Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1968

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Introduction

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

Introduction

Teacher Introduction

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Genre: Fiction; science fiction/dystopian
Originally Published: 1968
Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 490L; College/Adult
Structure/Length: 22 chapters; approx. 240 pages; approx. 9 hours, 12 minutes on audio
Protagonist and Central Conflict: In a dystopian world ravaged by nuclear war, Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter, is hired to kill six androids that have fled from Mars to Earth. During the assignment, he meets Rachael, who he discovers is an android. As their relationship grows, he struggles to remain detached enough to complete his mission.
Potential Sensitivity Issues: Violence; killing; sex; ableist language; othering

Philip K. Dick, Author

Bio: Born 1928 in Illinois; died 1982 in California; science fiction writer; wrote 44 novels and over 100 short stories; took courses at Berkeley; wrote prolifically but struggled to earn a living with his writing; adaptations of his work include the Blade Runner film from his novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and the Amazon series The Man in the High Castle; has a large fan following decades posthumously
Other Works: The Man in the High Castle (1961); Ubik (1969); A Scanner Darkly (1977)
Awards: Hugo Award (1963); John W. Campbell Award (1975); British Science Fiction Association Award (1978)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide: