

VALISisapartlyautobiographical,thoughfictionalized,memoirofreal-world

experiencesthattheauthorunderwentin1974andbeyond.Itisalsoasymbolic

frameworkusedtomythologizethoseexperiences.ThefollowingdescriptionofVALIS’s

plotissomewhatincomplete,butonlybecauseVALISisnotastraightforwardnovel.The

plotstartsoutasasimpletaleaboutadepressedmanandhisattemptstodealwith

spiritualandpsychologicalissues,butbytheendhasmorphedintosomethingakintopure

allegory,framedasscience-fiction.Thissummaryrelatesonlywhatisnecessaryto

understandthetopicsexaminedinthisguide.

VALIStellsthetaleofaspiritualandpsychologicalquest.Thenarratorofthenovel,

PhilipK.Dick(NPKDfromnowon1),explainsthatFatisathird-personrepresentationof

hisownself,anavatarthatthenarratorhascreatedinorderto“gainmuch-need

objectivity.”Throughoutthenovel,NPKDdescribesFat’sattemptstounderstandthe

natureofamysteriousandextraordinarilypowerfulentitythatmayormaynotbeGod.At

thesametime,Fatisstrugglingtocopewithtragiclifeeventsthatareexacerbatinghis

depression,includinghiswifeleavinghim,afriendcommittingsuicide,etc.(VALIS).

Fatclaimstohaveexperiencedunexplainabletemporalanomalies.Herelatesan

incidentduringwhichheperceivedAncientRomeandpresent-dayCaliforniacoexisting

simultaneously;laterheclaimsthatamindoriginatingfromthetimeofChristtookcontrol

1 Thisismeanttolessenconfusion,sincethenarrator’sandauthor’snamesareidentical.NPKDreferstothenarrator,andAPKDreferstothereal-lifeauthor.

Gresham 6

ofhisbodyforashortperiod.Whileunderthismind’sinfluence,Fatsays,hewasableto

speakfluentGreek,wasfarbetterorganized,andwasmuchhealthierinhishabits(VALIS).

FatalsoclaimsthataGod-likeentity,whomhecallsZebra,isbeaminginformation

tohim.Hedescribesbeinghitwithapinklaserbeam,andsubsequentlyhavingentire

libraries’worthofinformationdownloadedintohismind.Intentontranscribingthis

knowledgeheisreceivinganddecipheringit,hebeginstokeepanotebookthathecallsthe

Exegesis.Later,hedescribesanotherincident,oneinwhichZebrasavedhisson’slifeby

beaminginformationtoFataboutapotentiallyfatalmedicalcondition.Whenherushedto

thedoctorandrelayedtheinformation—whoperformedthenecessaryprocedure—itwas

discoveredthathissonwouldhaveotherwisedied(VALIS).

ThefinalsectiondiscussestheaftermathofseeingamoviecalledVALIS.Themovie,

aHollywoodpicturewithanationwiderelease,isbrimmingwithsymbolicreferencesto

Fat'sexperiences.ThemovieevensuppliesZebra’spropername:VALIS,orVastActive

LivingIntelligenceSystem.Fatproceedstogetintouchwiththecreatorsofthemovie,the

Lamptons,believingthatVALISiscommunicatingwiththemtoo(VALIS).

FatbelievesthatVALIShasguidedthemtotheLamptons’daughter,thetwo-year-

oldSophia.ThisyounggirlisthechildofVALIS,andmayormaynotbethemessiah.She

seemstobeomniscient,despiteherphysicalappearancebeingthatofanearlyadolescent.

UponmeetingFat’sgroup,SophiaimmediatelyrecognizesDickandFatastwoaspectsof

thesameperson,andsubsequentlyforcesFattodisappearandreintegratewiththe

narrator.NPKDthenbeginstosuspect,however,thatSophia’scaretakersmaybeinsane.

ThisisprovenwhenNPKDlearnsthattheLamptonshaveaccidentallykilledSophiainan

attempttoextractinformationfromhervialasertechnology.Afterherdeath,NPKDand

Gresham 7

Fatsplitintoseparateaspectsagain.ThenovelendswithFattravellingtheworldlooking

forSophia’sreincarnation,whileNPKDwaitsforVALIStosendhimamessage(VALIS).

---~---

Gresham 8

Whydoesthenarratorhavethesamenameastheauthor?Whois

HorseloverFat?AndwhatkindofnameisHorseloverFatanyway?

“HorseloverFat”isaplayonwords.“Philip”isGreekfor“LoverofHorses”,and

“Dick”means“Fat”inGerman(VALIS328).Thus,itisreiteratedthatHorseloverFatisthe

narrator,PhilipK.Dick.Earlyinthenovel,NPKDevenexplicitlystatesthat“Iam

HorseloverFat,andIamwritingthisinthethirdpersontogainsomemuchneeded

objectivity”(VALIS177).Theyarenot,inastrictsense,separatecharacters;theyareonly

representedthiswayinthecontextofthenarrator’sstory.

Thename“HorseloverFat”isintentionallyabsurd,reflectingNPKD’sattitude

towardtheexperiencesHorselover—and,byextension,thereal-lifeauthor—claimstohave

endured.Thenarratoriswellaware,inotherwords,oftheinsanityofFat’sclaims.By

projectingthepartofhimselfthathas“experiencedGod”,NPKDisthenabletoactasa

rationalcounterbalance,whileHorseloverFatwaxesphilosophicalandreligiousvia

excerptsfromtheExegesis.

---~---

Gresham 9

WhatistheExegesis?

WhiletheExegesis2isacentralpartofVALIS,itwasareal-lifenotebookaswell.

Specifically,itwastheprivatenotebookthatAPKD(authorPhilipK.Dick)startedafterhis

1974experienceswithanentityhecalledVALIS.ItservesasimilarfunctionforFatinthe

novel.APKDhadavarietyofstrangeexperiencesthroughouthislife3,muchlike

HorseloverFat.Post-1974,afterdirectlyexperiencingGod,orsomethingapproximating

God,APKDbeganthenotebookinanattempttogivemeaningtohisencounter.Jonathan

LethemandPamelaJacksonsayitbetter,intheintroductiontothepublished900-page

versionoftheExegesis:

...toapproachtheExegesisfromanyangleatallareadermustfirstaccept

thatthesubjectisrevelation,arevelationthatcametothepersonofPhilipK.

Dick...andsubsequentlydemanded,fortheremainderofDick’sdayson

earth,tobeunderstood...notforthesakeofhisownpsyche,norforthe

causeofthesalvationofhumankind,butpreciselybecausethosetwo

concernsseemedtohimtobeoneandthesame.(Exegesisxii)

VALIScontainswhatAPKDconsideredtobethemostimportantexcerptsfromtheExegesis.

These52excerpts,boldedinthetext,comprisewhattheauthortermedthe“Tractates

CrypticaScriptura”4.Inotherwords,whenanexcerptisprovidedfromFat’sfictional

2Exegesishasacouplemeanings,accordingtotheOED.1)“Chieflywithreferencetoscripture:aphrase,sentence,etc.,which

paraphrasesorexplainsanother.”2)“Anexplanationorinterpretationofatext,esp.ofscriptureorascripturalpassage.Alsomore

generally:acriticaldiscourseorcommentary”(OED).

3Forabriefsynopsis,pleaseseeAppendixA–TheReligiousExperienceofPhilipK.Dick.

4The“TractatesCrypticaScriptura”islocated,infull,asanappendixatthebackofeverycopyofVALIS.Itisroughly13to14pagesin

length,anddirectlyexcerptedfromthereal-worldversionofAPKD’sExegesis.

Gresham 10

Exegesis,itisactuallytakenverbatimfromAPKD’sreal-lifejournal.Surroundingthese

excerptsisaplotthatservesas1)afictionalized,autobiographicalinterpretationofthe

eventsAPKDexperienced,and2)asymbolicrepresentationoftheauthor’smind,castin

thelightofbothspiritualityandpsychoanalysis5(Exegesis).

---~---

5Itisnotenoughtosimplycallthenovelafictionalizedautobiography.ObservethatthenovelstartsoffwithNPKDdescribing

HorseloverFat’sclaimsoffantasticalevents—eventsthatmirrorreal-lifeincidentsoftheauthor.NPKD’sperspectiveseemsalmost

entirelyrationalatthispoint.Bytheend,however,fantasticaleventsaredirectlywitnessedbybothFatandNPKD,eventsthatseem

science-fictionalinnature.Whilesomecriticsassertthatthisswitchdenies“textuality”,Iholdanalternateview;theendofthenovel,

withitsunbelievablehappenings,servesasawaytosymbolizetheauthor’srelationshipwithhisownmind,bothconsciousand

unconscious,aswellashisrelationship(s)withthefeminine.

Gresham 11

WhatisZebra/VALIS?

ZebraisthenameHorseloverFatgivestothestrangeGod-likeentity.NPKDsays:

Zebra.Becauseitblended....Anothernameismimicry.Certaininsectsdo

this;theymimicotherthings:sometimesotherinsects—poisonousones—or

twigsandthelike.Certainbiologistsandnaturalistshavespeculatedthat

higherformsofmimicrymightexist,sincelowerforms—whichistosay,

formswhichfoolthoseintendedtobefooledbutnotus—havebeenfoundall

overtheworld.(VALIS233)

VALISisZebra’struename,revealedlaterinthenovel,afterFatseesthefilm

(VALIS).

ButwhatisZebra/VALIS?Honestly,thisdependsonwhichtheorythemain

characteriscontemplating.VALIScouldbepartofaninterstellarsatellitenetwork,having

itsoriginintheSiriusstar-system.Itcouldbeanalien.ItmayevenbeGod.But,atabasic

level,VALISisalivingentitymadeofinformation,abletoreplicatethephysicalworld

exactly.Asmentionedinthequotationabove,VALISisabletohideitself,exceptonamuch

higherlevel.Atthesametime,itisabletoreplicatethephysicalworldinwhichitishiding,

oftenusingthispowertointroducenewinformation,inordertofacilitatecommunication.

Imagine,forexample,lettersonasignthatareabletoberearranged.ToVALIS,realityis

akintheseletters,abletobeshuffledandreorganizedaccordingtoitswishes(VALIS).

---~---

Gresham 12

IsVALISjustameansofdisseminatingtheauthor’sbeliefs?

Thisquestionmayseemunusual,butthecriticismhasbeensuggested.Umberto

Rossi,inhisessay“TheShuntsintheTale,”saysthereare“twocompetingtextuallevels

strugglingagainsteachother”inthebook,astrugglebetween“theautobiographicalnovel

andreligioussciencefiction”(Rossi245).Thisstruggle,thisduality,issaidtodeny

“textuality,becauseitreducesthefictiontoascreenthroughwhichwelookatDick’sbelief

intheexistenceofVALIS”(Rossi243).TheargumentfurtherstatesthatsinceVALIS

abandonsthecriticaleyeofNPKDatacertainpoint(afterwhichhebecomesatrue

believerofFat’sexperiences),thenovelfunctionsasamethodbywhichtheauthor

propagateshisreal-worldideas;therefore,thebookcannotbetakenasliterature,perse.

Atonepointintheessay,thisconclusionismadeclear:“VALISisactuallyasortof

pamphletthataimsatwipingoutthereader’sdisbelief,atpersuadinghimthatwhat

happenedto[theauthor]...istrue.VALISisonlyapparentlyfiction...”(Rossi244).The

endingofthenovel,certainly,leavesitopentointerpretation.APKD,forinstance,could

not,evenbytheendofhislife,cometoareasonableconclusion,sothisargumentisnot

definitive.Whetherithasmerit,however,mustbelefttothereadertoestablish.Whatcan

bepresentedisevidencethatdualityinthenovelgoesfarbeyondtwo“textuallevels”

(Rossi245).

---~---

Gresham 13

Whatis“duality”andhowdoesitrelatetoVALIS?

TheOxfordEnglishDictionarydefines“duality”as“theconditionorfactofbeing

dual,orconsistingoftwoparts,natures,etc.;twofoldcondition”(OED).DualityinVALIS,

then,referstoanyaspectofthenovelthatrepresentssucha“conditionorfact.”We’ve

alreadyseen,forinstance,thatthenovelis,inpart,afictionalizedversionofreal-world

events,e.g.theExegesisexistinginbothfictionalandreal-worldforms.Dualityissuchan

importantconcept,andissorelevanttoeveryaspectofVALIS,thatit’stemptingtoadvise

newreaderstofirstexaminethenovelexclusivelyinlightofit.

DualityiscommoninAPKD’swriting.LorenzoDiTommasostates,inhisessay

“GnosticismandDualismintheEarlyFictionofPhilipK.Dick:”“Onekeytoproceedingtoa

betterunderstandingofDick’sfictionistoacceptthatthisconflict...ismostoften

expressedbymeansofthegrammarandinthevocabularyofdualisticcosmologies.”

(DiTomasso8)Observetheconstantquestionsaboutthenatureofhumanityversusthe

natureofrobotsinAndroidsDreamofElectricSheep,anovelaboutabountyhunter

trackingrenegadeandroids.AScannerDarklyisanotherexcellentexample;thenoveltells

thetaleofanundercovercopbeginstolosetrackofwhichofhistwoidentitiesisreal.

---~---

Gresham 14

Whywastheauthorsointerestedinduality?

IntermsofhisnovelVALIS,atleast,APKD’sinterestindualityhasitsoriginsinhis

relationshipwithhissister.OnDecember26,1929,hisfraternal-twinsisterpassedaway.

CharlotteJanewasoneyearold.Thetwinswerebornpremature,butinthe1920sthere

wasscantmedicalknowledgeregardingthesecircumstances.Theparentshadnoideathat

Charlottewasdying.Indeed,bythetimeaproperdiagnosiswasgiven,itwastoolate.

CharlotteJaneDickdiedonthewaytothehospital.LawrenceSutin,Dick’sbiographer,

statesthatherdeath“remainedthecentraleventofPhil'spsychiclife...andmanifested

itselfindifficultrelationswithwomenandafascinationwithresolvingdualist(twin-poled)

dilemmas—[SciFi]/mainstream,real/fake,human/android,andatlast(inasnearan

integrationofintellectandemotionasPhileverachieved)...inhismasterworkVALIS.”

(Sutin12)These“dualistdilemmas”aremythologizedinVALISusingspiritual,

philosophical,andpsychologicalconcepts.Inthisway,Dickrelateshisownstruggletothe

cosmicstruggle,justasallgoodmythsuniversalizethepersonal.

---~---

Gresham 15

Whatisanexampleofdualityinthenovel?

Acoupleexampleshavealreadybeenmentioned.First,thesplittingofthenarrator

intotwoseparatecharacters—HorseloverFatandNPKD—thatrepresentthespiritualand

rationalsidesofthemaincharacters.Second,thereisthecontrastbetween

autobiographicalnovelandreligiousscience-fiction.Let’sanalyzeadifferentexampleof

duality,though,onethatappearsbeforethenovelevenstarts.PriortoChapterOne,the

followingquotationisprinted:

VALIS(acronymofVastActiveLivingIntelligenceSystemfromanAmerican

film):Aperturbationintherealityfieldinwhichaspontaneousself-

monitoringnegentropicvortexisformed,tendingprogressivelytosubsume

andincorporateitsenvironmentintoarrangementsofinformation.

Characterizedbyquasi-consciousness,purpose,intelligence,growthandan

armillarycoherence.6

—GreatSovietDictionary(Dick)

Firstofall,theworkfromwhichthisentrywastaken,theGreatSovietDictionary—

alongwiththispassage—isentirelyfictitious.However,theGreatSovietEncyclopediais

veryreal.Here,then,istheduality;thefictionalbookisbeingcontrastedwiththereal

thing.Butthisraisesacouplequestions.WhywouldDickreferencetheDictionaryatthe

beginningofVALIS?Furthermore,whywouldhebotherchangingthetitle?

6VALISisthenameoftheGodlikebeingwithwhichthemaincharactercomesintocontact.

Aperturbationisthe“thedisturbanceoftheregularorderorstateofathing;irregularvariationordisorder”(OED).

Negentropicisashortenedversionof“NegativeEntropy”,andmeans:“oforrelatingtonegentropy;causingoraccompaniedbya

decreaseinentropyoranincreaseinorder(sometimeswiththeimplicationthatthesecondlawofthermodynamicsisbeing

contravened).”Contrastthiswithentropy,awordthatreferstothenaturaltendencyofasystemtofallapart.(OED)

Armillarymeans“pertainingtobraceletsorhoops.”(OED) Everseenamodelofthesolarsystemwheretheorbitsarerepresentedby

metalrings,onewithintheother?That’san“armillary”sphere.

Gresham 16

Let’sanswerthelatterquestionfirst.Thesubtlechange,fromEncyclopediato

Dictionary,isamessagetothereaderthatthenovelhasagenesisinreality.Theauthor’s

real-lifenotebookencompassesalmost8000handwrittenpages(comprisingnearly1

millionwords).TheSovietEncyclopediaissymbolicofthatcolossal,real-lifeundertaking,

whileVALIS,onlyacouplehundredpageslong,isthehighly-compressed,fictional

“dictionary”.TheDictionaryvs.EncyclopediadualityisametaphorforVALISvs.the

Exegesis7.

Thatstillleavesthelastquestionthough:WhywouldPhilipK.DickusetheSoviet

Dictionaryasthesourceofhisfictionalentry?RememberthatVALIS“subsumesand

incorporatesitsenvironmentintoarrangementsofinformation.”Bearingthatinmind,

considerthis:intheyearthenovelwaspublished(1981),whatcountrywouldtheaverage

Americanthinkofwhenthetopicof“censorship”wasintroduced?Mostpeopleduringthat

timeperiodwouldprobablysaytheSovietUnion.AnLATimesarticlefrom1991,infact,

mentionsaninstance“whenJosefStalin'sinfamouschiefofthesecretpolice,Lavrenti

Beria,fellintodisgraceandallGreatSovietEncyclopediaownerswereorderedtocuthis

entryoutofthe"B"volumeandpastein[adifferentarticle]”(Goldberg).Sinceweknow

thisbrandofsuppressionwasnormalintheUSSR,thedefinitionatthebeginningofthe

bookbecomesalaughableidea.Itwouldn’tmakeitpastthefirstroundofrubberstamps!

Laughable,thatis,untilthereaderrealizesthetruth:VALISisnotonlydefined;ithas

7 ThefinalpagesofVALISattesttothis:the“TractatesCrypticaScriptura”isprintedthere,anappendixlisting52short-to-medium-lengthexcerptsfromtheExegesis.Inthenovelitself,theseselectionsarescatteredthroughout,withtheplotactingasaframework,

designedtogivecontexttothesedensepiecesofwriting.Comparethe“Tractate,”spanningapproximately13to14pages,withthe8000

pagemonsterspokenofpreviously.Thesymbolismofalengthyanddetailedencyclopediaarticlevs.aconcisetwo-sentencedefinition

(Exegesisvs.VALIS)isevident.

Gresham 17

defineditselfbyintroducingnewinformationintotheworld,viatheSovietDictionary.

VALIShasdefineditself,whilesimultaneouslydemonstratingitspower.

---~---

Gresham 18

What’sthedealwiththoseHandelariasinChapter2?

Thequotedariasareanotherexcellentexampleofduality.Thefirstquotationisas

follows:

AndcanIthinkthegreatJehovahsleeps,

LikeShemosh,andsuchfableddeities?

Ah!no;heav'nheardmythoughts,andwrotethemdown

Itmustbeso."

[...]

'Tisthisthatracksmybrain,

Andpoursintomybreastathousandpangs,

Thatlashmeintomadness...(VALIS195)

ThispassageistakenfromanoratoriobyHandelcalledJephtha.Thequotationisfromone

ofJephtha’smostfamousariasinAct2,Scene4.ThebiblicalstoryofJephtharevolves

aroundthetitularcharactermakingarashpromisetoGod:ifhe(Jephtha)isvictoriousin

battle,hewillsacrificethefirstpersonheseescomingoutofthedoorsofhishouseupon

hisreturn.Unfortunately,thishappenstobehisowndaughter(BibleGateway).This

passageoperatesonacoupleoflevels.First,itreflectsFat’sownmind;heissufferingfrom

the“thousandpangs,/Thatlash[him]intomadness…”(VALIS195)Thismadnessis

reflectedbyNPKD,therationalsideofFat,whofearsthatthisisonlymadness,andthatany

attributiontoadivineoralienpowerismistaken.Second,itreflectsFat’sproblemswith

thewomeninhislife.JustasJephthaunwittinglysacrificeshisowndaughter,Fatfeelsguilt

regardinghisrelationshipswithwomen.Hefeelsthatheisresponsiblefortheirfates...

Gresham 19

perhapshehasmadeadealwithadivinepowerthathascosthimthelivesandloveofthe

womenhecaresforthemost.

Thisisthesecondquotation:

Totaleclipse!nosun,nomoon,

Alldarkamidsttheblazeofnoon!

Oh,gloriouslight!nocheeringray

Togladmyeyeswithwelcomeday!

WhythusdeprivedThyprimedecree?

Sun,moonandstarsaredarktome!(VALIS195)

WhilethefirstquoteisFat’slamentation,thesecondaria(fromSamson,another

Handeloratorio)isquotedbyNPKD.HeissayingthatFatmaybeblindedbyhismadness.

Fatretortsthat“[t]heoppositeistrueinmycase.Iamilluminatedbyholylightfiredatme

fromanotherworld.Iseewhatnoothermansees."(VALIS195)Rememberthough,that,

Samsonalsohadissueswithwomen;itwashiswifewhocutoffhishair,deprivinghimof

hispower(BibleGateway).ThisisacontrasttoJephtha,sinceitshowsthesideofFatthat

seeshimselfasthevictim,blamingwomenforhisproblems.

Inotherwords,thetwoariasprovideacommentaryonthedualnatureofthe

narrator’smind,reflectingthetwopossibilities—heismad,orheisaprophet—whilealso

commentingonhisrelationshipswithwomen.Thebiblicaloriginofthesearias—bothare

influencedbystoriesfromtheBookofJudges—mythologizestheauthor’spersonal

experiences.

---~---

Gresham 20

CanyoucompareMauriceandDr.Stone?

ThetwodoctorsthatFatspeakswithattheOrangeCountymentalhospitalare

representativeofthetwosidesofthemaincharacter,NarratorPhilipK.Dickand

HorseloverFat.ThereisaquotationfromVALISthatstates:“Knowing...bydirectroute

fromthedivine,madeFatalatter-dayprophet.But,sincehehadgonecrazy,healso

enteredabsurditiesintohistractate”(VALIS262).Thetwodoctorsrepresentthetwo

separatepartsofNPKD’spersonality.

ObservewhathappenswhenMaurice,theJewishdoctorFatspeakswithatthe

mentalhospital,attemptstodiscussreligion.Mauricebecomesangryanddemandsthat

FatgohomeandreadGenesis,eventhoughFatismorefamiliarwiththetext.This

misunderstandingoccursbecauseMauriceisnotfamiliarwithGnosticism,andsothe

limitationsofignorantorthodoxyarerevealed.Suchorthodoxyisoftendangerously

ignorant,despiteandalsoduetoitsstrength(Mauriceisripplingwithmuscle,andaformer

freedomfighterfortheIsraeliarmy)(VALIS).

Then—providingacontrasttoMaurice—thereisDr.Stone:heengagesFatin

conversationasanequal,heisfamiliarwithGnosticconcepts,andbytheendofthe

conversationhedeclaresFattheexpertonthesubject.Thisistheoppositeoforthodox

ignorance;afoolishrelianceonacceptingalltheories,nomatterhowridiculous.Witness

Dr.Stone’srecommendationthathispatienttrytheBachremedies—solutionsprepared

usingdewfromdifferentflowers.Thisremedy,advisedbyamedicaldoctor,ispractically

useless(VALIS).

Gresham 21

Thedichotomybetweenreligiousorthodoxyandnaïveacceptancerepresents,in

part,thedangersFatfaceswheninterpretinghisexperiences.Inancienttimes,theywould,

perhaps,haveliftedhimtotherealmoftheprophets,butinmoderntimesclaimingtohave

experiencedGodcanprovideaone-waytickettothementalhospital,orworse.

---~---

SectionII

—Gnosticism—

“Ihavecastfireupontheworld,andlook,

I'mguardingituntilitblazes.”

GospelofThomas

Gresham 23

WhatisGnosticism?

Believeitornot,thatisn’tasimplequestion.It’seasytomistakenlyview

Gnosticismasasingularentity—thisgroupofpeoplebelievedthat—butthetruthismore

complicated.Gnosticismisablankettermforawidevarietyofconcepts.KarenKing,

HollisProfessorofDivinityatHarvard,elaborates:

Thetermisusedsowidelyandinsomanydifferentsensesthatitsprecise

meaning...isoftenhardtodiscern.Indeed,notonlyisGnosticismusedto

refertocertaintypesofancientChristianheresy,butithascometohave

significantapplicationinavarietyofotherareas.(5)

“Gnosticism”describes“abroadvarietyofreligiousteachingsthatwererifeinthe

HellenizedNearEastofthefirstcenturiesCE.”Proponentsclaimedtohaveaccesstosecret

wisdomthatmainstreamChristianitydidnot.A“radicallydualisticmood”permeates

Gnosticthought,adualitybetween“manandworld,”aswellas“betweentheworldand

God”(Borchert97-98).

---~---

Gresham 24

WhatwerethebasicbeliefsofGnosticsects?

Gnosticthought“canbesummarizedintheideaofadivinesparkinman,deriving

fromthedivinerealm,fallenintothisworldoffate,birthanddeath,andneedingtobe

awakenedbythedivinecounterpartoftheselfinordertobefinallyreintegrated”(King

169).ThetrueGodinGnosticismistranscendent.He/sheexistsentirelyoutsideofour

physicaluniverse.Gnosticismtellshowtheperfectionofthedivinewasshattered,leading

totheemergenceoflowerpowerswhobecame“themakersandrulers”ofaflawed

physicalworld(Borchert99).Gnosticsviewtheworldofphysicalmatterasprofane,a

prison.Theybelievethatthetrueaspectofmankindisdivine,andthatthephysicalnature

ofouruniverseistheresultofdivinitybeingcorrupted.ThegoaloftheGnosticisto

overcomethephysicalprisonofthebodythroughgnosis,or“knowledge”,andachieve

spiritualrelease.(King)

CorruptionistheresultofWisdom,orSophia,beingdesperatetoknowhercreator.

Whensheattemptedtodoso,this“primordialerror...usuallyidentifiedasareckless

desiretoknowthetranscendentGod,”resultedinthebirthofYaldabaoth,theDemiurge.

ThisDemiurgewasanimposter,mistakenlybelievinghewastheonlyGod,andfromhis

flawedattemptsatcreationarosethephysicalworld,humansuffering,andsoforth.This

versionofGodiswell-known,albeitfromadifferentperspective;theDemiurge—the

deludedGod—istheGodoftheOldTestament(Borchert;King).

---~---

Gresham 25

WhatisNagHammadi?WhatisChenoboskion?

NagHammadiisatowninEgyptnearwhichacollectionofGnostictextswas

discoveredinDecemberof1945,andChenoboskionisthenameofasmallsettlementeast

ofthattown.ThediscoverywasovershadowedbytheeventsofWorldWarII,butitwas

consideredrevolutionaryamongstacademics.TwoEgyptians“uncoveredasealedclayjar

containingahoardofpapyrusmanuscripts.”Thesemanuscriptsdatedbacktofourth-

centuryCE,andincluded“awealthofancientreligiousliterature,atotalofforty-six

differentworks,almostallofwhichwerepreviouslyunknown”(King149).

TheseGnostictextswereimportantbecausethemajorityofscholarshipon

GnosticismpriortothisdiscoveryfocusedonworksthatcriticizedGnosticsasbeing

heretics.PeoplesuchasIrenaeusandJustinMartyrwere,foralongtime,amongtheonly

reliablesourcesforinformationaboutearlyGnosticism.Theyindeedmadeforexcellent

sourcematerial,especiallyconcerningmainstreamChristianthought,butcouldonly

functionassecondarysourcesintermsofGnosticism.Findingprimarytextswrittenby

Gnosticsofthattimeperiodwasthereforeanincrediblediscovery.Morethanafewof

thesetextsfocusonasectofGnosticthoughtcalledValentinianGnosticism.Thisisthe

brandofGnosticismthatthenovelVALISdrawsfrommostheavily(King).

---~---

Gresham 26

Whatisasyzygy?

“Syzygy”(pronounced/ˈsizijē/)isawordthatmeans“theconjunctionoftwo

organismswithoutlossofidentity,”aswellas“apairofconnectedorcorrelativethings;in

Gnostictheology,acoupleorpairofopposites”(OED).A“divinesyzygy,”inthiscontext,

referstothemaleandfemalepartsofGod.Theshatteringofthissyzygyandthe

subsequentyearningtorejoinitprovidesameanstomythologizeAPKD’sownstruggles

withwomen.TheGnosticSophiaisareflectionofhisdeadsister,reborn,afontofpure

wisdom,andthemanywomeninthemaincharacter’slifearedistortedreflectionsofher.

---~---

Gresham 27

WhatarethebeliefsofValentinianGnosticism?

ValentinianGnosticism,thesectthatisreferencedinVALIS,isacomplicated

variationofGnosticbelief.Aswithallhistoricaltopics,thereisagreatdealofspirited

academicdebateconcerningthedetails.Thisanswerprovidesonlythebasicideas

necessaryforunderstandingthepartsofVALISthatrefertoValentinianGnosticism.8

Valentinus,thefounderoftheValentinians,taughtthatJesusgavehisdisciples

secretteachings.HeclaimedthatwhenJesuspreachedintheworld,hewasusing

metaphorsthatdidn’ttellthewholestory.Iftheaveragelayperson,unknowingofthis

tradition,weretoonlyreadthescriptures,hewouldneverlearnthetruth.OnlyGnostics

wouldknowthepathtosalvation(Owens).

ValentiniansbelievedthatGodcouldnotbeknownbyphysicalmeans.Thedivine

wasinfiniteandthesourceofallthings,butunknowable.ItwasalsobelievedthatGodwas

androgynous.ThemaleandfemaleaspectsofGod,actingtogether,weremanifestedinthe

Son(alsoandrogynous);theSon’senergies,inturn,weremanifestedinspiritualentities

calledAeons.TheseAeonswereindependententities,joinedtogetherinmaleandfemale

dyads;thesedyadswereknownasdivinesyzygies.Collectively,theseAeonsconstituted

theFullness(Owens).

TheAeonsdidnotknowwhocreatedthem,butyearnedtounderstandtheirsource.

TheyoungestoftheAeons—Sophia(Wisdom)—attempted,inhercuriousity,toknowGod,

butfailed,becausesheattempteditthrough“thinkingalone,somethingthatisimpossible.”

8Note,also,thatthisdescriptionisprimarilyderivedfromtheGnosticSocietyLibrary.ImentionthisonlybecausetheGnosticSociety’s

descriptionsofValentinianthoughtdiffersignificantlyfromtheotherinterpretativesourceIlocated—writtenbyamemberofan

Orthodoxtheologicalschool—thatcitestheearlyOrthodoxscholarIrenaeusalmostexclusively.IthereforechosetheGnosticSociety’s

version,sincetheNagHammaditexts—heavilyreferencedinthenovel—serveasaprimarysource.

Gresham 28

Sophiabecamesplitintwo:thehigherpartremainedwithherdivinesyzygy,butthelower

part,miredinillusionandsuffering,wascutofffromtheotherAeons(Owens).

Rememberthephrase“armillarycoherence”?TheGnosticuniverseisrepresented

thesameway(Owens):

• Theoutermostsphere,encompassingeverything,isGod.

• AfterthatistheSon.

o WithinthesonaretheAeons.

• TheinnermostsphereisthefallenaspectofSophia,adeficiencythatis

separatedfromGod.

Thereis,inthismodel,aboundarybetweenGodandtheSon;hencewhytheAeonswere

unabletoknowGod.ThereisalsoaboundarybetweentheSonandthephysicalrealm,due

tothephysical’sprofanenature.

AfterSophia’ssplitandthecreationofthedeficient,physicallower-realm,theAeons

werefinallygrantedknowledgeofGodandthenintegratedintothepersonalityoftheSon.

ThisreintegratedSonwasdubbedtheSavior,andwasdestinedtobethebridegroomofthe

fallenaspectofSophia.(Owens).

TheSaviordescendedpastthelowerboundary,intothephysicalworld,andfreed

thelowerSophiafromherignorancebygrantingherknowledge(gnosis),thusfreeingher

fromhersuffering.ThenowcompleteSophia,overcomewithjoy,createdspiritualseedsin

theimageofherSavior.Theseseedsrepresentthespiritualelementpresentinevery

Christian.However,theseseedswereimmature,andsopartofthelowerrealmremained.

Thisremainingdeficiencywasmoldedintothephysicalworldasweknowittoday,inorder

toprovideaplaceforthegrowingspiritualseeds,trappedinflesh,tobecomematureand

Gresham 29

eventuallyfree,reunitingwiththeirspiritualcounterpartsindivinesyzygiesoftheirown

(Owens).

---~---

Gresham 30

WhatisthesignificanceofSophiaattheendofVALIS?

Losinghistwinsistershapedtheauthor’spsychologicallife,bothintermsofthe

womenhecaredabout,aswellasaffectinghowhedealtwithinnerself.Thetwo-yearold

SophiaattheendofthebookisthemanifestationofAPKD’sdesiretoseehissisteralive,as

wellasthedesiretorepairtheshatteredrelationshipswiththewomeninhislife.APKD

saysinhisExegesis,“Mysearchinthisworld,inallworlds,isformysister,myfemale

counterpartwhomIhavelost—beenseparatedfrom.Sheisveryclosetome...ultimately,

asholywisdomherself.”(Exegesis410)Sheistheculminationofhissearch,butthe

inevitablecorruptionofherinnocence(representedbytheotherwomeninthenovel)

poisonedhisviewofwomen.Sophiaissymbolicoftheemotionalandspiritualfalloutof

hissister’sdeath.Sophia’sfamilyrepresentstheconsequencesofthattoxicity,inthatthey

aredyingorgoingmadfromprolongedexposuretothegodchild;thisremindsthenarrator

of“somethingwhich[Paracelsus]haddiscovered.Poisons,inmeasureddoses,are

remedies…Soputanotherway,medicationscanbepoisonous,cankill”(VALIS336).

DunlapandRameydiscussSophia’sroleintheiressay“SophiaWithin”:“These

womenarevariationsonSophia,whowas,for[APKD],psychologicallyrootedinhistwin

sister,Jane...”TheessaydescribeshowSophiaisastarkcontrasttothedevouringnature

ofthewomeninhislife.Sophia,innocentanduntouchedbytheworld,iskilled“beforeshe

canbecomethedevouringone.”(Dunlap151)Theessaycontinues,sayingthatAPKDwas

wellawareofhowpoisonousthisdualitywas.Themedicineandthepoisoncoexistinthe

samebottle.

Gresham 31

TheauthorismythologizinghisstrugglewiththefeminineintermsoftheGnostic

syzygy.JustasGnosticismportraysSophia,oncecompleteinperfectunion,asbecoming

separatedandthenreconnectingviaspiritualsalvation,Fattooseekssalvation.Inasense,

heisbattlingwiththefeminineaspectofhimself.Hisinabilitytosavehissister,inother

words,hasmutatedintoadesperatestruggletosavethewomeninhislifeasasubstitute.

Heoverlaysthisstruggleatopeverywomanhemeets,culminatinginhisencounterwith

Sophia!ThewomeninFat’slifebecomesaviorfiguresforhim,justasheperceiveshimself

astheirsavior;thisperversionoftheGnosticsyzygyisoneofthestrongestexamplesof

dualityinthenovel.

---~---

Gresham 32

WhatisthesignificanceofGloriaKnudsen?

We’veseentheauthor’srepresentationofhissister,thegodlikemanifestationof

feminineinnocencethatisinexorablydestroyed,andsonowweproceedtothe

“devouring”womeninFat’slife,theothersideoftheequation.Thefirstillustrationofthis

inVALISisGloriaKnudsen.ThenarratorreceivesacallfromGloria,whereinshereveals

suicideplans.Hegoestovisitherinhopesthathecansaveherlife.Whenheasksherwhy

sheiskillingherself,shetellsastorythathesaysis“lapidary9inconstruction.”Byusing

theword“lapidary”,thenarratorissayingthatGloriahaspracticedherresponsetothe

suicidequestionsomanytimesthatithasbecomelikeafinely-cutgemstoneintermsof

attentiontodetail.Sincecuttingandpolishingagemstoneremoveslargeportionsofthe

originalstone,themetaphorbecomesevenmoretelling.Sheissheddingpiecesofherself

asshetellsthestory,untilFatrealizesthatsheis,mentallyatleast,alreadydead.(VALIS

179)

Gloria,whoisalreadydeadinside,isadistortedreflectionofthemaincharacter.

JustasGloriashedspiecesofherselfthewayagem-cutterdiscardspiecesofstone,the

narratorofVALIShassplithimselfintotwocharacters,soas“togainmuch-needed

objectivity.”Thissecondcharacter,HorseloverFat,isthusthesheddingofanunwanted

aspectofthenarrator;itisthepartthatexperiencedGod,thepartthatNPKDfearsmaybe

evidenceofmentalillness.Itisthepartthatiswrackedwithguiltoverhissister’sdeath.

Second,Gloriarepresentsthe“devouringfemales”inFat’slife,“whoareblamed

withallsuchviolentappropriations:ifsomeonegetseatenup,it’sthegirltoblame.We

9 Lapidaryreferstotheartofcuttinggemstones(OED).

Gresham 33

mightcallthisapsychologicalsymptomthatpoisonstheuniverseofthetext.”(Dunlop

190).FatcannotblameSophia,soheseeksoutwomenwhowill“devour”himasa

substitute,aperversionofthedivinesyzygy.IfhecansaveGloria,Fatbelieves,perhapshe

caninturnbesavedbyher,andifnot,hewilljustifyitbyclaiminghedeservestobe

devoured.Thisfateisinevitable,sinceFatseeksaunionwithawomanwhocannoteven

loveherselfenoughtocontinueliving.Heseeksaformofsalvation—adivinesyzygy—that

isinsteadakindofpunishment;heseeksthemedicine,butfailstorecognizethepoison.

---~---

Gresham 34

WhatisthesignificanceofSherriSolvig?

HorseloverFatsupportsSherriwhileshebattlescancer,anillnessfromwhichshe

miraculouslyrecovers.SheisdescribedbyNPKD,however,asbelievingsheisdoomedto

diefromarelapse.HecompareshersituationtoGloriaKnudsen’s:

[Sherri]believedthatcancerlayinthedeckofcardsinfrontofher...Gloria

wantedtodieforstrictlyimaginaryreasons.Sherriwouldliterallydie

whethershewantedtoornot.

Sherri,likeGloria,representsFat’sattemptstohelpa“devouringwoman.”Dickstatesthat

itishiscursetohelppeople,that“helpingpeoplewasoneofthe...basicthingsFathad

beentoldlongagotogiveup”(VALIS244).Fat,whocannotevensavehimself,seeksout

relationshipsthataredoomedtofail.

Atonepointinthenovel,Sherriisdyinginherhospitalbed,andFat’sprotective

instincts—hisdesiretosaveher,andviceversa—nearlyoverwhelmhim.Uponwitnessing

avisitbyoneofSherri’schildhoodfriends,NPKDsaysthat“Fathadnevercomesocloseto

coldcockinganybodyintotomorrowasatthatmoment”(VALIS261).RememberthatFat’s

relationshipwithSherri,aswithGloria,istaintedbyadeath-trip,aperversionofthe

Gnosticsyzygy;NPKDatonepointevenlikensSherri’smind-statetoa“malignantdeath-

game”(VALIS243).WhileFatcertainlycaresforher,hefailstorecognizeobvioussigns:

thatsheviewsherselfasdoomed,thatsheisspreadingthispoisontoothers,andthat,same

asGloria,shedoesnotwanttobesaved.Fatevensays,whentalkingaboutmovinginwith

Sherri,that“itwasasifGloria,upon[committingsuicide],hadbeenreborntwicethesize

Gresham 35

withtwicethementalstrength.”Despitehimrecognizingthis,hestillcan’t“waittomove

inwithSherriandsaveher”(VALIS243-244).

Fatisrepeatingthesamemistakes,firstwithGloria,andthenwithSherri,until

finally,attheendofthenovel,hemeetsthesymbolicrepresentationofthiscycleinthe

childsaviorSophia.Sophiaisinnocent,omniscient,andappearstobealegitimatemessiah

figure,yetshepoisonsanythinglivingthatcomesanywherenearher!Sophiais

representativeofFat’sunconsciousmind,theultimatemythologicalmetaphorforhis

struggles,oneinwhichthenarratorcannotevencontinuetoremainanobserver.Fatis

struckfromthenovel’sfictionalreality,ablatantexampleofthedirectiontheendofthe

noveltakes.Thisishowpowerfultheyounggoddess’sholdisoverthemaincharacter.The

divinesyzygyexpressedbyFatandtheyoungSophiaistheculminationofmultiplethreads

ofduality:sanityandmadness,masculinityandfemininity,spiritualityandpsychoanalysis

...alloftheserepresentedbySophia,thelinchpinofValentinianGnosticfaith.

---~---

SectionIII

—Jung—

"Religiousexperienceisabsolute,it

cannotbedisputed.Youcanonly

saythatyouhaveneverhadsuchan

experience,whereuponyour

opponentwillreply:'Sorry,Ihave.'

Andthereyourdiscussionwillcome

toanend."

CarlJung

Gresham 37

WhydoesJunghaveasectioninthisReader’sGuide?

Toanswerthisquestion,let’sdigressamoment.Language,accordingtoJung,hasa

genesisinthevocalexpressionofemotions,“soundswhichexpressterror,fear,anger,love

...andsoundswhichimitatethenoisesoftheelements.”Toextrapolatethesegruntsand

criesintotheconversationsandnewspapersoftodayisarelativelysimpleleap.Wecan

movefurther,however,andapplytheunderpinningsoftheunconscious—bothpersonal

andcollective—toartisticexpression.JungexpressesthefollowinginSymbolsof

Transformation:“oneofthebasicprinciplesofanalyticalpsychologyisthatdreamimages

aretobeunderstoodsymbolically.”Withartwesynthesizedreamsintheforgeofreality;

thecraftsmenandwomenwhoidentifyaspoets,painters,musicians,etc.areinthisway

liaisonsbetweenourconsciousandunconsciousminds.Theyspeakintheirrespective

tongueswhatcannotseeminglybespoken.(Basic)

Similarly,theauthor’sunconscioussurgesthroughVALISandtheExegesis.The

symbolismoftheauthor’sdreamsismanifestedintheshiftingrealitiesofthenovel.A

Jungianviewofthesesymbolsandtheassociationsisinevitable,especiallyinlightofthe

novel’smultifacetedduality.JungwasverymuchinspiredbyGnosticthought—especially

Valentinianthought—drawinguponits“mythicalschemas”tohelpformulatehisideasof

thecollectiveunconscious,andthemeansbywhichanindividualmaycometorealizehis

orhertrueself.Psychoanalysiscanspeakonreligiousexperience,investigatingits

contentsfromauniqueperspective.Jungfrequentlyspokeoftheunconsciousfroma

mythologicalstandpoint;heunderstoodthatacceptingreligiousexperiencesaslegitimate

personalrealitieswasapathwaytowardpsychologicalandspiritualhealing.Thisis

Gresham 38

invaluablewhendiscussinghowPhilipK.Dickmythologizeshisstrugglesandreligious

experiences.

---~---

Gresham 39

WhowasCarlJung?

CarlJungwasaSwisspsychiatristwhofoundedanalyticalpsychology.Hewasa

discipleofFreudinhisearlyyears,butthetwosplitduetodisagreementsoverthenature

oftheunconscious.WhileFreudfocusedprimarilyon“sexualityasamotivatingforce,”

Jungdisagreedwiththisconclusion.Additionally,“[Jung]alsofeltthatFreud’sconceptof

theunconsciouswaslimitedandoverlynegative.”WhereFreudsawonly“repressed

thoughtsandmotivations”,Jungsawapotential“sourceofcreativity”(Cherry1).

AccordingtoJamesHollis,Jung“hadadeepappreciationofourcreativelifeand

consideredspiritualityacentralpartofthehumanjourney”(Hollis1).Jung’sdebtto

Gnosticthought,forexample,canbeseenintheideaofthesyzygy:theideathateverymale

hasaprojectedfemalecounterpart(theanima),andthateveryfemalehasaprojectedmale

counterpart(theanimus).Jungutilizedthemythologicalnatureofhumans,thoughttohelp

explaincertainelementsoftheunconscious,todemonstratethatthestorieswehave

projectedupontheconstellationsmayinfactbeaspectsofacollectiveunconscious.Be

awarethatthissectionwillbrushonlythesurfaceofJungianthought.Specifically,Iwill

focusonbriefexplanationsofthe“collectiveunconscious”andthe“archetype”,theanima

andanimus,andtheDeusAbsconditus.

---~---

Gresham 40

Whatisthe“collectiveunconscious”?

InVALIS,NPKDdescribesthecollectiveunconsciousintermsofRecapitulation

Theory,bestknownforthephrase“ontogenyrecapitulatesphylogeny.”Inbiology,it

theorizesthatanimals—whendevelopingfromembryotoadult—gothroughphasesthat

arerepresentativeofthesuccessiveevolutionarystagesoftheirancestors.Thoughithas

beenlargelydiscreditedinbiology,someotherfieldsstillconsideritplausiblewhen

appliedtotheirsubjects(originoflanguage,cognitivedevelopment,etc.).Intermsofthe

collectiveunconscious,forexample,itcanbeausefulwaytobetterunderstandwhatis

meant(UniversityofCalifornia1).VALISrefersto“phylogenicmemory”atonepoint,for

example;“phylogenic”isthesameas“phylogenetic”.Thewordrelatesto“theevolutionary

developmentofaspeciesorothergroupoforganismsthroughasuccessionofforms.”

(OED).So,phylogenicmemorycanbethoughtofasthememoryofaspecies’history,

constitutingthedeepestformofmemory.

JunggivesanexplanationinTheConceptoftheCollectiveUnconsciousthatringsa

similarbell:

Thecollectiveunconsciousisapartofthepsychewhichcanbenegatively

distinguishedfromapersonalunconsciousbythefactthatitdoesnot,like

thelatter,oweitsexistencetopersonalexperienceandconsequentlyisnota

personalacquisition.(Concept)

Jungstatesthatthecollectiveunconsciousiscomprisedofarchetypes,“literallya

preexistentform”.Thiscollectiveunconsciousisthesameforeveryperson,itisa“second

psychicsystemofacollective,universal,andimpersonalnature.”Beingawareof

Gresham 41

archetypalmanifestationscanhelpustointerpretthethoughtsofthepersonal,

“immediate”consciousness(Concept1).

Jungfurthersaysthattheunconsciousnotonlycontainstherepressedelements

mentionedbyhismentorFreud,“butalsoallpsychicmaterialthatliesbelowthethreshold

ofconsciousness.”Inessence,theindividualhasa“consciousandpersonalpsyche”that

canbecontrastedwithan“inheritedanduniversalpsychicdisposition;”thisiswhatis

meantbythecollectiveunconscious.Jungseesthisassimilartocomparingandcontrasting

anindividualvs.society(Basic).

---~---

Gresham 42

Whatisan“archetype”?

ThisconceptisnotspecifictoJung;hewassimplythefirstinhisfieldtoapplyitto

psychiatryandpsychoanalysis.Jungsaysitis“anindispensablecorrelateoftheideaofthe

collectiveunconscious.”Archetypesareuniversalconceptsthatarefamiliartoallhumans,

andformthebasisofthecollectiveunconscious.Jungcontinues:

Mythologicalresearchcallsthem“motifs”;inthepsychologyofprimitives

theycorrespondtoLevy-Bruhl’s[concepts,]andinthefieldofcomparative

religiontheyhavebeendefined...itshouldbeclearenoughthatmyidea...

doesnotstandalonebutissomethingthatisrecognizedandnamedinother

fieldsofknowledge.(Collective)

Anystudentofanthropology,ormythsingeneral,willrecognizethisidea.Jungistakingthe

conceptsofmythologyandusingthemtomodifyandenhanceFreud’sideaofthe

unconscious.

Jungstressesthatanarchetype“isitselfirrepresentablebuthaseffectswhichmake

visualizationsofitpossible.”Anarchetypewillalsobynaturecontainaspectsofits

opposite.Bluewillcontainred,sotospeak,andthevisualizationofbluewillthuscometo

berathervioletinstead.IfweexamineFat’sissueswiththefemininefromaJungian

standpoint,forexample,wecaninferthatSophiaistheprojectionofhisownfeminine

aspects.ThisisknowninJungianpsychoanalysisastheanimainmales.Infemales,itisa

projectionofmaleaspects,andiscalledtheanimus(Basic).

---~---

Gresham 43

Whatistheanima?Animus?

Thereisaveritableglutofdefinitionsfortheanimaandtheanimusoutthere,so

let’sworkwithwhatJungsays.Theanimaandanimusrepresentarchetypesof

contrasexuality10;thatis,theanimainmenexpressesrepressedfemalequalities,whilethe

animusinfemalesrepresentsrepressedmalequalities.InAPKD’s—and,byextension,

Fat’s—case,theanimaissignificantlyaffectedbythedeathofhissister.Thisloss,allthe

moretragicduetoithappeningbeforehecouldtalk,influencedtherelationships

throughouthislife.Thatsaid,itcanbetheorizedthatthislossperhapsmadeDickmore

awareoftheseunconsciousinfluences.Afterall,VALISisburstingwithself-aware

commentary.NPKDisaware,forexample,thatFatseeksoutwomenhecannotsave.This

isonlyastepawayfromtherealizationthat,fromanunconsciousperspective,Fatistrying

tosaveSophia,orrather,theprojectedimageofhisownrepressedfemalequalities,

projectedviatheimageofAPKD’ssister.(Basic;Psyche)

---~---

10Contrasexualityreferstopersonalitytraitsthatmostpeoplerepressbecausetheyarecharacteristicoftheoppositesex.

Gresham 44

WhatisaDeusAbsconditus?

DeusAbsconditusisLatinfor“hiddenGod”.Jungusedthisphrasetorefertothe

“turbulentandpotentiallyconsumingsideoftheunconscious”(Dourley102).Jung

elaboratesinastatementgivenataseminarheldonDecember7,1932:

Absconditusmeansconcealed,itisthehiddenorconcealedgod,and[Martin

Luthor]meantbythatthegodthatwastheoppositeoftheDeusManifestus..

.opposite[theDeusManifestus]theremustbeanother,thesamegod,butthe

hiddenside...(Visions845)

Junghereisspeakingperhapsoftheshadow,thatpartofourunconsciousmindthat

containsaspectsofourselvesthatwerefusetoaccept.Indeed,oneoftheprimarygoalsof

individuationistoacceptthedarkestpartsofourselves,tocometotermswiththe

“monster”,asJungcallsit,andintegratetheseelementsintoourpersonality(McManus).

Thejourneytowardfullindividuationmaytakemanyyears,butcomingtotermswithit

evenpartiallycanyieldahealthiermind.

InVALIS,DickturnstheconceptoftheDeusAbsconditusinside-out.VALISissaidto

beaDeusAbsconditus,normallyremaininghidden,andrevealingitselfonlyrarely.

However,VALISiscastasaforceofgood;indeed,Fatviewsthephysicalworldasirrational,

andVALISasanopposingforceofrationalityandlight.Thisisaninterestingcontrasttoa

DeusAbsconditusbeingusedasaProtestantmethodofdealingwithbiblicalparadoxes11

(Vision).Insteadofbeingapotentiallyevil,hiddenpartofGod,theDeusAbsconditus

becomesaredeemer.Perhapsthisisastatementonthenatureoforthodoxreligion,ora

11JungusesthebetGodmadewithSatanconcerningJobasanexample.

Gresham 45

statementonhumanityingeneral.Afterall,thedarkestpartsofourselvesareoften

discovered,inthelightofday,tobemuchsmallerthanweimagined,andonlycast

monstrousshadowsduetothestrengthofourgazes.TheDeusAbsconditus,besides

speakingofVALIS’snature,mayalsoreferenceHorseloverFat.SinceFatrepresentsthe

partsofNPKDthathavebeencastaway—splitintoaseparate,third-personcharacter—the

DeusAbsconditusmayexpressthehiddenpartsofthenarrator.FatgivesNPKDthe“much-

neededobjectivity”requiredtointerpretthesehiddenaspectsofhismind(VALIS).

---~---

Gresham 46

IsFat’smentalsplitexplainableinaJungiancontext?

FromaJungianpoint-of-view,thetwoaspectsofthemaincharacter,HorseloverFat

andNPKD,representtheauthor’sstruggleincomingtotermswithhisownunconscious

mind.NPKDcastsawayhisDeusAbsconditusintotheabsurdly-namedHorseloverFat,until

Sophia,lateinthenovel,declaresthatFatandNPKDareoneperson,forcingFatto

disappearintonon-existence.

“ItwasHorseloverFat,"Isaid.

Sophiasaid,"Phil,Kevin,andDavid.Threeofyou.Therearenomore."

TurningtospeaktoFat—Isawnoone....Fatwasgone.Nothingremainedof

him.(VALIS348)

ThissceneisrepresentativeofNPKDundergoingindividuation,sinceheisbeingforcedto

reintegratethoseaspectsofhispersonality.ThatNPKDandFatendupasseparate

charactersbytheendofthenovelisatestament,perhaps,tohowtrulydifficultthestruggle

ofintegrationcanbe,thoughIperceiveitasahopefulsentiment(seenextquestion).Most

peoplecanidentifywiththestrugglesinherentindealingwiththedualityofone’sself,

darknessversuslight,andsoforth.WeallhaveaDeusAbscondituswithinusthatwemust

integrateandlearntoaccept.And,intheend,perhapsthisiswhatredeemsus.

---~---

Gresham 47

HowdoesJungrelatetoGnosticism?Howisitdifferent?

Theconceptofthe“divinesyzygy,”whichinGnosticthoughtrepresentsthedivine

unionofmaleandfemale,isusedbyJungtotalkabouttheanimaandanimusinunionwith

eachother.Hesaysthat“thesyzygyconsistsofthreeelementsapiece:thefemininity

pertainingtothemanandthemasculinitypertainingtothewoman,theexperiencewhich

manhasofthewomanandviceversa,andfinallythemasculineandfemalearchetypal

image”(Psyche20).Inthisway,Jungclassifiedthepartsoftheunconsciousmindthat

representcontrasexualityinmenandwomen.Hewasabletothenutilizetheconceptof

thesyzygytodescribehowmeninteractwiththewomenintheirlife,andviceversa.

Inaddition,mythology(especiallyreligiousmythology)helpedtoinformJung’s

psychologicalideas.Hoellersays:

ThefactremainsthatJungiandepthpsychologyismorethanatherapeutic

discipline,justasGnosticismismorethananancientreligion.Botharethe

expressionattheirparticularlevelsofexistentialrealityofaGnosis,a

knowledgeoftheheartdirectedtowardtheinmostcoreofthehumanpsyche

andhavingasitsobjectivetheessentialtransformationofthepsyche.

(Hoeller1)

Mostofall,then,JungwasinspiredbytheGnosticideathatknowledgeofone’sselfcanlead

tosalvation,andknowledgeofone’scontrasexualcharacteristicscanleadtosignificant

insights.

ViewingSophiaasNPKD’s/Fat’sanimayieldsadifferentanglethanviewingitfrom

aGnosticperspective.Sophiacanbeseen,fromaJungianpoint-of-view,asanexpression

Gresham 48

ofNPKD’sandFat’scontrasexualaspects.Ifthisisso,APKDisutilizingGnosticconceptsin

ordertogleanamoresignificant,psychoanalyticalunderstandingofhisfailed

relationships.Alongthesesamelines,thereadermayviewtheendofVALIS,withits

radicalshiftingenre,asanallegoricalsummationofthisquest.Thatis,Sophiaisthe

ultimateincarnationofNPKD’sanima,andwhiletheconfrontationwithherdoesnotlead

toafinalconclusion—FatandNPKDareseparatedagain,afterall—itdoesleadtoahappier

person,andtheintimationthatfullreintegrationisinevitable.Witnesswhathappensin

thefinalchapter,whenNPKDseesHorseloverFatforthefirsttimesinceSophia’sdeath:

Grinning,carryingabriefcase;ourfriendbackhome.[Fat]woreasuitand

tie,agood-lookingEastCoastsuit,fashionableintheextreme.Itshockedus

toseehimsowell-dressed;wehadanticipated,Iguess,someemaciated,

hollow-eyedremnantscarcelyabletohobbledownthecorridor....Fat

seemedwithdrawn,butnotactuallydepressed.(VALIS378-79)

The“shunt”inthe“tale,”(Rossi)then,istheauthor’smeansoftakingthecoldknifeof

reality—thedeath-gripofdepression,thefearofinsanity,andthesearchfora“devouring

woman”—andmorphingitintomythology,intoallegory,andfromthereemerging,not

quitewhole,butagreatdealhealthier.Itistheauthor’sexclamationofhope.

---~---

SectionIV

—FinalThoughts—

WhatwouldPhilhavesaidaboutit?

Hewouldhavesaidsixdifferentthings!

I’llsaythis.Anybodywhotakesthis

withoutalaughmissesitall.

NormanSpinrad

Gresham 50

WhereshouldIgofromhere?

Well,ifyouhaven’treadVALIS,Iwouldrecommendgivingitatry.You’llfindthat

therearemanyaspectsofitIhaven’ttouchedon,becausethereissimplyneithertheroom

northetime.Forexample,didyouknowthatEricLamptonisactuallyafictionalized

representationofDavidBowie?ThemoviethatEricLamptoncreated,meanwhile,isa

fictionalizedversionofTheManWhoFelltoEarth,areal-lifemovieinwhichDavidBowie

playedthemaincharacter.Theplotofthefictionalmovie,however,isactuallytakenfrom

aposthumouslypublishednovelofDick’scalledRadioFreeAlbemuth,abookthatalso

wrestleswithGnosticthemes.There’slikelymorethanafewpapersthatremaintobe

carvedoutofthatsequence!AndthisisjustoneofcountlessexamplesofcontentI’vebeen

forcedtoomit.

I’veattemptedtoaddressinthisguidewhatIfeltwerethemostdifficultaspectsof

VALIS.Attheveryleast,IhopethatI’veprovidedenoughinsightintothenovelthatit

becomesmoreenjoyable.Oncethebookstartswaxingreligiousandmetaphysical,the

basicconceptsI’veoutlinedshouldprovideenoughgroundforalaypersontostandon,so

tospeak.Fromthere,manyavenuesremaintobeexplored.Thispaperhasbarely

scratchedthesurfaceofpossibletopics.Notonlythis,butthefull8000-pageExegesis,

“possiblythelargestarchiveofunreleasedandunpublishedmaterialwrittenbyanymajor

20thcenturyauthor,”isnowavailableinonlineformatasitecalledZebrapedia,a

collaborativeendeavordedicatedto“exploring[the]massivetext.”(Zebrapedia)

Aftersigningup,anyoneisfreetoperusetheExegesis,examineitscontents,and

commentonthem,inaWiki-basedeffortofcooperativecriticalscholarship.Itgoesto

Gresham 51

showthatevennow,afterhisdeath,theworkofPhilipK.Dickisstretchingtheboundaries

ofthepresent,pushinguseverfurtherintoanewage.Collaborative,worldwide,

instantaneousinformation-gatheringisthefuture,andwillonlybecomemoreaccurate,

moreagile,andmoreadvancedovertime;ratherapropos,giventhenatureofthe

information-basedentitywithwhichPKDwasobsessed.Andperhapsoneday,manyyears

fromnow,wewillcometorealizethat—ratherthanjustdiscoveringit—wehavebuilta

VastActiveLivingIntelligenceSystem,usingthefiber-opticnervoussystemofaconnected

planet.Truly,thefutureenvisionedinPhilipK.Dick’simaginationhasonlyjustbegun.

---~---

—WorksCited—

“Ifyouthinkthisuniverseisbad,

youshouldseesomeoftheothers.”

PhilipK.Dick,attributed

Gresham 53

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Dick,PhilipK.VALISandLaterNovels.NewYork:LibraryofAmerica,2009.Print.1981

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AppendixA

—TheReligiousExperience

ofPhilipK.Dick—

“Onedoesnotbecomeenlightened

byimaginingfiguresoflight,butby

makingthedarknessconscious.”

CarlJung

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